Episode
Everybody Wants to Rule the World: 1980s Nostalgia & Cold War Espionage with Ace Atkins
- Podcast
- Spybrary Spy Podcast
- Published
- Feb 12, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3063
- Processing state
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- https://spybrary.libsyn.com/everybody-wants-to-rule-the-world-1980s-nostalgia-cold-war-espionage-with-ace-atkins
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Summary
In this thriller author interview, Spywrite's Jeff Quest sits down with Ace Atkins to dive deep into his nostalgic Cold War spy novel Everybody Wants to Rule the World — a thrilling, 80s-set espionage adventure that blends suburban coming-of-age storytelling with high-stakes KGB intrigue. Support Spybrary on Patreon - help us keep the lights on at the Spybrary Safehouse Atkins shares how discovering Ian Fleming as a teenager transformed him into a lifelong spy fiction obsessive, eventually shaping his career as a bestselling author. The conversation explores the real-life espionage inspirations behind the novel, including infamous traitors Aldrich Ames , as well as the bizarre and often comedic true story of Soviet defector Vitaly Yurchenko . From suburban Atlanta in the mid-1980s to the paranoia of Reagan's Star Wars era, this episode captures the zeitgeist of a time when espionage dominated headlines — and imaginations. If you love Cold War spy fiction, 80s nostalgia, and tradecraft stranger than fiction, this episode is for you.