Episode 48 Double Lives with The Agent
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The Agent - No spoilers !
It’s been a minute and to welcome us back is a really good one. The Agent is a 2022 Webby Award honoree and so good that I had to borrow his book “Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America” from the library. The 15 episode series tells the true story of Jack Barsky’s life as a KGB spy during the cold war when he spent 10 years undercover leading two very different secret lives. It’s this amazing narrative told by Barsky himself that weaves together Jack Barsky the person and Jack Barsky the spy until something happens that leads him to have to choose between the two. The story is so immersive and wraps you up in his life. I didn’t want it to be over even though in total the podcast is over 3 days’ worth of audio content. It really does look at his whole life and not just what he did for work. That might be too much backstory for some, but I love glimpses into the lives of others, especially one this fascinating. It’s a production of Imperative Entertainment and Windjoy and was the brainchild of Jason Hoch. Barsky, of course, plays a huge role in how the story is told. It has 4.7 out of 5 stars with 1,100 ratings but still had some common themes in the reviews. First, I think the show was once paywalled but isn’t anymore. I was able to listen to all of the episodes on PocketCasts. Then there’s some reviews about the Jack Barsky as a person but honestly we’re not there to like Jack. Like most people his not a villain or a hero, he’s just a person and this is his story. I don’t think people get very far or learn anything from someone they just write off as one or the others and I encourage you to listen to the story holistically. I really appreciated his authenticity and humility. He’s honest and acknowledges bad choices he’s made and how that effected others. Some have labeled this as ego but putting aside the fact that he was a spy and I’m sure that’s a job requirement, I did not feel the same.
Similar pods: Agent of Betrayal, To Die For, and The Miami Chronicles.
This week's artist: Seasoned Souls
Song: Haze
https://www.instagram.com/seasonedsoulsofficial/?hl=en
https://soundcloud.com/seasonedsoulsmusic/haze-1?in=seasonedsoulsmusic/sets/cryptic-defects-ep
