The Doctor Zhivago Plot

April 10, 2014 | 1 book mentioned

The CIA was known for unorthodox espionage techniques during the Cold War, but using Doctor Zhivago to undermine the U.S.S.R. is one of the strangest. The CIA helped print and distribute the banned book because it would make Soviets wonder “what is wrong with their government, when a fine literary work by the man acknowledged to be the greatest living Russian writer is not even available in his own country in his own language for his own people to read.”

is an associate editor for The Millions and an editor in Atlanta. She tweets at @temalone.