A North Africa Story: The Anthropologist as OSS Agent 1941-1943

by Carleton S. Coon

Diary like account of a Harvard Professor of anthropology turned cloak-and-dagger operative for General Donovan and his OSS 1942-3

Genres: Nonfiction

146 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1980

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had already read some anthropology by Carlton S. Coon, who helped me understand evolution better, even though he was later accused as being racist in his views. I picked up this book at the Aramco Library in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, mainly because the author's son, Carlton Coon Jr,. had been the consul in Tabriz when I was living in Western Azerbaijan, Iran. He would invite us, who were all in our 20's pretty much, to hobnob with intellectuals, adventurers and an assortment of characters both Iranian and European--even Australian, during holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I remember Carlton Jr., probably like his father, the author, would play chess with 5 or 6 different people at different boards, and win at the game of Stalingrad. His wife was extremely gracious and we felt like part of the family there with their children piling around us as we downed Iranian caviar and Iranian wine, all this during the Shah's time.

This sort of thing does stay in the "family" when made to feel like family. Carlton Junior made us feel extraordinarily welcome, visiting him in Tabriz many times. In 2000, I visited him at his Georgetown, DC, home. We reminisced about those days over tea. I told him how I never would forget how he treated us and how he had given me valuable advice.

[Jessica Bordelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

an intriguing look at WWII in North Africa and the importance of intelligence gathering. This book read like a film, and shows how reality truly is far greater than fiction!