The Case of Colonel Abel and Francis Gary Powers - Strangers on a Bridge

I cannot praise this book highly enough. It was a wonderful read. After seeing the movie I was compelled to read the book. It did not disappoint.
The story was wonderful since it was based on a true story. This is a must read.

I was in Jr High School when this story happened. At the time I was fascinated with the newspaper accounts of a US Lawyer getting Francis Gary Powers released. This book really opened my eyes on the Abel trial and the subsequent spy swap.

Excellent which should be no surprise since Donovan was a Brooklyn guy. Anxious to see the movie, although Hanks is not my favorite . It was never explained why exactly so many officers were aloof to Powers

James Donovan's loyalty to the justice system matches his respect for humanity.
He never vacillated in his commitment to his calling. After seeing the movie, based on the book, one can see his gentleness as a person, perserverence in defense of his client and courage to follow his conscience.

Great book. I like the format. This book fills in the details of a story that I'd read about and heard about for years. It would a good and easy read. I recommend it to anyone interested in cold war activities.

The first half of the book was clearly written by an attorney, and would be enjoyed by those in the legal profession. The second half was spellbinding, even though we know how the ending will turn out.

Fascinating to hear the story from the person who lived it.
Great insight into the author's personal values that fueled his commitment to provide the best possible criminal defence to a person who had done the indefensible and was despised by the general public.

An amazing journey felt like he was in the room telling me the story.

Absolutely a must read! You learn much about the US system of justice and why it is so fair and great. Donovan's foresight and unwavering devotion to his spy client is amazing. His toughness and determination for the prisoner swap is admirable.

Slow start but is a good read and refresher of the Cold War in the USA. A reminder of how lose the government played with citizens rights.. The government cheats and the courts give the cheaters a pass.

Jim Donovan was picked by the NY Bar Association at the height of the Cold War to defend a Soviet spy. The unassuming dignity with which he does so has much to teach both lawyer and non lawyer alike. If you wonder why lawyers should be respected, this is your read.

Aside from details related to the negotiated release of Powers and Abel, a generally slow moving, tedious read. Found the extensive coverage of an attorney’s “trials” and tribulations experienced in pre-trial motions, objections and disappointment in court decisions tiresome and not a little self-serving. Would not recommend this book if a reader want to learn about the Powers-Abel exchange, Abel’s espionage activities, or the U-2 incident.

If you're picking this up after seeing the movie Bridge of Spies, it fills in interesting information which the movie skimmed over. Written by the actual defense attorney from his diary and notes, it is detailed to a fault. Included are so many specific times, addresses and excerpts from court records that it often reads like a text book. Although I'm only halfway through (taking much longer than usual), it seems to be a great book for the nightstand. There has rarely been anything exciting enough to stimulate the adrenals and occasional ramblings put me to sleep. Yet, it is sufficiently thought provoking that I resume reading it each night.

I was so EXCITED to read this book in the wake of seeing the movie and at first, it was interesting. However, after the first quarter of the book I, as a layman started to get bogged down in what was sure to be still fascinating reading for those who enjoy the legal details of such a story. As much as I hate to do it, I stopped reading at this point. Movie was much better than the book, in this case.

I wanted to read this book because it was written by the lawyer Tom Hanks plays in the movie.
You probably know Hollywood can produce films "based on actual events" that can be well-removed from reality.
The narrative is a bit dry but Mr Donovan saved notes and documents from the beginning of his efforts to give Rudolf the Soviet spy a fair trial and eventual freedom.
It is a study of one man committed to doing the right things while he showed the rest of the world how American justice worked. He persevered and won his client's freedom after several years and worked with top U.S. officials to finally win freedom for his client as well as two other Americans held behind the Iron Curtain.
Baby boomers may enjoy the walk down memory lane from the inside of the trial and negotiations for the dramatic prisoner exchange on an East German bridge.

Saw the movie but wanted to learn more details so I bought the book. Donovan does an excellent job of conveying details of the entire story of Abel's life in the U.S., his arrest, the trial, his time in prison, and the intricate negotiations for the exchange.

This book is over 400 pages long and devotes 375 to the trials of Rudolf Abel with the remaining pages an afterthought of Francis Powers. At around page 75 I got the sense that it was a courtroom drama with him being the star. The details of Abels' arrest and trial got tedious and never really got better. I hung on only to see how he handled Mr. Powers and was disappointed at that. Two stars only for effort and historical perspective but these I already had.

I bought this after having seen the movie. If you're looking for a case study in cut and paste by a typically pompous 1950s lawyer, this is for you. But (plot alert) the movie (as they always do) distorted the (1) basic facts of Abel and how he was eventually caught, (2) blew Donovan's contributions to peace, love, and freedom way out of proportion. This is like a good dose of castor oil after a week in Wisconsin eating cheese.

This is a fabulous first person account of one of the more interesting stories of the Cold War. Donovan tells the story of the events depicted in the new Hanks/Spielberg movie, Bridge of Spies, from the standpoint of the man who lived it. It is a gripping tale and wonderful read.

I bought this book having seen the Spielberg film based on the events. The book is largely the diary of Abel's lawyer and chronicles the trial and appeals in the relevant courts before Abel's final release to the Soviet Union in 1962. It outlines the things Abel was accused (and found guilty of) and describes the methods by which he transmitted or obtained information. While Abel never admitted to being a spy and the Soviet Union never acknowledged him as such, Donovan make it pretty clear that, while he engaged in a spirited defence, he had no doubts about "the Colonel's" guilt and complicity. He also makes it very clear the enormous respect he had for Abel, the man, whatever his cause.

From a reader's perspective, the book reads mostly as a trial piece, with the ongoing courtroom shenanigans a feature of the story. as a non-US reader, some of the subtlety was lost on me and I would have thought it would be of more interest to a budding lawyer than a mainstream reader. However, it would be unfair to criticise it too heavily for this. The story of Powers' shutdown, capture, show trial and imprisonment it relatively brief and appears about 80% of the way through, with the remainder devoted to the negotiation process. I think it is fair to say that this is probably not hat most people would be expecting if they have seen the film.

The overriding theme of this book is that, whatever Abel's crimes, this was a demonstration of the fairness of the American justice system. Donovan makes his case extremely clear that the overriding principle is that everyone is entitled to the same rights under the US Constitution, despite calls for such principles to be suspended. This is a very important point which has parallels in modern times. Anything else would lower the standard of justice to that of the Soviet Union.

I enjoy non fiction and since I lived through the era this was (I was a teen) it really hit home. Life has sure changed in the past fifty plus years since this really happened.too bad none of the characters are around to tell their side of the story today.

When I picked this up at a used book sale a few years ago the cover blurb of "As compelling as 'The Spy Who Came In From The Cold'" led me to shelve it with the rest of my spy fiction. Turns out, it is actually the true story of the trial and eventual exchange of Soviet spy Rudolf Abel as told by his lawyer who also negotiated the prisoner exchange. In 2015 this book was adapted into the Tom Hanks movie 'Bridge of Spies'. As I type this I'm wearing a sweatshirt that says "the book was better." This book might be one of those "exceptions that prove the rule."

I did find the book to be fairly interesting in subject matter, but the author's tone is dry as dust. He writes as a lawyer giving a mostly emotionless, detailed summary of events.Far more time is spent on the trial and various appeals than on the international negotiations (the trial/appeals take up 306 of 375 pages!).

I felt that there was a pervasive tone of both self-justification and self-congratulation regarding his role as a good patriotic American who cares enough about impartial American justice that he vigorously defended a Soviet spy and ensured that he received a fair trial in the American court system (and just in case I haven't said it enough times: "American!"). His smugness aside, it did provide some interesting parallels to debates over the treatment of captured jihadists and suspected terrorists.

Overall:a bit of a slog, but worth the time (especially if you are interested in criminal justice in cases that involve international politics).

the movie "bridge of spies" with tom hanks in the role of james donovan was quite good, but not as good as the book "strangers on a bridge" on which the movie was based. this is donovan telling his own story in diary form, from the day he was asked by the bar association to represent rudolph abel, a man accused in 1957 of spying for the USSR, in the midst of the usa's mccarthy period. he did so with courage, intelligence, and skill, all the way to the supreme court where justice frankfurter, a traditional civil libertarian, sided with the government in a 5-4 vote to affirm the lower courts' guilty verdict. the issue was whether the government's confiscation and search of abel's possessions without a warrant violated the fourth amendment's prohibition against unlawful search and seizure. clearly it had, but that didn't matter in the climate of suspicion and fear engendered by the cold war. donovan, in defense of the fourth amendment, bucked the judicial system, his own law partners, and society at large, all in a single-minded and pursuit of justice. his negotiations with the KGB and the loathsome east germans that resulted in an exchange of abel for gary powers, an american spy pilot shot down by the soviets, showed again the man's keenness of mind and courage. the diary reads like a detective story; it has a you-are-there quality that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. you need not be a lawyer to follow donovan's text, which is enriched by original documents from the trial and its aftermath. great book, by an extraordinary man. walter cadette, millbrook, ny

This really ought to be required reading for all law students. It is a fascinating tour of a defense of a client who had no defense by a lawyer who was an excellent negotiator, which came in handy when dealing with the Communists. It has the Cold War, spies, an insider's look at the law, and a little bit of JFK. My favorite section is when he is negotiating with the East Germans/KGB. It is a quick read and is approachable for non-lawyers, too. I highly recommend this book.

Had to read the book after seeing movie. It's not written as a novel but still very readible. It was interrsting to learn that my hometown (Quincy, MA) was identified as a place of interest for "spying" ???????

This evening Mary Ellen Donovan, daughter of the author, gave a presentation about this book, her father, and the Steven Spielberg movie BRIDGE OF SPIES to the St. Simons Island Literary Guild in Georgia. Afterwards, many copies of the book were sold. It's a great read.

I like the fact the real correspondences are shared in the book and the great amount of detail provided on Abel. The book is balanced in its point of view of Colonel Abel. I am curious to know more about Powers treatment in Russia or more about Pryor. I think the movie did a better job there of showing what happened to Powers and Pryor .

Page turner. Outstanding insight into the triumph of American values over those of totalitarian regimes. Donovan outlines the vigorous defense he provides a master spy at the height of the Cold War in contrast to the show trial provided Powers. Donovan's role in the prisoner exchange is fascinating.

Excellently written. It exemplifies that truth is stranger than fiction. Coincidentally, I worked as a paper boy with James Bozart .We delivered the Brooklyn Eagle from an office on East 35th Steet and Church Avenue in Brooklyn. James B. Donovan was quite a man who unselfishly gave of himself which most likely was a factor in his early demise

I read a Readers Digest abridged version of this book when I was a kid in the 60s. It was so enthralling that the broad outline of the story is still stuck in my mind. I'm going to enjoy reading the actual book and see the movie. Happy Days!

This book is the gripping first-hand account of the same events depicted in Bridge of Spies. James Donovan's courage, character, compassion, and commitment to the law and the defense of the unpopular cause is unparalleled. Strangers on a Bridge completes the wonderful picture dramatized on the silver screen because the man who wrote it lived it. It's a must-read, just like Bridge of Spies is a must-see!

Great reprint of the original work. Unlike the movie "Bridge of Spies," which was based on the book, "Strangers on a Bridge" is largely devoted to the court and cultural struggles Donovan encountered in upholding U.S. constitutional rights and principles despite extreme pressure to discount the essence of American justice in the face popular views to the contrary in his day. Donovan is an American hero in my view, and his story is well-worth reading by every patriotic American who regards the U.S. Constitution as the source of our national greatness and promise for the world. A highly recommended reading for national "soul searching" in light of contemporary issues.