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Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite History & Biography (2022)From the New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls comes the never-before-told story of a small cadre of influential female spies in the precarious early days of the CIA—women who helped create the template for cutting-edge espionage (and blazed new paths for equality in the workplace) in the treacherous post-WWII era.
In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organization that we now know as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the “wise gals” by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humor and even quicker intelligence, were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering—and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved.
Throughout the Cold War era, each woman had a vital role to play on the international stage. Adelaide rose through the ranks, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other. Mary worked overseas in Europe and Asia, building partnerships and allegiances that would last decades. Elizabeth would risk her life in the Middle East in order to gain intelligence on deadly Soviet weaponry. Eloise would wield influence on scientific and technical operations worldwide, ultimately exposing global terrorism threats. Through their friendship and shared sense of purpose, they rose to positions of power and were able to make real change in a traditionally “male, pale, and Yale” organization—but not without some tragic losses and real heartache along the way.
Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to our country’s security.
In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organization that we now know as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the “wise gals” by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humor and even quicker intelligence, were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering—and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved.
Throughout the Cold War era, each woman had a vital role to play on the international stage. Adelaide rose through the ranks, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other. Mary worked overseas in Europe and Asia, building partnerships and allegiances that would last decades. Elizabeth would risk her life in the Middle East in order to gain intelligence on deadly Soviet weaponry. Eloise would wield influence on scientific and technical operations worldwide, ultimately exposing global terrorism threats. Through their friendship and shared sense of purpose, they rose to positions of power and were able to make real change in a traditionally “male, pale, and Yale” organization—but not without some tragic losses and real heartache along the way.
Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to our country’s security.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2022
567 people are currently reading
33908 people want to read
About the author
Nathalia Holt
6 books434 followersNathalia Holt, Ph.D. is the New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls, The Queens of Animation, Wise Gals, and Cured. She had written for numerous publications including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Slate, Popular Science, PBS, and Time. She lives with her husband and their two daughters in Pacific Grove, CA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 435 reviews
February 19, 2022
Wise Girls focuses on the careers of several women involved with the founding and early years of the CIA. It's probably gonna sella lot of copies, and there's no doubt that the women chronicled here deserve the attention. But the writing is clunky, full of awkward transitions and forced connections that make it a less-that-stellar read. I understand the author's desire to show the interconnectedness of the women she covers, but a more linear or other structure would have served their stories better. I also look askance at the author's decision to call the women by their first names while referring to men by their last names; this practice is sexist and most editors will call authors on it. Maybe Holt and her editor wanted the women to seem more familiar or human, but using an old-fashioned, male-centric practice undermines the feminist argument that the book offers.
February 23, 2022
I loved this book.
Badass women? Check.
Highlighting women's role in history? Check.
Riveting non-fiction? Check.
Highlighting each woman's life AND her role? Check.
I had never heard about any of these women or how they influenced the development of the CIA and it was absolutely fascinating. It was a refreshing change from reading about the male, Bond-esque agents all the time. I learned so much and it was so easy to read. Not at all dense or dry.
I did have two notable complaints:
-Why are the women referred to by first name and the men by last name? I'd like to give Holt the benefit of the doubt and assume that this was to make the women's stories feel more personal or something but it was felt like a nod to the patriarchy.
- The writing felt a bit awkward and forced many times throughout the book. Transitions could use some work.
If you enjoy history, historical fiction, or learning about the role of women throughout history I highly recommend this one. Great choice for readers of Erik Larson and Walter Isaacson.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC.
Expected Publication: September 6, 2022
Badass women? Check.
Highlighting women's role in history? Check.
Riveting non-fiction? Check.
Highlighting each woman's life AND her role? Check.
I had never heard about any of these women or how they influenced the development of the CIA and it was absolutely fascinating. It was a refreshing change from reading about the male, Bond-esque agents all the time. I learned so much and it was so easy to read. Not at all dense or dry.
I did have two notable complaints:
-Why are the women referred to by first name and the men by last name? I'd like to give Holt the benefit of the doubt and assume that this was to make the women's stories feel more personal or something but it was felt like a nod to the patriarchy.
- The writing felt a bit awkward and forced many times throughout the book. Transitions could use some work.
If you enjoy history, historical fiction, or learning about the role of women throughout history I highly recommend this one. Great choice for readers of Erik Larson and Walter Isaacson.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC.
Expected Publication: September 6, 2022
March 4, 2022
Nathalia Holt is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Rise of the Rocket Girls." With "Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage," Holt once again takes us inside the complex universe of women who changed the world, in this case specifically of espionage, and yet whose roles have largely been disregarded until now.
"Wise Gals" is an impeccably researched account focused largely on four women - Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier - whose influence on the early days of what is now known as the CIA is undeniable and whose "wise gals" moniker recognizes both their quick-witted ways and their sharp intelligence that helped serve as a foundation for America's burgeoning spy program in the post-World War II years.
In the early days, Holt makes it clear that this was a world that was traditionally "male, pale, and Yale" but these were smart, courageous, and incredibly gifted women whose work continues to be essential to America's security today.
While Holt's work here is undeniably an intelligent and important work, I struggled to fully engage with "Wise Gals," a book that promises one thing but seems to deliver something else entirely. While Hawkins, Hutchison, Page, and Sudmeier are woven into the foundational tapestry of "Wise Gals," the book spends as much time or more time focused on the organizational structure and operations of the early CIA itself. At times, the notion of the "wise gals" feels like more gimmick than untold story as we learn as much, if not more, about the men in this story as we do the women whose lives we're being asked to understand and admire.
While on some level the tone in "Wise Gals" makes sense, after all these were essentially spies whose lives were never fully engaged with their peers, it became difficult after a time to remain fully invested in stories that never became fully fleshed out and to somehow connect with these women whose exploits never quite feel as larger than life as one might expect from a story like this one.
We're told, repeatedly, that each of these wise gals struggles against the male-dominated culture in terms of professional advancement, salaries, and opportunities. Yet, simultaneously, we're asked to embrace that these women "changed the future of espionage" in ways that never really come to life here but at least start to gain some tangible expression toward the book's end.
This doesn't mean I didn't like "Wise Gals." In fact, I did. I simply never felt truly immersed in it and I found it rather easy to put down. I was never tempted to give up on the book, though I found "Wise Gals" an easy took book to put down for the night not because I needed to let the material soak in but really because the material itself never completely grabbed me and made me pay attention.
As a comparison, I might use "Hidden Figures," a book that became a motion picture bringing to life women who were essential in the growth of NASA yet whose efforts were largely unrecognized for many years. "Hidden Figures" brought these women's lives to life in a myriad of ways and it was easy to connect with who they were and what they'd accomplished. By the end of "Wise Gals," I didn't feel like I knew these "wise gals" and I'm not sure I fully understand the accomplishments that each one had fully offered during their service. Sure, I understood that they were accomplished women working in male-dominated fields but if we're being honest that was pretty much true across the board in the 50's and 60's.
I think it's fair to say that I went into "Wise Gals" with unrealistic expectations for a tale of intrigue, suspense, and political insight. No, I wasn't expecting a female 007 to come alive within these pages but I was expecting to gain some sense of what it truly meant to be an American female spy domestically and abroad in the early days of the CIA. Instead, I feel like I got the fairly familiar tale of male-dominated culture that we've read and heard a zillion times before because we already know it was true. Yes, the aspect of it occurring with the CIA adds some intrigue to it but anyone who has ever worked within the government, as I do, knows that it's often the last system to effect cultural change.
I guess it comes down to the simple fact that I expected more from "Wise Gals" than I got. Instead of getting "the spies who built the CIA and changed the future of espionage," more often than not I got "the spies who tried really hard to get promoted but mostly didn't because of those "male, pale, and Yale" fellows except for the occasional one who believed in me and so I was able to accomplish way more than anyone else expected."
There's a difference there.
For those into American history, behind-the-scenes political tales, and tales of influential women, however, "Wise Gals" likely offers enough to give it at least a modest recommendation. While it didn't fully work for me, the research alone here is remarkable and these women do, indeed, have stories that deserve to be told even if I can't help but wish Holt had done a more effective job of telling them.
"Wise Gals" is an impeccably researched account focused largely on four women - Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier - whose influence on the early days of what is now known as the CIA is undeniable and whose "wise gals" moniker recognizes both their quick-witted ways and their sharp intelligence that helped serve as a foundation for America's burgeoning spy program in the post-World War II years.
In the early days, Holt makes it clear that this was a world that was traditionally "male, pale, and Yale" but these were smart, courageous, and incredibly gifted women whose work continues to be essential to America's security today.
While Holt's work here is undeniably an intelligent and important work, I struggled to fully engage with "Wise Gals," a book that promises one thing but seems to deliver something else entirely. While Hawkins, Hutchison, Page, and Sudmeier are woven into the foundational tapestry of "Wise Gals," the book spends as much time or more time focused on the organizational structure and operations of the early CIA itself. At times, the notion of the "wise gals" feels like more gimmick than untold story as we learn as much, if not more, about the men in this story as we do the women whose lives we're being asked to understand and admire.
While on some level the tone in "Wise Gals" makes sense, after all these were essentially spies whose lives were never fully engaged with their peers, it became difficult after a time to remain fully invested in stories that never became fully fleshed out and to somehow connect with these women whose exploits never quite feel as larger than life as one might expect from a story like this one.
We're told, repeatedly, that each of these wise gals struggles against the male-dominated culture in terms of professional advancement, salaries, and opportunities. Yet, simultaneously, we're asked to embrace that these women "changed the future of espionage" in ways that never really come to life here but at least start to gain some tangible expression toward the book's end.
This doesn't mean I didn't like "Wise Gals." In fact, I did. I simply never felt truly immersed in it and I found it rather easy to put down. I was never tempted to give up on the book, though I found "Wise Gals" an easy took book to put down for the night not because I needed to let the material soak in but really because the material itself never completely grabbed me and made me pay attention.
As a comparison, I might use "Hidden Figures," a book that became a motion picture bringing to life women who were essential in the growth of NASA yet whose efforts were largely unrecognized for many years. "Hidden Figures" brought these women's lives to life in a myriad of ways and it was easy to connect with who they were and what they'd accomplished. By the end of "Wise Gals," I didn't feel like I knew these "wise gals" and I'm not sure I fully understand the accomplishments that each one had fully offered during their service. Sure, I understood that they were accomplished women working in male-dominated fields but if we're being honest that was pretty much true across the board in the 50's and 60's.
I think it's fair to say that I went into "Wise Gals" with unrealistic expectations for a tale of intrigue, suspense, and political insight. No, I wasn't expecting a female 007 to come alive within these pages but I was expecting to gain some sense of what it truly meant to be an American female spy domestically and abroad in the early days of the CIA. Instead, I feel like I got the fairly familiar tale of male-dominated culture that we've read and heard a zillion times before because we already know it was true. Yes, the aspect of it occurring with the CIA adds some intrigue to it but anyone who has ever worked within the government, as I do, knows that it's often the last system to effect cultural change.
I guess it comes down to the simple fact that I expected more from "Wise Gals" than I got. Instead of getting "the spies who built the CIA and changed the future of espionage," more often than not I got "the spies who tried really hard to get promoted but mostly didn't because of those "male, pale, and Yale" fellows except for the occasional one who believed in me and so I was able to accomplish way more than anyone else expected."
There's a difference there.
For those into American history, behind-the-scenes political tales, and tales of influential women, however, "Wise Gals" likely offers enough to give it at least a modest recommendation. While it didn't fully work for me, the research alone here is remarkable and these women do, indeed, have stories that deserve to be told even if I can't help but wish Holt had done a more effective job of telling them.
September 19, 2022
A Well-Researched and Informative Group Biography
SUMMARY
WISE GALS is a story of five female agents who worked for the Office of Strategic during WWII and the CIA when it was created in 1947. These five women were instrumental in blazing a path for women in intelligence work in the post World War II era.
Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchinson, Eloise Page, Elizabeth Sudmeier, and Jane Burrell were each courageous and groundbreaking agents at the top of their game. They rose through the ranks on different paths, and each successfully contributed to the CIA mission of gathering and sharing intelligence to protect the U. S. from threats. One developed new cryptosystems for communications, one worked overseas in Europe and Asia building partnerships and allegiances, one turned enemy spies into assets, one worked in the Middle East to gain intelligence on Soviet weaponry, and one was influential on scientific and technical operations exposing global terrorism threats.
REVIEW
WISE GALS is an informative group biography/memoir heavy on research based on numerous reports, letters, memos, interviews, and diaries. The book is structured into five parts, each covering the women's activities for several years, starting with 1942. The book reveals the treatment of these women whose education, skills, and knowledge were impressive. And yet they were each forced to accept positions and pay far below their capabilities and worth.
Author Nathalie Holt details and describes the successes these women achieved in service to the country, as well as the integrity, courage, and intelligence it took to get the job done. Holt also identifies the obstacles, hardships, and frustrations these women faced. Male coworkers were paid more, promoted to higher positions, and allowed privileges not afforded to women. In 1953, a panel was set up by Allen Dulles, the new CIA director, to address the women’s concerns. The panel condescendingly became known as the “Petticoat Panel” and management ignored the resulting report.
The book is full of amazing stories and facts, but the cohesiveness leaves a little to be desired. It’s a bumpy read, jumping back and forth between the women and years. I would have made an easier connection with the women in the book had the five parts been dedicated to each woman’s story. Despite that, the book is a wealth of information.
Thanks to Netgalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Published September 13, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
WISE GALS is a story of five female agents who worked for the Office of Strategic during WWII and the CIA when it was created in 1947. These five women were instrumental in blazing a path for women in intelligence work in the post World War II era.
Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchinson, Eloise Page, Elizabeth Sudmeier, and Jane Burrell were each courageous and groundbreaking agents at the top of their game. They rose through the ranks on different paths, and each successfully contributed to the CIA mission of gathering and sharing intelligence to protect the U. S. from threats. One developed new cryptosystems for communications, one worked overseas in Europe and Asia building partnerships and allegiances, one turned enemy spies into assets, one worked in the Middle East to gain intelligence on Soviet weaponry, and one was influential on scientific and technical operations exposing global terrorism threats.
REVIEW
WISE GALS is an informative group biography/memoir heavy on research based on numerous reports, letters, memos, interviews, and diaries. The book is structured into five parts, each covering the women's activities for several years, starting with 1942. The book reveals the treatment of these women whose education, skills, and knowledge were impressive. And yet they were each forced to accept positions and pay far below their capabilities and worth.
Author Nathalie Holt details and describes the successes these women achieved in service to the country, as well as the integrity, courage, and intelligence it took to get the job done. Holt also identifies the obstacles, hardships, and frustrations these women faced. Male coworkers were paid more, promoted to higher positions, and allowed privileges not afforded to women. In 1953, a panel was set up by Allen Dulles, the new CIA director, to address the women’s concerns. The panel condescendingly became known as the “Petticoat Panel” and management ignored the resulting report.
The book is full of amazing stories and facts, but the cohesiveness leaves a little to be desired. It’s a bumpy read, jumping back and forth between the women and years. I would have made an easier connection with the women in the book had the five parts been dedicated to each woman’s story. Despite that, the book is a wealth of information.
Thanks to Netgalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Published September 13, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
October 15, 2022
WISE GALS: THE SPIES WHO BUILT THE CIA AND CHANGED THE FUTURE OF ESPIONAGE
Nathalia Holt
I was riveted! I was amazed! I was so engrossed that dinner burned. I might have a problem with silly books, but generally good history and drama are such a turn-on. The things these women were able to accomplish, and the tenacity of them it just amazing.
This is why young women of today have the life they do because these women went ahead and blazed the trail.
5 amazing stars
Happy Reading!
Nathalia Holt
I was riveted! I was amazed! I was so engrossed that dinner burned. I might have a problem with silly books, but generally good history and drama are such a turn-on. The things these women were able to accomplish, and the tenacity of them it just amazing.
This is why young women of today have the life they do because these women went ahead and blazed the trail.
5 amazing stars
Happy Reading!
Read
February 24, 2023DNF - the writing style isn’t to my taste so no review. Very interesting subject though.
With thanks to Icon Books and NetGalley for a review copy.
With thanks to Icon Books and NetGalley for a review copy.
November 17, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
These are the stories of four women you have probably never heard of: Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier. They were called the wise gals by their male counterparts in the CIA, pioneers blazing a new trail for women after World War II.
Unlike the well-known spy Mata Hari, these dedicated women didn’t rely on seduction to become spies at the top of their class. They were intelligent, courageous and brave. You would need to be if you were provided two pills as part of your day-to-day work: a knock-out pill and a cyanide pill, to be used if necessary. Working throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, they forged relationships that allowed them to gather intelligence, including things like the complete technical plans for the world’s first supersonic aircraft. Think of the scientific and technical advances they needed to keep up with, from the mid-1940’s to the 1980’s.
The book is well-researched, and I learned quite a few new things:
While I knew that the U.S. used camouflage to disguise Lockheed’s Burbank plant as a suburban town, I didn’t know Allied forces used life-size inflatable ships, tanks and aircraft. And it worked!
Project Bernhard was a plan to flood American and English markets with counterfeit money, meant to plunge the economies. Thwarted with help from the Wise Gals!
Ozersk, or City 40, is where the Soviet nuclear weapons program began. There was a catastrophic nuclear disaster when one of the cooling systems failed, leading to an explosion. While there were no casualties at the time, within days 300 of the 5,000 residents died of radiation poisoning. No one knew until sometime in the 1960’s that this happened, or that the radioactive waste was dumped into Lake Irtyash, which flows into the Arctic Ocean. I've become engrossed in learning and wondering about Ozersk, which is considered a closed city, yet there are still over 90,000 inhabitants.
The writing did feel a bit disjointed at times, going from one person to another, then back. However, the life stories of these women were thoroughly engrossing. They lived their lives on their terms, both professionally and personally. One drawback is that the author was a bit repetitive concerning the women’s professional struggles in their male-dominated field. I think we understood that from the beginning, but it was stressed continuously and became a bit wearing.
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
These are the stories of four women you have probably never heard of: Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier. They were called the wise gals by their male counterparts in the CIA, pioneers blazing a new trail for women after World War II.
Unlike the well-known spy Mata Hari, these dedicated women didn’t rely on seduction to become spies at the top of their class. They were intelligent, courageous and brave. You would need to be if you were provided two pills as part of your day-to-day work: a knock-out pill and a cyanide pill, to be used if necessary. Working throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, they forged relationships that allowed them to gather intelligence, including things like the complete technical plans for the world’s first supersonic aircraft. Think of the scientific and technical advances they needed to keep up with, from the mid-1940’s to the 1980’s.
The book is well-researched, and I learned quite a few new things:
While I knew that the U.S. used camouflage to disguise Lockheed’s Burbank plant as a suburban town, I didn’t know Allied forces used life-size inflatable ships, tanks and aircraft. And it worked!
Project Bernhard was a plan to flood American and English markets with counterfeit money, meant to plunge the economies. Thwarted with help from the Wise Gals!
Ozersk, or City 40, is where the Soviet nuclear weapons program began. There was a catastrophic nuclear disaster when one of the cooling systems failed, leading to an explosion. While there were no casualties at the time, within days 300 of the 5,000 residents died of radiation poisoning. No one knew until sometime in the 1960’s that this happened, or that the radioactive waste was dumped into Lake Irtyash, which flows into the Arctic Ocean. I've become engrossed in learning and wondering about Ozersk, which is considered a closed city, yet there are still over 90,000 inhabitants.
The writing did feel a bit disjointed at times, going from one person to another, then back. However, the life stories of these women were thoroughly engrossing. They lived their lives on their terms, both professionally and personally. One drawback is that the author was a bit repetitive concerning the women’s professional struggles in their male-dominated field. I think we understood that from the beginning, but it was stressed continuously and became a bit wearing.
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
November 26, 2024
An interesting account of a group of brave women who were pioneers in forming today's CIA.
May 28, 2025
Wise Gals paints a great portrait of it's subjects, but is very flawed as historical non-fiction.
This book is more on the "creative" side of "creative non fiction" than I'd expected. Fair enough - even if some scenes featuring the titular Wise Gals seem a little more imaginative and a little less based in hard fact, it's at least partly a biography, and it sure succeeds at being one. Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find the perspective switches hard to follow. They were clearly demarcated, first of all, so that really doesn't leave one much to struggle with. Of course, I've read a lot of Cold War-period and espionage -related non fiction, so this is kind of par for the course.
Outside of the wise gals, some other character descriptions raised an eyebrow, such as James Angleton being made out to be a fuzzy wuzzy teddy bear and father figure. I can forgive that as being what Holt thinks the gals thought of him, even if I find it unlikely.
Unfortunately, it's not just character descriptions that Holt is a little loose with. Presenting the Nazi Werewolves as a serious threat sure makes for good reading, and the people involved did think it was the real deal. But we now know that it was pure propaganda, and a Nazi stay-behind network never represented a real threat to the occupying powers. Responsible non-fiction written today should at least mention that in an aside, even if it's dealing with people who thought the Werewolves were a serious problem. That Holt omitted this called my trust in the rest of the book into question.
But it's not just propaganda campaigns. Wise Gals is, unfortunately - very unfortunately, because overall its treatment of the women at its heart is very good - far more jingoistic and myopic than any cold war non-fiction should be. The world is divided between the force of universal goodness, the USA and the CIA, somehow simultaneously plucky underdogs and globally respected as leaders in the fields of Morality and Freedom; and the force of universal evil - anyone who opposes the US and the CIA.
Not mentioning that the Werewolves was just a propaganda campaign is perhaps a quibble. But even though the words "Operation Gladio" do not appear in this book, Holt describes it nonetheless, and praises the effect it had on Italy. Those who have heard anything else about Gladio will remember its most significant effect on Italy was the horrifically violent Years of Bullets. The same treatment is provided to other regime-toppling CIA efforts, though some of them are ignored.
That's the most egregious example, but the book continues along those lines. Even when US leadership is criticized (e.g hiring Nazis for missile programs, or the Bay of Pigs), the CIA are presented as mere victims.
And perhaps the Wise Gals really were as horrified by all this as Holt makes them out to be - but then that leaves us the question of where their jingoism comes from and why it was considered an asset to this book.
This book is more on the "creative" side of "creative non fiction" than I'd expected. Fair enough - even if some scenes featuring the titular Wise Gals seem a little more imaginative and a little less based in hard fact, it's at least partly a biography, and it sure succeeds at being one. Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find the perspective switches hard to follow. They were clearly demarcated, first of all, so that really doesn't leave one much to struggle with. Of course, I've read a lot of Cold War-period and espionage -related non fiction, so this is kind of par for the course.
Outside of the wise gals, some other character descriptions raised an eyebrow, such as James Angleton being made out to be a fuzzy wuzzy teddy bear and father figure. I can forgive that as being what Holt thinks the gals thought of him, even if I find it unlikely.
Unfortunately, it's not just character descriptions that Holt is a little loose with. Presenting the Nazi Werewolves as a serious threat sure makes for good reading, and the people involved did think it was the real deal. But we now know that it was pure propaganda, and a Nazi stay-behind network never represented a real threat to the occupying powers. Responsible non-fiction written today should at least mention that in an aside, even if it's dealing with people who thought the Werewolves were a serious problem. That Holt omitted this called my trust in the rest of the book into question.
But it's not just propaganda campaigns. Wise Gals is, unfortunately - very unfortunately, because overall its treatment of the women at its heart is very good - far more jingoistic and myopic than any cold war non-fiction should be. The world is divided between the force of universal goodness, the USA and the CIA, somehow simultaneously plucky underdogs and globally respected as leaders in the fields of Morality and Freedom; and the force of universal evil - anyone who opposes the US and the CIA.
Not mentioning that the Werewolves was just a propaganda campaign is perhaps a quibble. But even though the words "Operation Gladio" do not appear in this book, Holt describes it nonetheless, and praises the effect it had on Italy. Those who have heard anything else about Gladio will remember its most significant effect on Italy was the horrifically violent Years of Bullets. The same treatment is provided to other regime-toppling CIA efforts, though some of them are ignored.
That's the most egregious example, but the book continues along those lines. Even when US leadership is criticized (e.g hiring Nazis for missile programs, or the Bay of Pigs), the CIA are presented as mere victims.
And perhaps the Wise Gals really were as horrified by all this as Holt makes them out to be - but then that leaves us the question of where their jingoism comes from and why it was considered an asset to this book.
March 23, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! I really get into books like this, where there are things about history I have very little knowledge of but get sucked into because it is so interesting. Being a woman, I am also drawn to stories where you see important historical contributions and fights for equality you may not have even known existed. I personally knew very little about women in the CIA and really felt drawn into this time period and the work these women did that their families really had no knowledge of at the time. The author also covers the history of when these women were working for the CIA really well as it happens during important events in our country's history and shows how the CIA even came to be. I do not know a lot about Cold War, Bay of Pigs, the Nuclear Arms and Space Race things going on, and now I feel like I have a good overview (sometimes even more) of how it affected the people and the country at the time. She was sure to point out that many of these women still do not get the credit they deserve (the woman who died during her service and has never been acknowledged on the wall at headquarters like other agents, mainly men, have been). I am really glad I got to read this one.
My only real complaints were that it was sometimes hard to understand if she was talking about WWI or WWII, and it was hard to keep the women straight. The ebook also would talk about one person and then have a picture of the last person or next person inserted in when I was reading someone else's story, which was confusing (hopefully that is just an ebook issue). Overall, interesting and well-researched and presented. I would just like to see some organization and clarification issues, but that is just me.
My only real complaints were that it was sometimes hard to understand if she was talking about WWI or WWII, and it was hard to keep the women straight. The ebook also would talk about one person and then have a picture of the last person or next person inserted in when I was reading someone else's story, which was confusing (hopefully that is just an ebook issue). Overall, interesting and well-researched and presented. I would just like to see some organization and clarification issues, but that is just me.
February 19, 2022
Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt is a great nonfiction that gives a glimpse into the fascinating and complex lives of some of the first female CIA agents. Just wonderful!
I really enjoyed reading about these four pivotal women: Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier. Each had their own story, strengths, weaknesses, specialties, and additions to the network.
The author clearly has a passion for these women and to be able to tell their respective stories, as it clearly showed with the research that was done to produce such a wonderful biography. I learned so much about not only these brave, smart, and impressive women, but also about the history of the organization and obstacles placed upon women at this time. These women saw these barriers and chose to persevere (and sometimes with consequences) and I am all the more great full for their sacrifices and gumption.
I also just liked learning more about the early years of what would be the CIA and some of the foundational aspects that were created and developed. As I said, I truly learned a lot and the author was able to place it into an easy to read context so that it left me feeling engaged and interested.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/13/22.
I really enjoyed reading about these four pivotal women: Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier. Each had their own story, strengths, weaknesses, specialties, and additions to the network.
The author clearly has a passion for these women and to be able to tell their respective stories, as it clearly showed with the research that was done to produce such a wonderful biography. I learned so much about not only these brave, smart, and impressive women, but also about the history of the organization and obstacles placed upon women at this time. These women saw these barriers and chose to persevere (and sometimes with consequences) and I am all the more great full for their sacrifices and gumption.
I also just liked learning more about the early years of what would be the CIA and some of the foundational aspects that were created and developed. As I said, I truly learned a lot and the author was able to place it into an easy to read context so that it left me feeling engaged and interested.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/13/22.
March 13, 2024
Sorry folks, but this one wasn’t for me.
Perhaps it’s because I checked out the large print edition from my public library and immediately noticed that the end notes had no numbers and the text contained no numerical markings that corresponded to tie them together - so I was immediately frustrated by not being able to follow the author’s advertised wonderful research.
But worse than that was a completely incomprehensible opening that started with a supposedly important meeting of some women and then digressed immediately into several convoluted biographies of several of them and never mentioned the meeting again. I lost patience with the whole enterprise when I couldn’t understand the date ranges of the chapter titles and noticed more and more characters emerging. It looked like more work than I wanted to put in, so I just sighed and closed the covers.
I think the theme of the book may have something to do with how important four unsung women really were in the early days of the CIA, and I’m willing to support that idea - as long as I can escape suffering through several hundred pages more of what I experienced in the first two chapters.
Perhaps it’s because I checked out the large print edition from my public library and immediately noticed that the end notes had no numbers and the text contained no numerical markings that corresponded to tie them together - so I was immediately frustrated by not being able to follow the author’s advertised wonderful research.
But worse than that was a completely incomprehensible opening that started with a supposedly important meeting of some women and then digressed immediately into several convoluted biographies of several of them and never mentioned the meeting again. I lost patience with the whole enterprise when I couldn’t understand the date ranges of the chapter titles and noticed more and more characters emerging. It looked like more work than I wanted to put in, so I just sighed and closed the covers.
I think the theme of the book may have something to do with how important four unsung women really were in the early days of the CIA, and I’m willing to support that idea - as long as I can escape suffering through several hundred pages more of what I experienced in the first two chapters.
August 4, 2023
Disclosure: I received an ARC of Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House, and author Nathalia Holt, for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.
So much of history has been written through the eyes of men that we ignore the fact that women have been making history beside them since the dawn of time. Wise Gals is such a tale; documenting the contributions that women made to the defeat of Nazi Germany, the founding of the CIA, and the early, turbulent years of the Cold War. Nathalia Holt's story of these brave young women is long overdue, and should be on the shelf of any scholar who wants to discover how it really went down.
So much of history has been written through the eyes of men that we ignore the fact that women have been making history beside them since the dawn of time. Wise Gals is such a tale; documenting the contributions that women made to the defeat of Nazi Germany, the founding of the CIA, and the early, turbulent years of the Cold War. Nathalia Holt's story of these brave young women is long overdue, and should be on the shelf of any scholar who wants to discover how it really went down.
December 10, 2022
Unexciting History
I thought this book would be really interesting and exciting. The book comprises the stories of women who worked as spies in the OSS which eventually became the CIA. I found the book superficial and more of a “pop” history book which missed the pizazz of the women’s lives.
I thought this book would be really interesting and exciting. The book comprises the stories of women who worked as spies in the OSS which eventually became the CIA. I found the book superficial and more of a “pop” history book which missed the pizazz of the women’s lives.
Read
February 12, 2024DNF - Couldn’t get into it. I thought there would be more fun stories about these woman/their missions, but it bounced around too much without ever getting to the point of things.
September 12, 2022
History I didn’t learn in school is a favorite nonfiction reading topic of mine. In “Wise Gals,” Nathalia Holt tells a fascinating story of extraordinary women who were instrumental in the development of what is now the CIA and the crucial intelligence work they did all over the world. Ms. Holt is also the author of “Rise of the Rocket Girls” and “The Queens of Animation.”
In 1953 agents Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudemeier were members of a committee working to improve retention rates for female agents: male co-workers derisively called it the Petticoat Panel. The four women were instrumental in developing intelligence systems during World War II and wanted to continue to serve and encourage female agents to stay with the agency. What they found was that female agents left the service not for marriage and motherhood (which was the conventional wisdom) but because they were doing the same work as male agents, but were making less money and were not receiving promotions at the same rate as the men. This serves to introduce readers to what jobs these women and others did for the CIA.
This book relates the extraordinary work of women in service of their country from Cold War locations, to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and anti-terrorism efforts all over the world. Hawkins, Hutchison, Page, and Sudemeier did hard, secretive jobs in communications, science and technological operations, and with human assets all over a dangerous world.
A great read. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy for review.
In 1953 agents Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudemeier were members of a committee working to improve retention rates for female agents: male co-workers derisively called it the Petticoat Panel. The four women were instrumental in developing intelligence systems during World War II and wanted to continue to serve and encourage female agents to stay with the agency. What they found was that female agents left the service not for marriage and motherhood (which was the conventional wisdom) but because they were doing the same work as male agents, but were making less money and were not receiving promotions at the same rate as the men. This serves to introduce readers to what jobs these women and others did for the CIA.
This book relates the extraordinary work of women in service of their country from Cold War locations, to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and anti-terrorism efforts all over the world. Hawkins, Hutchison, Page, and Sudemeier did hard, secretive jobs in communications, science and technological operations, and with human assets all over a dangerous world.
A great read. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy for review.
October 10, 2022
I am so grateful for authors like Holt who give us these hidden histories! Spies are a clandestine group by definition. To hear the stories of these truly amazing, groundbreaking women is fascinating! The research is incredible. I was in awe reading about these women who were thought to be clerks or secretaries by their families and closest friends. They did incredibly hard work and dedicated their lives to their missions, mostly without comparable pay, advancement, or recognition. They were founding members of the CIA and pathed a path for the diversity we see today in many government agencies. But the book was even more than that. I loved reading about the people who supported them and so many details behind some major historical events. Loved it!
January 25, 2025
Audiobook. 🎧 I thought I would like this more than I did because I’m really interested in the World War eras of history. Especially history I didn’t learn in school - and this book was great for that. Loved the tracing the stories of these remarkable women. Great writing, but just not sure I was really in the mood for an academic book like this. I was engaged at times and bored at others. I generally felt the structure/organization of the book was disjointed but I wasn’t quite sure how I would have preferred it. I loved the ending - I enjoyed the reiteration and summarizing of the impact each of the women had over the decades. I’m glad to have read this story.
February 19, 2023
A fascinating look at the lives and careers of several women who played important but often overlooked roles in the early years of the CIA. Their many contributions in various different fields and the roadblocks they faced while attempting to craft the careers they'd set their ambitions on made for a very interesting read.
July 7, 2024
Amazing to read about some incredible contributions these women made to the CIA and to follow the strings of their influence throughout so many historical events you learn about in school. Also fun to hear about spies and espionage and double agents from a non fictional standpoint because it’s so easy to forget that stuff is actually real. Frustrating to see how these women were mistreated and held back from rightful promotions and raises simply because they were women, yet still maintained their loyalty and willingness to contribute for the greater good. I learned a lot about how the CIA operated/operates through these individual stories.
December 15, 2023
Wise Gals chronicles the journey of four women who eventually work for the CIA. Their work begins in the early 1940s, and the book documents the frustrations and joys of women entering a field where no women had previously worked. They are courageous and dedicated as well as being more deft at some tasks than the men are. Regardless, their pay is less, and often their work is not acknowledged. I liked hearing their stories in a timeline that included historical context.
February 4, 2023
Really enjoyed this and it was a great lens thru which to understand a part of history I know nothing about. Very impressive lives and careers these women led. It was kind of hard to follow who was who and it jumped around too much for my liking. But glad these women are finally getting their due credit.
October 9, 2025
women are cool
Did not finish
September 5, 2025DNF @ 39%
June 6, 2024
This was an absolutely fascinating look into the beginnings of the CIA! I loved how well researched and informative this read (listen) was! Being one who loves all things military/intelligence history, this book had it all! If you are looking for a nonfiction read, I highly recommend this one!
July 17, 2022
This book is the result of the author digging into recently declassified info from the CIA and from personal records and photos kept by the families of these five and other women agents during and between the wars. These were five of the women who worked to transform the OSS into the CIA and improve the art of spycraft and wanted recognition by contemporaries in their field. It shows the depth of investigation and the hard work to assimilate it all into a somewhat cohesive narrative. These women and others are the real deal who fought in their own way to defeat the enemies of their time while also fighting for their right to contribute. Excellent work! Get a copy for your local library as well!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons via NetGalley. Thank you!
May 22, 2025
While Holt offered some very fascinating explanations and descriptions in this work, her profiles of the individual agents failed to present them as real women with whom a reader could develop any sense of empathy or connection. Reading more like Wikipedia entries, their stories often paused at chapter endings with awkwardly phrased cliff-hanger teases or jumped to a totally unrelated figure's adventure.
Additionally, the early years are scrutinized with tedious redundancy(ok, we get that there were MAJOR discrepencies in salaries and chance of advancement!), while the final thirty years of the book are virtually summarized in the briefest of codas.
Ironically, as this book was written in 2022 , it clearly does not accurately reflect the current state of female roles in many of these organizations today. Guess the catch phrase "You've come a long way, Baby" doesn't always hold true.
Additionally, the early years are scrutinized with tedious redundancy(ok, we get that there were MAJOR discrepencies in salaries and chance of advancement!), while the final thirty years of the book are virtually summarized in the briefest of codas.
Ironically, as this book was written in 2022 , it clearly does not accurately reflect the current state of female roles in many of these organizations today. Guess the catch phrase "You've come a long way, Baby" doesn't always hold true.
March 13, 2023
Somewhat interesting content, but written like a bad high school history essay. It was just all “and then, and then” rather than tying together the why or themes. Foreshadowing was so over the top, there were zero transitions, and the book kept referencing the Petticoat Panel and only had half a chapter about it. The only redeeming element was that some of the history was intriguing. I enjoyed learning about the early CIA, what it’s like to be a spy, and hearing about what the CIA knew about key Cold War events.
April 5, 2023
These 5 women were on the scene when the CIA was created after World War II. They struggled to escape a clerical designation and move into a more challenging role of collecting intelligence. They formed a committee and petitioned their employer for more recognition and a higher salary. The CIA basically ignored their request. With no motivation except love of country each woman made important contributions. I wanted to know the details of how they did it but unfortunately that was not in the scope of this book.
March 9, 2025
I really wanted to like this book, but the writing was just not for me. Between the jumping around in the storyline, the seemingly irrelevant tangents, and the dry writing style reminiscent of a PhD thesis rather than for the public, I just wasn’t able to get into this book. I’m sure these women did groundbreaking work, but this book didn’t showcase it in a way that I could understand.
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