True Believer chronicles the life and times of Cold War–era espionage agent Noel Field and, to a lesser extent, the life of his wife, Herta, both of whom remained steadfast believers in the ideals and promises of Soviet-style Communism even when it had fallen out of fashion. In telling their story, Kati Marton paints a vivid and somewhat sympathetic portrait of the couple. She draws in a cast of characters, including Paul and Hede Massing, Alger Hiss, Lawrence Duggan, J. Peters (aka Sandor Goldberger), Allen Dulles, “Wild Bill” Donovan, and Iosif Stalin. A major strength of the book is Marton's success in integrating these characters and their beliefs into the context of the times. The result is not only a balanced biography of Noel Field but also a nuanced account of espionage during the Red Decade and early Cold War era.
Marton is uniquely qualified to tell this story. Like...