Sergei Kourdakov - A Side that Few People Ever Saw

A Rose for Sergei

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Amazon Book Description:

“Do we really know what we are getting ourselves into…”

Sergei Kourdakov jumped from a Russian trawler in 1971 and barely survived the treacherous swim to the rocky shores of Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada. The handsome, twenty-year-old ex-KGB naval intelligence officer had defected—leaving behind a horrific life he could no longer face.

K. Kidd’s search for independence and a career with the Federal Government led her on a journey that far surpassed any expectations. A year after Sergei defected she was introduced to him at her office in Washington, DC. The moment they met, the immediate attraction surprised them both. “Even you could be spy,” Sergei whispered.

This improbable, unbelievable true story chronicles K. Kidd’s real-life relationship with a man who gave up everything for freedom. In her eye-opening memoir, the author reveals a side of Sergei Kourdakov that few people ever saw.

What Readers are Saying

“Your story is amazing.”—Anna Whiston-Donaldson, New York Times best-selling author of Rare Bird: A Memoir of Loss and Love

“Gripping read, gripping Memoir.”

“Fascinating true-life Cold War Romance.”

“This is a must read if you've read the book, The Persecutor.”

**Note: This book has been cleared for open publication by the Department of Defense’s Office of Prepublication and Security Review (DoD/OPSR).

 Click Here to Purchase A Rose for Sergei

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The Persecutor by Sergei Kourdakov | Controversy

Controversy is defined as a prolonged, public and heated disagreement.  It is also a powerful motivator.  For those who are new to my blog, here’s a very quick synopsis to catch you up.  For those who know my story, I have some new information about Sergei Kourdakov.

This story begins with Sergei Kourdakov’s book, The Persecutor.  Raised in Soviet orphanages, Sergei was plucked from obscurity to work with the KGB in breaking up Christian meetings of “Believers.”  After reading confiscated religious material, and literally feeling the hand of God hold him back from beating a woman, Sergei had a change of heart.  At age twenty he defected.  His leap to freedom from a Soviet trawler (1971) left him battered and close to death on the rocky shores of Tasu Sound in Canada.  A year later he came to the United States to work with a group called Underground Evangelism.  During that time he wrote his story in a book that was published under three titles:  Sergei, The Persecutor, and Forgive Me, Natasha.  Published in several languages, his book is still a top seller around the world.

The story doesn’t end here.  Sergei’s book about becoming a Christian brought hope to many who read it.  It even inspired the making of the documentary film, Forgive Me, Sergei.  It was not the original intent of the film to discredit Sergei . . . but it did.  In part, interviews done in Russia cast some doubt about Sergei’s story.  For me, it cast some serious doubt about the Russians who were interviewed.  How likely were they to admit on film that Sergei was a KGB defector?

End of story?  Not yet.  This is where I come into the picture.  I met Sergei at my Federal Government office in Washington, DC.  In the Fall of 1972 we were both twenty-one.  I heard Sergei’s story first hand, in the privacy of my apartment.  I would have known if he was lying.  I saw the countermeasures he took when he suspected we were being followed.  That’s why I was perplexed when I watched the documentary film.  The controversy surrounding Sergei and his book motivated me to speak up.  It was at that point that I felt compelled to write A Rose for Sergei—a story that I had essentially kept a secret for forty years.

Now the story takes another turn.  The Russian interviews in the documentary film also caught the attention of Christian blogger Dane Cramer.  Aside from being an author, Mr. Cramer is trained in deception detection.  He states, “From the first time I watched the documentary, my trained senses had caught bits and pieces of information that suggested a conflict in what was being said.”

In his February 8, 2017 blog post, titled Sergei Kourdakov and the Quest for Truth, Mr. Cramer assesses each Russian interview in the documentary film.  He provides a fascinating and detailed report based on each interview.  Mr. Cramer’s quest for the truth is a must-read for everyone who is interested in Sergei Kourdakov’s life.

Click Here to Read

Dane Cramer’s Blog Post

“Sergei Kourdakov and the Quest for Truth”

Sergei Kourdakov | A Rose for Sergei | Classic Cold War Story

It intrigues me when people read the very same book, yet have a completely different understanding once they reach the end.  I appreciate all views that readers take away from my book.  Some like the romance aspect in my story and have written that they could feel the love, fear, and heartbreak.  Other readers value the historical side—Sergei Kourdakov’s life with the KGB and his defection from the Soviet Union.

When I wrote A Rose for Sergei it was important for me to show a different side of Sergei—one of truthfulness and honesty.  Whereas some newspapers, magazines and films portrayed Sergei Kourdakov as a fraud, I needed to show readers what he was really like.

Forty-four years ago on January 10, 1973, Sergei Kourdakov was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington DC.  On this anniversary, it is the perfect time to share one reader’s take-away from this true story.  The following review, written by “Avid Reader,” captures the unique and courageous side of Sergei Kourdakov.

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Classic Cold War Story!

Wow.  Just - WOW.  What a beautiful book!  I couldn't have guessed that a story of a KGB agent defection would be one of the most uplifting stories I've ever read. But it was.  Those of us who live in middle-class comfort - who have warm homes and food stored in the pantry, who have the freedom to travel, spend time with our loved ones, and choose our own work have much to be grateful for.  The character's humanity, sense of morality, generosity, kindness, and integrity - his ability to find joy in the little treasures in the United States are truly inspiring.  A Rose for Sergei makes me really conscious about using all the good in my own life - and not wasting a single moment of it.

I find it hard to believe that Sergei’s death was an accident.

—Review by Avid Reader

The Persecutor and A Rose for Sergei | Companion Books

I love it when I hear from readers.  I’ve found from reader responses that A Rose for Sergei appeals to people of all ages—teens included.  Part of my book’s attraction is because the story “reads like fiction,” and doesn’t fall into one category.  A Rose for Sergei is a mix of several genres: Memoir, Romance, Mystery, and Cold War Thriller.

Several readers were excited when they discovered that the “Sergei” in my book is the very same person they know and loved from another book.  That real person is Sergei Kourdakov, a Soviet KGB defector, who told his fascinating story in his autobiography, The Persecutor.  My story picks up on the latter part of his life when it touched mine.

I wholeheartedly agree with my followers.  Our true stories, The Persecutor and A Rose for Sergei, make great companion books.

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Thank you SD for your wonderful “Five Star” review on Amazon!

I am honored by your kind words.

ENGAGING MEMOIR

“I stumbled upon this ebook and before I finished the introduction, realized I had read its companion, The Persecutor, over 30 years ago.  I was so happy to discover more information on the fascinating life of Sergei.  A Rose for Sergei proved an engaging book and I applaud the author for sharing her tale.  This, along with The Persecutor, is a must read for students of the cold war or any with an interest in that era or 20th century Russia.  In addition, it's a touching love story.  Thank you, K. Kidd.  I highly recommend this memoir.  Like Sergei's autobiography, it may stay with the reader for 30 plus years!”

—SD

Both books available online from Amazon.

 A Rose for Sergei

The Persecutor

Never in My Wildest Dreams | Sergei Kourdakov

A search for independence and a career with the federal government led me on a journey that far surpassed any expectations.  I was twenty-one when I met Soviet KGB defector Sergei Kourdakov at my office in Washington D.C.  The moment we met, the immediate heated attraction surprised us both. ''Even you could be spy,'' he whispered.  How quickly I learned that love makes its own choices.  A Rose for Sergei chronicles my real-life relationship with Sergei Kourdakov—a man who gave up everything for freedom.

Sergei defected from the USSR in 1971, a year before we met.  One of his jobs with the Soviet Police was to break up meetings of Christian “believers.”  When he came to realize how wrong that was he planned his escape.  He barely survived the leap from the Soviet trawler Elagin and his treacherous swim toward freedom in Canada.  It was nothing short of a miracle.  (See September 28, 2015 post – The Nurse’s Diary)

There were times when Sergei and I were together that I felt like we were in a movie.  It didn’t seem real…Sergei was always looking over his shoulder, watching for “them.”  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would meet, let alone date, a KGB defector.

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A Rose for Sergei can be purchased online from:

Amazon

eBook and Paperback

Barnes and Noble

Paperback

Walmart

Paperback

A Rose for Sergei | True-Life Cold War Romance

I always appreciate it when someone takes the time to read my book and write a response/review for A Rose for Sergei.  I’ve mentioned this before—reviews don’t have to be lengthy, they can be just a few words.  Reviews can make a difference, and lead others to discover the last part of Sergei Kourdakov’s story.

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A Rose for Sergei

Thank You Readers for the

Amazon US & Amazon UK Reviews 

True-Life Cold War Romance (4 Stars)

This is not at all the sort of book I would normally read, but as a Russianist I was fascinated by the premise.  It's the true-life account of the author's relationship with Soviet defector and ex-KGB agent Sergei Kourdakov, one of the more unusual figures in the Cold War.  The book is billed as reading like a romance novel, and it certainly does, capturing the giddiness of young love as the two main figures fall head-over-heels for each other at first sight.  I also found it very interesting to read about the author's experiences as a young woman making a career for herself in government service in the early 1970s.  This is a bit of a hybrid book, combining as it does the genres of memoir, romance, and cold war thriller, so purists of any of the genres may not know what to make of it, but I found it a quick easy read and an interesting take on one of the hotter periods of the Cold War.

— Laela Ae

Four Stars (4 Stars)

Liked the book very much.

— Dorene Casey

Truth Really is Stranger than Fiction - and Better (5 Stars)

This will be a book I read more than once and I can't say that about most books.  I lived through the author's story moment by moment, until, like hers, my heart was breaking.  Thanks to the author for sharing her extraordinary, true story.

— Hullaballoo

    

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Sergei Kourdakov | Young, Free and in Love…

Recently I exchanged blog interviews with fellow Indie Author, Kevin R. Hill.  Interviews offer a different platform in which writers can connect with readers.  In turn, readers learn about the author’s character and individual style of writing.  One of the surprising upsides of our interview exchange turned out to be the camaraderie between two authors who have never met.

The interviewee obviously knows the Question & Answer portion of the interview in advance.  Anything else the interviewer writes about you is usually unknown until the blog post is made public.  So when I saw the headline Mr. Hill posted on his blog for his interview with me, I couldn’t hold back my laughter.  From experience I knew what to expect when you mention a certain three-letter-word publicly.  Uhhh oh, I thought, he doesn’t know.  I wondered if I should alert him, but then decided to let it go.

A few days later Kevin emailed me wondering about Russia’s sudden interest in his blog.  “It’s the word ‘spy’,” I informed him.  “It causes the blogosphere to go crazy.”  He lightheartedly emailed me back, “…that was just a wee little bit of info that may have been useful prior to publication!”

Excerpt from the Blog of Kevin R. Hill:

“Young, Free, and in love with a Spy--A real life Romance!”

In 1972, author Kolleen Kidd found herself involved with a Soviet defector, Sergei Nikolayevich Kourdakov, a former KGB agent and naval officer.  I met Kolleen on Goodreads.com, and wanted to bring her on the blog for my readers to experience the intrigue she lived.

A Rose for Sergei - Available from Amazon 

1. Kolleen, please take us to that world of excitement.  You were young and flirting with a defector, a former enemy.  Was it exciting?

Yes, it was very exciting.  I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love mystery and intrigue.  I was sixteen when I found summer clerical employment with the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington DC.  I couldn’t tell anyone what I did or even the location of the building where I worked.  It was one of many secrets I would have to keep.

The Soviet Union was our enemy.  I still remember the practice air raid drills—hiding under my desk in elementary school in preparation for the unimaginable.  When Sergei and I met, at my Federal Government office, we were both twenty-one.  He shook my hand and would not release it.  The heated attraction between us was immediate, in spite of the fact that our countries were adversaries.  We were young, single, and on our own in a beautiful and powerful city.  It was both exciting and frightening…we were watched and followed.  Each thought the other was a spy.

2. Why did you write A Rose for Sergei?

Read the complete July 14, 2016 interview on Kevin R. Hill’s Blog

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I love the newest cover for The Mayan Case!

Available from Amazon