What do you think?
Rate this book
Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant: Undercover & Overwhelmed as a CIA Wife and Mother
Imagine being married to a spy. Imagine keeping the big secret and moving your family from country to country to country. How does it all work? In this entertaining memoir, Lillian McCloy shares stories from her life as the wife of an undercover CIA officer. It's an eye-opening and often humorous tale about the CIA, marriage, family, secrets, friendships, international adventures, and the meaning of home.
“A charming and unusual portrait of the secret life.”
– JOHN LE CARRE´, author of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
"Lillian McCloy reveals the intrigue, danger, and humor of clandestine life in her thoroughly entertaining account of a CIA family’s nomadic lifestyle. Few living in the U.S. will ever encounter the unique trials and tribulations of the McCloy family, but what a fascinating read it is!”
– ALAN B. TRABUE, CIA (Ret.), author of A Life of Lies and Spies
“If you’re married to a spy, the always fraught arena of a relationship turns into a positive minefield. What does that all-night absence mean? What can you begin to say to the kids? Lillian McCloy gives us the story of a life spent around secret intelligence that is funny and charming and in every wonderful sense, deeply spooky.”
– PICO IYER, author of Video Night in Kathmandu and The Art of Stillness
“A charming and unusual portrait of the secret life.”
– JOHN LE CARRE´, author of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
"Lillian McCloy reveals the intrigue, danger, and humor of clandestine life in her thoroughly entertaining account of a CIA family’s nomadic lifestyle. Few living in the U.S. will ever encounter the unique trials and tribulations of the McCloy family, but what a fascinating read it is!”
– ALAN B. TRABUE, CIA (Ret.), author of A Life of Lies and Spies
“If you’re married to a spy, the always fraught arena of a relationship turns into a positive minefield. What does that all-night absence mean? What can you begin to say to the kids? Lillian McCloy gives us the story of a life spent around secret intelligence that is funny and charming and in every wonderful sense, deeply spooky.”
– PICO IYER, author of Video Night in Kathmandu and The Art of Stillness
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2016
33 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 1, 2016
Lillian McCloy's debut memoir, Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant: Undercover & Overwhelmed as a CIA Wife and Mother, is a fascinating inside look at an undercover life. McCloy is a brilliant story teller, sharing honest emotions without becoming sentimental. Her husband's new assignments required learning to live in new and diverse cultures and often created palpable tension. This is a fascinating reading adventure. Sometimes I had to remind myself this is not a novel, its Lillian's life. Wow!
Lillian McCloy grew up in Canada, worked as a paralegal and sang as a big band jazz singer before marrying Frank McCloy. She purposely excluded details that could jeopardize the safety of any agents serving our country now or then. She changed most of the names of those they interacted with in Frank's various assignments to protect "the innocent and the sly."
McCloy begins her story when she is seven months pregnant with their second child. Her husband was in Washington D.C. applying for a position with the Foreign Service. He called her: "...they want me for the C.I.A. but you can't talk about it." A few hours later, she went into labor. Her neighbors drove her to the hospital and provided child care for toddler John. Whether it was fear for the premature baby or the intense labor pain, McCloy repeatedly babbled to her neighbors, the doctors and nurses, "My husband is in the C.I.A." She blew her husband's cover before he was officially hired. Meanwhile baby Kristin was born, five pounds and perfect. She quickly learned the unbendable code, "No need to know."
Frank McCloy had been an only child, born late in life to over-protective parents. He wasn't allowed to ride a bike until he was twelve. As he grew older, he became a daredevil, always choosing the riskiest sports and life choices. McCloy believes that serving in the C.I.A. was inevitable for her charming adrenalin-junkie husband.
The author's strength is in her vivid recall of the details of her eight years in Spain, two years in India, six years in Japan, and a year in Venezuela. Their third child was born in Spain and Spanish was her first language. All three of their children became proficient in Spanish earlier than in English. She believes in learning a language by immersion, and it worked well for them in Spain. Later they found that Spanish wasn't much help in India or Japan.
Deep cover agents are responsible to the cover company to do the actual job. When McCloy's husband was assigned to a company as vice president of sales, it was his responsibility to quickly learn the job and succeed in that position. Only the company president and Frank's immediate superior were informed of his other, very real job. He had several passports and their lives were often juggling acts. They made friends easily with other 'ex-pats' and tried to keep low profiles while enjoying the local cultures.
Frank McCloy was an undercover case officer. C.I.A. agents are those whom case officers recruit to do the spying for them. When working deep cover in the C.I.A., your name really never appears anywhere, not even in payroll. Deep cover agents have no contact with the U.S. Embassy in foreign countries—unless a message must be conveyed. The word "spy" is never used, except in jest.
Undercover means you are on your own; there is no one there to help you. If you are arrested, you go to jail. Your name appears nowhere and you have become nobody. You are forever out in the cold. It is not a surprise to learn that the C.I.A. is an emotionless and unkind place to work. Consequently, it's no wonder that excessive drinking is often a big part of the cover. Yet I can't help admiring the raw courage of these men and women who choose the C.I.A. life for the good of us all.
Lillian McCloy knows who she is and what she stands for. You will too, after you read this classic memoir.
by Ann McCauley
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
Lillian McCloy grew up in Canada, worked as a paralegal and sang as a big band jazz singer before marrying Frank McCloy. She purposely excluded details that could jeopardize the safety of any agents serving our country now or then. She changed most of the names of those they interacted with in Frank's various assignments to protect "the innocent and the sly."
McCloy begins her story when she is seven months pregnant with their second child. Her husband was in Washington D.C. applying for a position with the Foreign Service. He called her: "...they want me for the C.I.A. but you can't talk about it." A few hours later, she went into labor. Her neighbors drove her to the hospital and provided child care for toddler John. Whether it was fear for the premature baby or the intense labor pain, McCloy repeatedly babbled to her neighbors, the doctors and nurses, "My husband is in the C.I.A." She blew her husband's cover before he was officially hired. Meanwhile baby Kristin was born, five pounds and perfect. She quickly learned the unbendable code, "No need to know."
Frank McCloy had been an only child, born late in life to over-protective parents. He wasn't allowed to ride a bike until he was twelve. As he grew older, he became a daredevil, always choosing the riskiest sports and life choices. McCloy believes that serving in the C.I.A. was inevitable for her charming adrenalin-junkie husband.
The author's strength is in her vivid recall of the details of her eight years in Spain, two years in India, six years in Japan, and a year in Venezuela. Their third child was born in Spain and Spanish was her first language. All three of their children became proficient in Spanish earlier than in English. She believes in learning a language by immersion, and it worked well for them in Spain. Later they found that Spanish wasn't much help in India or Japan.
Deep cover agents are responsible to the cover company to do the actual job. When McCloy's husband was assigned to a company as vice president of sales, it was his responsibility to quickly learn the job and succeed in that position. Only the company president and Frank's immediate superior were informed of his other, very real job. He had several passports and their lives were often juggling acts. They made friends easily with other 'ex-pats' and tried to keep low profiles while enjoying the local cultures.
Frank McCloy was an undercover case officer. C.I.A. agents are those whom case officers recruit to do the spying for them. When working deep cover in the C.I.A., your name really never appears anywhere, not even in payroll. Deep cover agents have no contact with the U.S. Embassy in foreign countries—unless a message must be conveyed. The word "spy" is never used, except in jest.
Undercover means you are on your own; there is no one there to help you. If you are arrested, you go to jail. Your name appears nowhere and you have become nobody. You are forever out in the cold. It is not a surprise to learn that the C.I.A. is an emotionless and unkind place to work. Consequently, it's no wonder that excessive drinking is often a big part of the cover. Yet I can't help admiring the raw courage of these men and women who choose the C.I.A. life for the good of us all.
Lillian McCloy knows who she is and what she stands for. You will too, after you read this classic memoir.
by Ann McCauley
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
September 4, 2019
From 1964 to 1982, former Marine fighter pilot Frank McCloy served under deep cover in the CIA in Madrid, Delhi, Tokyo, and Caracas. But he was far from alone. His wife, Lillian, and three young children shared the experience with him of culture shock, life-threatening illness, and danger from lunatic drivers and dismissed servants. And five years after Frank's untimely death in 1986, Lillian McCloy began writing about that experience in a revealing memoir, Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant.
An insightful peek into the spy game
Lillian's younger daughter, Berkeley television and film actress Johanna McCloy, edited the book. It's charming, often troubling, and sometimes hilarious and is altogether a fascinating read. If you enjoy spy novels, or nonfiction books about espionage, you'll find this engaging little book an insightful peek into the often harsh reality of the spy game.
James Bond would never have put up with this
Even today, the expatriate life can be challenging. But, nearly half a century ago, living in a hardship post such as Delhi or Caracas could easily have been a nightmare for a middle-class American. Both cities are much more developed today. And there is today a large and growing middle class in India, which was not the case in the 1970s. (That was true in recent years in Venezuela as well, although the country's mismanagement and turmoil appears to have changed that.) But both countries were desperately poor in the 1970s. Having lived in such a place for several years in the late 1960s, I can vouch for the essential truth about culture shock that comes to light in this book.
Of course, for those expats affiliated with the US Embassy, the commissary and PX softened the blow by offering a wide range of American goods otherwise unavailable in the countries where the McCloys served. In fact, many expats manage to isolate themselves almost completely from the local culture. But there were no commissary privileges for the McCloys, and rarely even enough money to live as well as they had at home. And since Frank was working under deep cover, the family didn't even have access to Embassy-approved medical facilities.
An early exit strategy from India
In fact, just a few days after the family arrived in Delhi in 1972, it became obvious that life there would be a daily trial and frequently dangerous. So, Frank rushed to a travel agent "and said he wanted to book a one-way flight for five on the first plane to leave New Delhi two years hence, on July 17th. The travel agent was dumbfounded. 'Really,' she said, 'and where do you want to go?' Frank said it didn't matter, but it had to be the first flight of the day." Frank and Lillian then counted the days and hours for two years until they could board the plane to leave India—a 4:00 am Lufthansa flight for Frankfurt.
Under deep cover in the CIA
Lillian goes to great lengths to emphasize that Frank was not living the life of James Bond. He didn't carry a weapon. He had virtually no contact with anyone else in the Agency other than his case officer, and sometimes not even him. The salary and bonuses he received as a manager for the cover companies who employed him went straight to the CIA. He and his family were forced to live on meager Agency pay, which was far from adequate in such expensive cities as Tokyo and Caracas. And CIA accountants relentlessly nickel-and-dimed the couple on their expense account. In fact, the Agency does not come across at all well in this book. (If I had succumbed to the Agency's recruiting pitch in 1968, I suspect I would have quit within weeks. Yes, I too was an expat back in the day.)
A brutally honest memoir
Lillian McCloy is at times brutally honest in Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant. She writes about the heavy drinking that seems to have been almost a job requirement for her husband's work—and apparently for her as well. So, too, was the depression the drinking made worse. (In every post, the couple was known for its hospitality, frequently hosting parties where alcohol flowed freely.) She writes bitterly about the thieving servants, police officers, and government officials who were an unavoidable fixture of life in India. And she describes at length the unfounded suspicions she harbored about her husband, who was forced to travel frequently to contact the agents he ran.
However, at every post, and in virtually every chapter, Lillian found opportunities for humor. The stories about missing cultural clues, linguistic missteps, and simple human misunderstandings make for a lively and engaging account. They're often laugh-out-loud funny (though that wasn't necessarily the case at the time). Anyone who's spent more than a few weeks living in a culture different from their own will recognize the experience.
"Most of the names have been changed"
As you might imagine, the CIA is not fond of its former employees telling tales out of school. I imagine that might be doubly true about agents operating under deep cover in the CIA. If Frank McCloy himself had attempted to write an account of his work experiences, it seems doubtful the book would ever have seen the light of day. But three decades later, Lillian was able to convey a vivid sense of the family's experience. Even so, "[m]ost of the names have been changed to protect the innocent and the sly." And that's probably a good thing. Lillian's views about most of the CIA officers she and her husband were forced to deal with were not good.
Where the title comes from
So, where, you might wonder, does that title come from? The answer lies in one of Lillian's charming stories. When Frank was enrolled in a Japanese-language class in preparation for a new assignment in Tokyo, a young woman in the class "asked him, "'What did your experience in India teach you?'" She was obviously expecting something about the spiritual insight he might have gained. But Frank "replied, 'Always drive six car lengths behind an elephant.'" His and his family's time in Delhi had been difficult, to say the least.
How this book came to be
Lillian McCloy, now 93, resides in Alameda, California, in an assisted living facility. According to Johanna McCloy, her mother had written the book during the early 1990s and secured an agent in New York in hopes of having it published there. But the book, offered under a pseudonym, didn't sell then. After the manuscript had lain untouched in a box at Lillian's home for two decades, Johanna decided to edit and publish it in 2016 as a gift for her mother's 90th birthday. And now that Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant is in print, Johanna reports, several film producers have shown interest in bringing the story to the screen.
An insightful peek into the spy game
Lillian's younger daughter, Berkeley television and film actress Johanna McCloy, edited the book. It's charming, often troubling, and sometimes hilarious and is altogether a fascinating read. If you enjoy spy novels, or nonfiction books about espionage, you'll find this engaging little book an insightful peek into the often harsh reality of the spy game.
James Bond would never have put up with this
Even today, the expatriate life can be challenging. But, nearly half a century ago, living in a hardship post such as Delhi or Caracas could easily have been a nightmare for a middle-class American. Both cities are much more developed today. And there is today a large and growing middle class in India, which was not the case in the 1970s. (That was true in recent years in Venezuela as well, although the country's mismanagement and turmoil appears to have changed that.) But both countries were desperately poor in the 1970s. Having lived in such a place for several years in the late 1960s, I can vouch for the essential truth about culture shock that comes to light in this book.
Of course, for those expats affiliated with the US Embassy, the commissary and PX softened the blow by offering a wide range of American goods otherwise unavailable in the countries where the McCloys served. In fact, many expats manage to isolate themselves almost completely from the local culture. But there were no commissary privileges for the McCloys, and rarely even enough money to live as well as they had at home. And since Frank was working under deep cover, the family didn't even have access to Embassy-approved medical facilities.
An early exit strategy from India
In fact, just a few days after the family arrived in Delhi in 1972, it became obvious that life there would be a daily trial and frequently dangerous. So, Frank rushed to a travel agent "and said he wanted to book a one-way flight for five on the first plane to leave New Delhi two years hence, on July 17th. The travel agent was dumbfounded. 'Really,' she said, 'and where do you want to go?' Frank said it didn't matter, but it had to be the first flight of the day." Frank and Lillian then counted the days and hours for two years until they could board the plane to leave India—a 4:00 am Lufthansa flight for Frankfurt.
Under deep cover in the CIA
Lillian goes to great lengths to emphasize that Frank was not living the life of James Bond. He didn't carry a weapon. He had virtually no contact with anyone else in the Agency other than his case officer, and sometimes not even him. The salary and bonuses he received as a manager for the cover companies who employed him went straight to the CIA. He and his family were forced to live on meager Agency pay, which was far from adequate in such expensive cities as Tokyo and Caracas. And CIA accountants relentlessly nickel-and-dimed the couple on their expense account. In fact, the Agency does not come across at all well in this book. (If I had succumbed to the Agency's recruiting pitch in 1968, I suspect I would have quit within weeks. Yes, I too was an expat back in the day.)
A brutally honest memoir
Lillian McCloy is at times brutally honest in Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant. She writes about the heavy drinking that seems to have been almost a job requirement for her husband's work—and apparently for her as well. So, too, was the depression the drinking made worse. (In every post, the couple was known for its hospitality, frequently hosting parties where alcohol flowed freely.) She writes bitterly about the thieving servants, police officers, and government officials who were an unavoidable fixture of life in India. And she describes at length the unfounded suspicions she harbored about her husband, who was forced to travel frequently to contact the agents he ran.
However, at every post, and in virtually every chapter, Lillian found opportunities for humor. The stories about missing cultural clues, linguistic missteps, and simple human misunderstandings make for a lively and engaging account. They're often laugh-out-loud funny (though that wasn't necessarily the case at the time). Anyone who's spent more than a few weeks living in a culture different from their own will recognize the experience.
"Most of the names have been changed"
As you might imagine, the CIA is not fond of its former employees telling tales out of school. I imagine that might be doubly true about agents operating under deep cover in the CIA. If Frank McCloy himself had attempted to write an account of his work experiences, it seems doubtful the book would ever have seen the light of day. But three decades later, Lillian was able to convey a vivid sense of the family's experience. Even so, "[m]ost of the names have been changed to protect the innocent and the sly." And that's probably a good thing. Lillian's views about most of the CIA officers she and her husband were forced to deal with were not good.
Where the title comes from
So, where, you might wonder, does that title come from? The answer lies in one of Lillian's charming stories. When Frank was enrolled in a Japanese-language class in preparation for a new assignment in Tokyo, a young woman in the class "asked him, "'What did your experience in India teach you?'" She was obviously expecting something about the spiritual insight he might have gained. But Frank "replied, 'Always drive six car lengths behind an elephant.'" His and his family's time in Delhi had been difficult, to say the least.
How this book came to be
Lillian McCloy, now 93, resides in Alameda, California, in an assisted living facility. According to Johanna McCloy, her mother had written the book during the early 1990s and secured an agent in New York in hopes of having it published there. But the book, offered under a pseudonym, didn't sell then. After the manuscript had lain untouched in a box at Lillian's home for two decades, Johanna decided to edit and publish it in 2016 as a gift for her mother's 90th birthday. And now that Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant is in print, Johanna reports, several film producers have shown interest in bringing the story to the screen.
March 7, 2024
Gave this non-fiction book 3.5 stars.
The author Lillian was wed to Frank, a Marine fighter pilot,
then a "deep cover" CIA officer in Madrid, New Delhi
India, Japan and Venezuela. Frank served in the CIA from
1962- 1982.
The author said CIA officers connected to a US embassy
had better food, housing, use of a car, their kids had
better schooling and future connection to a college (the
University of Virginia). CIA had HQ in Langley, Va. Why
didn't the CIA provide the same benefits for "deep cover"
officers?
Frank worked for a "cover company" in a foreign country.
He was a manager or VP for the co. while cultivating
agents to spy for the US. He had to appear to live a higher
lifestyle then he could actually afford IE hosting cocktails
& dinners. He and his wife admitted they became too fond
of alcohol, usually whisky. Sometimes they served 'bootleg'
ETOH.
Author Lillian was witty and at times sad, sharing when she
suspected Frank was having an affair, never being able to
save money, searching for rare commodities overseas such
as flour, butter, bread, peanut butter. Relaying that Frank
informed each of their 3 kids at age 15, what Dad really did
for a living.
Frank had various passports w/ various names. The income
he reported to the IRS was the inflated income of the "cover
company." This did not reflect his actual, lower income. Any
bonuses he rec'd from the cover co. went to the CIA. How to
afford college for his kids when he forbidden to ever 'break'
cover? He had a "case officer" boss in each foreign country
where he resided at the time. The boss did not want this
valuable CIA officer to retire, but Frank did. His post-CIA
job paid him twice his CIA salary.
The author Lillian was wed to Frank, a Marine fighter pilot,
then a "deep cover" CIA officer in Madrid, New Delhi
India, Japan and Venezuela. Frank served in the CIA from
1962- 1982.
The author said CIA officers connected to a US embassy
had better food, housing, use of a car, their kids had
better schooling and future connection to a college (the
University of Virginia). CIA had HQ in Langley, Va. Why
didn't the CIA provide the same benefits for "deep cover"
officers?
Frank worked for a "cover company" in a foreign country.
He was a manager or VP for the co. while cultivating
agents to spy for the US. He had to appear to live a higher
lifestyle then he could actually afford IE hosting cocktails
& dinners. He and his wife admitted they became too fond
of alcohol, usually whisky. Sometimes they served 'bootleg'
ETOH.
Author Lillian was witty and at times sad, sharing when she
suspected Frank was having an affair, never being able to
save money, searching for rare commodities overseas such
as flour, butter, bread, peanut butter. Relaying that Frank
informed each of their 3 kids at age 15, what Dad really did
for a living.
Frank had various passports w/ various names. The income
he reported to the IRS was the inflated income of the "cover
company." This did not reflect his actual, lower income. Any
bonuses he rec'd from the cover co. went to the CIA. How to
afford college for his kids when he forbidden to ever 'break'
cover? He had a "case officer" boss in each foreign country
where he resided at the time. The boss did not want this
valuable CIA officer to retire, but Frank did. His post-CIA
job paid him twice his CIA salary.
January 2, 2021
Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant is a book by Lillian McCloy about her time as the wife of a CIA deep cover agent. The memoir is intriguing in many ways—it expresses well the immense burden of working for the CIA, including the surprising financial struggles—of being harshly budgeted yet expected to entertain and appear like you're being paid as a business executive, of needing to pay taxes as an executive but then not being able to write in your true finances when applying for your children's financial aid for college.
I was turned off somewhat by McCloy's disdain for certain places she's lived. It's totally ok and understandable if her time in New Delhi was awful; it was her tendency to use broad statements and judgements, often presenting unnuanced speculations or observations about the city and its people, that disturbed me. She did this type of thing throughout the book, and it often made me uncomfortable.
I thought though that it was an entertaining memoir that really sheds light onto the everyday burden of being the often-romanticized "international spy": the struggle to find housing, the terror you cause your family if you accidentally fall asleep and don't come home on time, the toll on the children and the question of when, and if, to tell them.
I was turned off somewhat by McCloy's disdain for certain places she's lived. It's totally ok and understandable if her time in New Delhi was awful; it was her tendency to use broad statements and judgements, often presenting unnuanced speculations or observations about the city and its people, that disturbed me. She did this type of thing throughout the book, and it often made me uncomfortable.
I thought though that it was an entertaining memoir that really sheds light onto the everyday burden of being the often-romanticized "international spy": the struggle to find housing, the terror you cause your family if you accidentally fall asleep and don't come home on time, the toll on the children and the question of when, and if, to tell them.
November 15, 2020
A delightful book which kept me wondering about their next experience!
The author deftly related their family 's experience as the husband/father 's profession as a deep undercover agent in several countries gave their life excitement, sometimes deprivation and terror. The wife was definitely an asset to her husband in supporting him unstintingly and with quick thinking and imagination. Along with seeing the humor in things it also showed her sensitivity and insight. Kudos to this woman.
The author deftly related their family 's experience as the husband/father 's profession as a deep undercover agent in several countries gave their life excitement, sometimes deprivation and terror. The wife was definitely an asset to her husband in supporting him unstintingly and with quick thinking and imagination. Along with seeing the humor in things it also showed her sensitivity and insight. Kudos to this woman.
December 31, 2021
I have to say I had a difficult time reading this memoir. I want to say it was engaging; however, sad to say it wasn’t. It didn’t capture my attention. I found the chapters to be “dry”. The first few chapters were tantalizing and then I had to close the book and I donated the book. That’s what Ohio taught me: the kindness challenge. Good night and good luck reading the book until you fall asleep.
April 19, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed reading about the life of Lillian’s family, and her under cover CIA husband! Shame on the CIA for treating their agents so horribly! A true eye opener, and truly explains why so many in Frank’s position find it necessary to sell secrets to foreign entities just to make “ends meet” for their families. Kudos to the McCloy family for never falling into that tempting source of $$
Thanks for putting this memoir out for us to read!
Thanks for putting this memoir out for us to read!
February 26, 2023
This is a very eye-opening experience. The author brought her life so realistically. I have been traveling most of my life as I worked for one of the top airlines in the world. But I got a very different picture of the world. I was shocked at how little I had learned about the world. Very good book. I would recommend to all.
April 15, 2023
Thoroughly entertaining, informational and well written. The author was married to a career CIA agent; living in several foreign countries with their 3 children and dealing with and learning the languages. They worked hard, suffered hardships and formed life long friendships. The insight into life in other countries and insight into our own highly regarded spy agency is very revealing.
November 6, 2023
somewhat interesting
This story is told in such a detached way it is almost like a daily report for a company. While the adventures are somewhat interesting, there is not one compelling personality and the book ends very abruptly. Lots of other great books out there, I wouldn’t waste your time with this.
This story is told in such a detached way it is almost like a daily report for a company. While the adventures are somewhat interesting, there is not one compelling personality and the book ends very abruptly. Lots of other great books out there, I wouldn’t waste your time with this.
February 26, 2021
Madrid, India and Tokyo! Glamorous postings? Perhaps for the person under deep cover but probably not for the family members who accompany them.
Surprisingly, our military, Secret Service and the CIA are penurious when dealing with the families of their recruits.
Surprisingly, our military, Secret Service and the CIA are penurious when dealing with the families of their recruits.
April 30, 2022
Enjoyable!
A great read for those who enjoy living in or really experiencing different cultures and countries. Once you have done that, you are changed in a way that makes you a bit different from those who have not done so.
A great read for those who enjoy living in or really experiencing different cultures and countries. Once you have done that, you are changed in a way that makes you a bit different from those who have not done so.
March 23, 2023
This is a captivating story told by an undercover CIA agent's wife about her experiences living in foreign countries, raising three children, and finding friends, all the while maintaining a secret identity. Her descriptions are at times humorous, at other times harrowing, but always intriguing.
July 5, 2023
This one is going to stick with me. The way the family handles all the changes. The children are raised so unconventionally and turn into amazing humans. Then the ending makes it all another level of inspiring. So much more touched my heart.
February 26, 2024
Interesting in her descriptions of the places that they lived. But that said in my opinion she definitely should have received mental health care for the depression and alcohol addiction....just saying
March 9, 2019
It is moment by moment - raw emotions- honest . Gives you a good sense for what that life was like.
July 14, 2020
I was hoping for more "spy" stuff. I liked hearing about the places she lived...not just as a visitor, but a resident.
March 21, 2021
Fascinating read!
Learned a lot about the lifestyle of a CIA family. It is rather saddening yet eye opening. Great perspective and easy read.
Learned a lot about the lifestyle of a CIA family. It is rather saddening yet eye opening. Great perspective and easy read.
January 3, 2022
Wonderful
I lived in eight foreign countries as a child and young adult and could relate to so many of the author's experiences. A great read.
I lived in eight foreign countries as a child and young adult and could relate to so many of the author's experiences. A great read.
July 20, 2022
Interesting
April 29, 2023
It was a slow start, and while I didn’t necessarily love the writing style - the ending just broke me. It will stay with you in all its candid nakedness.
November 15, 2023
difficult book to read. Lot's of short stories rambling on. Really nothing about the CIA- misleading title.
September 2, 2024
like I was visiting all those foriegn countries
A book that shows that behind all great men there is standing a woman. Making a home for her husband and children
A book that shows that behind all great men there is standing a woman. Making a home for her husband and children
June 29, 2022
Great book
Very interesting read about the untold live of being in the CIA. Never considered many things were in this book.
Very interesting read about the untold live of being in the CIA. Never considered many things were in this book.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews