Ben Macintyre - Agent Zigzag

In this episode of BBC Radio 4's Bookclub, James Naughtie interviews Ben Macintyre about his book "Agent Zigzag," the true story of Eddie Chapman, a safecracker who became a double agent during World War II. Macintyre discusses how he discovered Chapman's story through MI5 archives and the challenges of writing about such an unreliable character. Listeners pose questions about Chapman's motivations, his relationship with his German handler, and the impact of his actions on others. The discussion explores the complexities of war, the nature of espionage, and the fine line between truth and fiction, revealing Chapman as a flawed yet fascinating figure who played a significant role in the British war effort.