Description

Book Synopsis

The untold story of the academics who became OSS spies, invented modern spycraft, and helped turn the tide of the war 

At the start of WWII, the US found itself in desperate need of an intelligence agency. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to today’s CIA, was quickly formed—and, in an effort to fill its ranks with experts, the OSS turned to academia for recruits. Suddenly, literature professors, librarians, and historians were training to perform undercover operations and investigative work—and these surprising spies would go on to profoundly shape both the course of the war and our cultural institutions with their efforts.

In Book and Dagger, Elyse Graham draws on personal histories, diaries, and declassified OSS files to tell the story of a small but connected group of humanities scholars turned unlikely spies. Among them are Joseph Curtiss, a literature professor who hunted down German spies and turned

Book and Dagger

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    A Paperback by Elyse Graham

    £15.74

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    RRP £20.99 – you save £5.25 (25%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Mon 9 Nov 2026.

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      Book details

      Publisher Harper Collins
      Imprint HarperCollins
      Published 1/17/2024 12:09:00 AM
      ISBN-13 9780063417304
      978-0063417304
      ISBN-10 0063417308

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      The untold story of the academics who became OSS spies, invented modern spycraft, and helped turn the tide of the war 

      At the start of WWII, the US found itself in desperate need of an intelligence agency. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to today’s CIA, was quickly formed—and, in an effort to fill its ranks with experts, the OSS turned to academia for recruits. Suddenly, literature professors, librarians, and historians were training to perform undercover operations and investigative work—and these surprising spies would go on to profoundly shape both the course of the war and our cultural institutions with their efforts.

      In Book and Dagger, Elyse Graham draws on personal histories, diaries, and declassified OSS files to tell the story of a small but connected group of humanities scholars turned unlikely spies. Among them are Joseph Curtiss, a literature professor who hunted down German spies and turned

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