Ben Macintyre — Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War's Most Extraordinary Spy - with David Ignatius
Ben Macintyre presents *Redwood*, a true-life Cold War espionage story about a Russian double agent whose revelations exposed a Soviet plot in revolutionary Iran and may have prevented a nuclear catastrophe. Macintyre will discuss the book with David Ignatius, the Washington Post columnist and longtime journalist covering the Middle East and the CIA.
Set in 1981 amid the upheaval following Iran’s revolution, the story follows “Redwood,” the MI6 codename for a highly trained Russian intelligence officer who turned against the KGB because of a deeply shameful secret. As Iranian Revolutionary Guards and his former KGB colleagues close in, he seeks help from MI6 in a dangerous attempt to escape the country. Drawing on previously unseen archival material and interviews with former MI6, MI5, KGB, and CIA personnel, the book explores espionage, loyalty, betrayal, friendship, marriage, and the far-reaching consequences of decisions made in secret.
When: Sunday, September 27, 2026
Showtimes: 5:00 p.m.
Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, 5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Tickets: Free
Seating: First-come, first-served.
Featured speakers: Ben Macintyre, author and writer-at-large for *The Times* of the United Kingdom, in conversation with David Ignatius, a prize-winning *Washington Post* columnist who has covered the Middle East and the CIA for four decades.
Ben Macintyre: Macintyre is the bestselling author of *Agent Sonya*, *The Spy and the Traitor*, *A Spy Among Friends*, *Double Cross*, *Operation Mincemeat*, *Agent Zigzag*, *Rogue Heroes*, *Prisoners of the Castle*, and *The Siege*, among other books. He has also written and presented BBC documentaries based on his work.
David Ignatius: Ignatius is the author of several *New York Times* bestsellers and lives in Washington, DC.
Event book: *Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War’s Most Extraordinary Spy* by Ben Macintyre is a hardcover published September 15, 2026. The listed book price is $35, and its ISBN is 9780593728123.
Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue will make an effort to accommodate requests made up until the event.