Book and dagger: how scholars and librarians became the unlikely spies of World War II
(Book)
Author:
Published:
New York : Ecco, 2024.
Format:
Book
Edition:
First edition.
Physical Desc:
xxi, 376 pages ; 24 cm
Status:
Description
"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 them into double agents; Sherman Kent, a smart-mouthed history professor who rose to become the head of analysis for all of Europe and Africa; and Adele Kibre, an archivist who was sent to Stockholm to secretly acquire documents for the OSS. These unforgettable characters would ultimately help lay the foundations of modern intelligence and transform American higher education when they returned after the war. Thrillingly paced and rigorously researched, Book and Dagger is an inspiring and gripping true story about a group of academics who helped beat the Nazis - a tale that reveals the indelible power of humanities to change the world"--
Copies
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Status
East Hampton New Adult Nonfiction
940.54 GRA
Due Jul 22, 2025
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940.5486 GRA
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940.5 GRA
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940.5486 Graham
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940.54 GRAHAM
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Hamden/Miller New Adult Nonfiction
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940.5486 Graham
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940.5485 Graham, Elyse
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940.54 GRAHAM
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Woodbridge Adult NF 900-999
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Subjects
LC Subjects
College teachers -- United States -- Biography.
Curtiss, Joseph T., -- 1901-1992.
Espionage, American -- History -- 20th century.
Kent, Sherman.
Kibre, Adele.
Librarians -- United States -- Biography.
Spies -- Recruiting -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
United States. -- Office of Strategic Services -- Officials and employees -- Biography.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Secret service -- Europe.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Secret service -- United States.
Curtiss, Joseph T., -- 1901-1992.
Espionage, American -- History -- 20th century.
Kent, Sherman.
Kibre, Adele.
Librarians -- United States -- Biography.
Spies -- Recruiting -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
United States. -- Office of Strategic Services -- Officials and employees -- Biography.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Secret service -- Europe.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Secret service -- United States.
More Details
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780063280847
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description
"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 them into double agents; Sherman Kent, a smart-mouthed history professor who rose to become the head of analysis for all of Europe and Africa; and Adele Kibre, an archivist who was sent to Stockholm to secretly acquire documents for the OSS. These unforgettable characters would ultimately help lay the foundations of modern intelligence and transform American higher education when they returned after the war. Thrillingly paced and rigorously researched, Book and Dagger is an inspiring and gripping true story about a group of academics who helped beat the Nazis - a tale that reveals the indelible power of humanities to change the world"--,Provided by publisher.
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Citations
APA Citation (style guide)
Graham, E. (2024). Book and dagger: how scholars and librarians became the unlikely spies of World War II. First edition. Ecco.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Graham, Elyse, 1985-. 2024. Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II. Ecco.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Graham, Elyse, 1985-, Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II. Ecco, 2024.
MLA Citation (style guide)Graham, Elyse. Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II. First edition. Ecco, 2024.
Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
Staff View
Grouped Work ID:
ace5d509-1914-fa14-4cae-2a9270460a69
Record Information
| Last Sierra Extract Time | Jul 10, 2025 08:55:14 AM |
|---|---|
| Last File Modification Time | Jul 10, 2025 08:55:24 AM |
| Last Grouped Work Modification Time | Jul 11, 2025 10:18:39 PM |
MARC Record
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| 003 | DLC | ||
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| 245 | 1 | 0 | |a Book and dagger : |b how scholars and librarians became the unlikely spies of World War II / |c Elyse Graham. |
| 246 | 3 | 0 | |a How scholars and librarians became the unlikely spies of World War II. |
| 250 | |a First edition. | ||
| 264 | 1 | |a New York : |b Ecco, |c 2024. | |
| 300 | |a xxi, 376 pages ; |c 24 cm | ||
| 336 | |a text |b txt |2 rdacontent | ||
| 337 | |a unmediated |b n |2 rdamedia | ||
| 338 | |a volume |b nc |2 rdacarrier | ||
| 504 | |a Includes bibliographical references and index. | ||
| 505 | 0 | |a The spy who came in from the carrel -- A girl's guide to burglary -- Through the looking glass -- Too clever to be trapped by a woman -- Breaking codes and reading trash -- The dirtiest work that can possibly be imagined -- Surrender on demand -- The Longest Day -- Lies and damned lies -- Searching for a new plot. | |
| 520 | |a "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 them into double agents; Sherman Kent, a smart-mouthed history professor who rose to become the head of analysis for all of Europe and Africa; and Adele Kibre, an archivist who was sent to Stockholm to secretly acquire documents for the OSS. These unforgettable characters would ultimately help lay the foundations of modern intelligence and transform American higher education when they returned after the war. Thrillingly paced and rigorously researched, Book and Dagger is an inspiring and gripping true story about a group of academics who helped beat the Nazis - a tale that reveals the indelible power of humanities to change the world"-- |c Provided by publisher. | ||
| 600 | 1 | 0 | |a Curtiss, Joseph T., |d 1901-1992. |0 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n95008791 |
| 600 | 1 | 0 | |a Kent, Sherman. |0 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr90000191 |
| 600 | 1 | 0 | |a Kibre, Adele. |0 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n88106344 |
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| 650 | 0 | |a Spies |x Recruiting |z United States |x History |y 20th century. | |
| 650 | 0 | |a World War, 1939-1945 |x Secret service |z United States. |0 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2008113867 | |
| 650 | 0 | |a World War, 1939-1945 |x Secret service |z Europe. | |
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