James B. Donovan Book order

Originally published in 1964, this insider account of the Cold War spy exchange is now the basis for the major motion picture Bridge of Spies, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks. With a new foreword by bestselling author Jason Matthews, the narrative unfolds on February 10, 1962, as James B. Donovan walks toward the Glienicke Bridge, the “Bridge of Spies,” linking West Berlin to East. Accompanying him is Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, a master spy and chief of Soviet espionage in the U.S. Approaching from the other side, guarded heavily, is Francis Gary Powers, the American U-2 pilot shot down by the Soviets, whose exchange Donovan negotiated. This dramatic meeting symbolizes the clash of two worlds. Abel, a gifted and enigmatic spy, was revealed during his trial in Brooklyn and the Supreme Court, showcasing Soviet espionage methods. Donovan, appointed to defend Abel, skillfully navigated the complexities of the case. In this memoir, the lead prosecutor of the Nuremberg Trials presents a compelling blend of procedural drama and character study, reading like a noirish thriller. Featuring unseen photographs, trial notes, and sketches from Abel’s prison cell, this account offers a captivating historical narrative that is both fascinating and exciting.

"In the early morning of February 10, 1962, James B. Donovan began his walk down Glienicke Bridge, which then linked West Berlin to East. With him walked Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, for years the chief of Soviet espionage in the United States. Approaching them from the other side, under equally heavy guard, was Francis Gary Powers, the American U-2 pilot shot down by the Soviets. These were the strangers on a bridge, the representatives of two opposing worlds. Here Donovan, who negotiated their exchange and defended Abel at every stage of his trial, tells their story. Originally published in 1964, and now with a new foreword by bestselling author Jason Matthews, this is the singular insider account of one of the most important moments in Cold War history, the incredible spy exchange that is now the subject of the major motion picture Bridge of Spies by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Hanks as James B. Donovan. At once a noir procedural drama and a brilliant character study, Strangers on a Bridge is the gripping, fascinating story of the great spy case of a generation."--