The Life of a Spy: An Education in Truth, Lies, and Power — Rod Barton audiobook
The Life of a Spy: An Education in Truth, Lies, and Power is Rod Barton’s unabridged audiobook memoir of his work with Australian defence, British intelligence, the CIA and UN weapons inspections. Its account follows his career from 1971 through the Iraq WMD investigations and their political fallout.
At a glance
- Barton’s account covers his entry into Australian defence work in 1971 and subsequent intelligence and weapons-inspection roles.
- The story includes missions in Mogadishu and Baghdad, investigations into Iraq’s weapons programmes, and disputes over WMD assessments after 9/11.
- An unabridged audio edition narrated by Thomas Burt, with a stated listening length of 7 hours and 23 minutes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Connects a personal career narrative with the political pressures surrounding Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction.
- The unabridged format preserves the full account in a single 7-hour-and-23-minute listening edition.
Technical specifications
8 specifications| Format | Audiobook |
|---|---|
| Version | Unabridged |
| Listening length | 7 hours and 23 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Author | Rod Barton |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Thomas Burt |
| Publisher | OrangeSky Audio |
| Publication date | 15 June 2021 |
Who is it for?
A good fit for
- Listeners interested in espionage memoirs and Australian intelligence history.
- Readers seeking a first-person account of UN weapons inspections and the Iraq WMD controversy.
Less suited to
- Listeners looking for fiction or a concise overview rather than a full-length memoir.
Customer reviews on Amazon
- 5 stars
60% 60% - 4 stars
28% 28% - 3 stars
11% 11% - 2 stars
1% 1% - 1 star
0% 0%
The aggregate rating is 4.4 out of 5 from 40 ratings, with 60% at five stars and 28% at four stars; this indicates a generally favourable rating pattern, but does not reveal what listeners liked or disliked. The figures alone cannot establish whether the narration or the detailed Iraq-inspection account will suit a particular listener.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote and narrates this audiobook?
It is written by Rod Barton and narrated by Thomas Burt.
How long is the audiobook?
The listed listening length is 7 hours and 23 minutes.
What does the memoir cover?
It follows Barton’s work in Australian defence and intelligence, UN weapons inspections in Iraq, and disputes surrounding assessments of Iraq’s WMDs.
