As usual, Salon provides stylistically good writing that skillfully interweaves both facts and the reviewer's opinion and synopsis. Because one of my favorite uncles worked for "Wild Bill" Donovan and was part of the original OSS, my reading in and attention to this topic is especially keen. My own background in government security has provided me, I think, with insight that allows me to, on the whole, separate conjecture and hyperbole from reality. Even though any "I was a secret agent" books--many of which could not have been published 10 or 20 years ago--of necessity can not contain "the rest of the story," Laura Miller makes it clear: this is a must-read book with meat on its bones. Her careful placing of the author's ... More »

This consideration of the personal story of Vera Atkins, WWII spy, is succinct and summarizes well the context of the biography.

good review....but did not touch on the unfortunate bigger agenda of US/UK postwar agenda(which was being planned by the respected Elite planners and enacted by MI6/OSS and SOE) which was to ENSURE the postwar political machinery would be CONTROLLED BY SOCIALISTS of every color..hence the aid and support to the French/Italian/Yugoslav/Polish/German SOCIALISTS AND COMMUNIST MOVEMENTS AND PARTIES.to ensure the planned UNIFICATION OF EUROPE under SOCIALISM... Treaty of Rome, NATO, EEC, EU and now the EU Global empire... oh well....a good review nonetheless....