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Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring
by
Alexander Rose (Goodreads Author)
Based on remarkable new research, acclaimed historian Alexander Rose brings to life the true story of the spy ring that helped America win the Revolutionary War. For the first time, Rose takes us beyond the battlefront and deep into the shadowy underworld of double agents and triple crosses, covert operations and code breaking, and unmasks the courageous, flawed men who in...more
ebook, 384 pages
Published
December 18th 2007
by Bantam
(first published May 2006)
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I recently moved to Connecticut and became intrigued with how much that state played a role in the spy ring on which Washington relied during the Revolutionary War.
During the war, General George Washington relied on an intelligence-gathering group of barkeeps, neurotics, hypochondriacs and smugglers to keep him informed of British-occupied New York. Most young men were galvanized to join the militia. Other men and women served their country in more covert, creative ways.
Celebrated historical a...more
During the war, General George Washington relied on an intelligence-gathering group of barkeeps, neurotics, hypochondriacs and smugglers to keep him informed of British-occupied New York. Most young men were galvanized to join the militia. Other men and women served their country in more covert, creative ways.
Celebrated historical a...more
Apr 25, 2013
Eddy Allen
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arts-and-historical
Based on remarkable new research, acclaimed historian Alexander Rose brings to life the true story of the spy ring that helped America win the Revolutionary War. For the first time, Rose takes us beyond the battlefront and deep into the shadowy underworld of double agents and triple crosses, covert operations and code breaking, and unmasks the courageous, flawed men who inhabited this wilderness of mirrors—including the spymaster at the heart of it all.
In the summer of 1778, with the war poised...more
In the summer of 1778, with the war poised...more
I read this 3 to 10 pages at a time, right before bed, for several months. Don't get me wrong. It is an interesting enough tale of Revolutionary War spying, and conveys all sorts of fascinating detail about the politics, religious and cultural dimensions of colonial life, as well as General Washington's challenges in running and maintaining specific famous spies behind British lines, in New York. Some of the tales told here give us a new appreciation for the raw brutality of the guerrilla warfar...more
Feb 04, 2012
Brian
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
american-history-revolution
Alexander Rose delivers a well researched and well thought out book on the history of American (and some of the British) spy rings that influenced the battle plans of the American revolutions. From the famous story of Nathan Hale to the operations around New York the first real intelligence organ of the United States is revealed. The book is not only an overview of the lives of the spies who fed intelligence to the Continental Army but goes into the methods in which they used. There is an entire...more
Short, well-written story of syping during the American Revolution w/ emphasis on George's Washington's major spy ring headed up by Benjamin Tallmadge (a Yale classmate of Nathan Hale) - much information of the main and secondary characters on both the American & British sides. Topics cover include interesting stories on codes being used and invisible inks of various types. I've been reading about the American Revolution for years and knew that syping occurred, but this book fills in the det...more
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This is an okay book describing the operation of George Washington's NYC spy ring the so called Culpepper ring. One of the interesting facts brought up is how many of them had connections, related or by school to Nathan Hale. Not a whole lot of action and there are quite a bit of dry facts, one chapter has long discussions on what areas of New York were patriot or loyalist. The book is a bit bland but does cover the topi and give some due to some unknown hero's of the American Revolution.
After seeing an episode of Brad Meltzer's Decoding the Past that covered the Culper Ring, I was quite excited to read more on the subject, and was relieved to see that someone had written a book about it.
After reading the book, I was a little disappointed. The book, though very informative and well-researched, made for rather dry reading. I just wasn't able to immerse myself and stay interested in what I was being told. Getting through the first one hundred pages alone became quite a chore, neve...more
After reading the book, I was a little disappointed. The book, though very informative and well-researched, made for rather dry reading. I just wasn't able to immerse myself and stay interested in what I was being told. Getting through the first one hundred pages alone became quite a chore, neve...more
If you're looking for major spy intrigue -- the stuff of movies and novels -- you aren't going to find it. The reality is much more mundane.
On the other hand, if you're interested in Gen. Washington and the details of how he managed the Revolutionary War, then this book is fascinating. Yeah, you get a lot of digressive background info on each major player who arrives, but it's generally good stuff. These were real people doing dangerous work that they weren't trained for and at a time when it w...more
On the other hand, if you're interested in Gen. Washington and the details of how he managed the Revolutionary War, then this book is fascinating. Yeah, you get a lot of digressive background info on each major player who arrives, but it's generally good stuff. These were real people doing dangerous work that they weren't trained for and at a time when it w...more
I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. The information is great, but for me it's not presented in a very readable fashion. I kept falling asleep or only reading a few pages before becoming bored, not what I was hoping for in a book about spies!! I read between 70 to 80 pages and called it quits.
Amazing. I've studied the war for sometime but the story always had holes. Things that made no sense or seemed to good to be true. This book, and the insight into the men and women who worked behind the scenes and helped Washington stay that two steps ahead of the British, filled in those holes. A must read for anyone who really wants to understand how the war was fought.
Very informative book about a little known subject. Really brings out the personalities of both the men and women who were a part of the Culper Ring and more well-known historical figures, like George Washington.
Very interesting read on the start of spy rings during the forming of the United States. I've been on George Washington reading jag lately so I picked this up. Lots of adventure and detail but written in an easy reading style.
Fascinating untold story of how truly sneaky Washington was and how he valued good intelligence and espionage.
This is a niche book well suited for those interested in espionage in the American Revolutionary War.
Apr 12, 2007
Benjamin
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
history-lovers, spy enthusiasts
Shelves:
histories
I didn't read the endnotes until after I'd finished the book, and I realized I'd missed out. There are whole stories in there, useful tidbits like how Nathan Hale got his mythological status (he never said that he had only one life to give for his country) and the probable father of the illegitimate child claimed by one of Washington's spies...
But I get ahead of myself. This is a clever, well-written history of George Washington's attempts at espionage in British-controlled New York City and Lon...more
But I get ahead of myself. This is a clever, well-written history of George Washington's attempts at espionage in British-controlled New York City and Lon...more
Fabulous book. Great descriptions of the spy technologies of the time.
it might be good but I couldn't read the hole thing!
First chapter = HILARIOUS
Love it.
Only in a few pages, but if u have any interest in how our country started.......read
Really great read. It introduced me to aspects of the Revolutionary War that I would never have known about - or would have even thought to ask. The book covers some very real and flawed people who were engaged in some very extraordinary things. George Washington may get the credit for winning the war but he most certainly did not do it single handedly.
Oct 29, 2007
Sam
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
history buffs, amateur cryptologist
Shelves:
non-fiction
This book re-awakened my interest in cryptography and steganography - the practice of writing hidden messages. Very interesting and painstakingly researched. Only the prevalence of nitty-gritty historical details, such as names and family histories, kept it from being a five-star; they were common enough to slow the pace noticeably.
This is an interesting book about George Washington's spy ring and the role the spies played in the American Revolution. While more detail would have been interesting at times, it is an intriguing account.
This is a good book for anyone interested in history and especially for anyone interested in the American Revolution.
This is a good book for anyone interested in history and especially for anyone interested in the American Revolution.
Interesting look into espionage during the Revolutionary War. It's a little digressive simply because it doesn't seem that Washington's spy ring in NYC really did all that much so the author would wander off the subject to pad things. I don't mean this as a criticism because I enjoyed the tangents.
Very interesting subject material. The story-telling isn't quite as good as it could be and it reads a bit dry in some places, but it is definately worth it for anyone interesting in intelligence gathering history or revolutionary history.
A great look at a different aspect of the Revolutionary War. I'm a sucker for a good spy tale and it was especially interesting to see some of George Washington's personality shining through his letters.
More of a history of the Revolutionary War than a story of Washington's spy rings. Assumes a basic knowledge of the players in the Revolutionary War and was a little hard too follorw.
Seemingly an interesting topic but poorly writen. Maybe this was a great phd thesis but it made for a bad book.
Loved it! I had only one question when I finished -- how the heck did we win the war?
About espionage in the Revolutionary War. Reviewed in National Review Online.
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I was born in the United States, grew up in Australia—blessed land of Mad Max and “shrimps on the barbie"—and educated (to the best of my abilities) in Britain. After that, I moved to Canada, became what was known in the pre-Internet era as a “newspaperman,” and eventually transferred to Washington, D.C. Now based in New York, I am what is currently known as an “author.”
My writing has appeared in...more
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