Tag: espionage

  • Agent Josephine by Damien Lewis

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Agent Josephine: Celebrities can work for the greater good! Quick synopsis: The untold story of how entertainer Josephine Baker was also a French spy in World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: A list of animals Josephine took with her nearly everywhere: a Great Dane, monkey, golden lion tamarin,…

  • Liar Temptress Soldier Spy by Karen Abbott

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Liar Temptress Soldier Spy: Don’t judge a book by their cover. Or forget to suspect a woman as a spy. Quick synopsis: The story of four women during the Civil War and how they gave to their respective causes. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: As many as 400 women served…

  • Three Ordinary Girls by Tim Brady

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Three Ordinary Girls: Who says women can’t work together? Quick synopsis: The story of three Dutch badasses, Hannie Schaft, Freddie Oversteegen, and Truus Oversteegen. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: “I shoot better.” Read the book. You’ll get there. Fun Fact for History Nerds: The three women’s legacies were very…. complicated…

  • Scholars of Mayhem by Daniel Guiet/Timothy Smith

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Scholars of Mayhem: PhD in killing Nazis. Quick synopsis: The story of Jean Claude Guiet and his team of saboteurs in World War II France. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Once France was liberated, you could tell which women collaborated with the Germans by their telltale shaved head which was…

  • Operation Thunderbolt by Saul David

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Operation Thunderbolt: Idi Amin was a real whackjob. Quick synopsis: The story of Operation Thunderbolt, an Israeli action to save hostages on a hijacked plane. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The flight crew was given the option to be released with non-Jewish passengers but refused. Fun Fact for History Nerds:…

  • The Good Assassin by Stephan Talty

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Good Assassin: Of course he’s a good assassin. He’s killing Nazis. Quick synopsis: The story of the hunt and killing of Herbert Cukurs, the Butcher of Latvia. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Ilha da Queimada Grande, an island off the coast of Brazil, has one snake for every 6…

  • Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Agent Zigzag: I believe the English term for a guy like this is “cheeky.” Quick synopsis: The story of Eddie Chapman, the most unexpected double agent of World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: One of the men in this book was known as “Passion Pants.” Fun Fact for…

  • Madame Fourcade’s Secret War by Lynne Olson

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: Spying sounds exhausting. Quick synopsis: The story of Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the spy master of a massive network in France throughout World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Spying in France during World War II was very often a family affair. Olson notes multiple instances where…

  • Interview with Larry Loftis Author of CODE NAME: LISE

    It still amazes me how generous history authors are with their time. I read CODE NAME: LISE (my review is here) a few months ago and absolutely loved it. The book is about Odette Sansom (or Hallowes or Churchill) who was World War II’s most highly decorated spy. Anything more starts to verge on spoilers,…