Passionate Spies

Author John Harte was born in London in 1925 when it was still at the center of foreign affairs and global issues. He was eight years old when Hitler became the sole dictator leading the biggest and most modern military forces ever. Harte’s awareness of the imminence of World War 2 took place when five Cambridge students decided they must take a stand against the threat of Nazi Germany. But his perception arose without their understanding of world affairs. Since he had inherited a library of over two thousand books from his father, he began to study them. Several described the First World War, which still puzzled historians, economists and journalists.As a Second World War became inevitable, the author was growing into a teenager in the midst of the wartime crisis, with battles between fascists and communists, the unfolding civil war in Spain, and the helplessness of Britain’s weakest-ever government. It was an anxious time in England for anyone who understood what was happening.The author became not only an observer of history, but also a watcher of political and military events. He was able to distance himself from communist ideology, which he found hard to take seriously. That was because he was still unaware of what the five brilliant Cambridge students had realized and discussed among themselves—that it was essential to help the Soviet Union to defeat Nazi Germany and prevent the German armed forces from conquering Britain.As a prep school boy, he watched the bombing of London and the Battle of Britain from a rooftop in the West End. With three older brothers in uniform, it was inevitable that the incidents of the war would be vividly stamped on his memory.

The Passionate Spies  by John Harte is an extraordinary and thrilling read about three secret agents in Britain's Secret Service, who organized and led the "Arab Revolt" in 1917.  It gave independence to new Arab-speaking nations in the Middle East and founded oil-rich Saudi Arabia.  The colourful characters of spymaster Gertrude Bell (the first female officer in the British Army), the legendary "Lawrence of Arabia," and the astute traitor St. John Philby (father of the notorious KGB double-spy Kim Philby) are all so dynamic that their heroics are hard to believe, but nevertheless true and soundly researched by a perceptive author who depicts them for us in stylish prose.  I found it hard to put down with its thrilling twists and turns and surprises, and amazing characters.—Steve Harris, America's Secret History

• I THE SEARCH FOR A BACK DOOR1. Portrait of a Woman Secret Agent 92. The Arab Bureau 143. Gertrude Bell’s Team 194. A Hairy, Hardy Adventurer 215. A Man with a Mission 266. In the Hands of the British Raj 317. Journey to Fame 358. A Back Door to Europe 399. The Official Mind 4210. Gertrude’s Thirst for Knowledge 4711. The Arab Rising 55II TAKING THE INITIATIVE12. An Unlimited Liability 6313. Two Sides of Philby’s Head 6814. A Lone Wolf 7215. Trusting Philby 7716. Turkey’s Lifeline 8017. The Attack on Wejh 8518. The Art of War 8719. The Hejaz Railway 9120. Turkish Folly 94III ANNOYING THE ENEMY21. Lawrence’s Odyssey 9822. The Door to Syria 10423. The Aqaba Expedition 10724. Arrival of an Unknown General 11225. A Race Against Time 11826. General Allenby’s Breakthrough 12227. Treachery 12828. The Cut-Throats 13329. Yesterday’s Man 136IV MECHANIZED WAR30. Mechanized Warfare 13731. The Final Stroke 14332. Philby’s Future 14933. Gertrude Bell’s Balancing Factor 15434. The Value of Oil 15935. Lawrence’s New Partner 16136. Philby’s Dilemma 16837. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom 17438. Caliph of Islam 178V THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE39. Philby’s Fortunes 18340. Reduced to Poverty 18741. A Public Nuisance 19242. The Opportunist 19943. Philby’s Astuteness 20444. Philby’s Ride to Fame 20945. The Oil Business 21346. The Great Game 21847. Gertrude’s Passion 22148. Epilogue 227Notes 231Index 241Cune Press 248Author 250