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The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life
The true story about an American woman who pioneered codebreaking in WWI and WWII but was only recently recognized for her extraordinary contributions.
Elizebeth Smith Friedman always had a penchant for solving riddles. It was this skill, and a desire to do something with her life that led her to become one of the top cryptanalysts in America during both World War I and II. She originally came to codebreaking through her love for Shakespeare when she was hired by an eccentric billionaire to prove that Shakespeare's plays had secret messages in them and were written by Frances Bacon. Though she came to the conclusion that there were not any secret messages in the plays, she learned so much about coding that she went on to play a major role in decoding messages during WWI and WWII and also for the US Coast Guard's own war against smugglers. Elizebeth and her husband, William, became the top codebreaking team in the US, and she did it all at a time when women weren't a welcome presence in the workforce.
Elizebeth Smith Friedman always had a penchant for solving riddles. It was this skill, and a desire to do something with her life that led her to become one of the top cryptanalysts in America during both World War I and II. She originally came to codebreaking through her love for Shakespeare when she was hired by an eccentric billionaire to prove that Shakespeare's plays had secret messages in them and were written by Frances Bacon. Though she came to the conclusion that there were not any secret messages in the plays, she learned so much about coding that she went on to play a major role in decoding messages during WWI and WWII and also for the US Coast Guard's own war against smugglers. Elizebeth and her husband, William, became the top codebreaking team in the US, and she did it all at a time when women weren't a welcome presence in the workforce.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2021
185 people are currently reading
2140 people want to read
About the author
Amy Butler Greenfield
9 books242 followersAmy Butler Greenfield was a grad student in history when she gave into temptation and became a writer. Since then, she has become an award-winning author.
Amy grew up in the Adirondack Mountains and later studied history at Williams College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Oxford. She now lives with her family in England, where she writes, bakes double-dark-chocolate cake, and plots mischief.
Amy grew up in the Adirondack Mountains and later studied history at Williams College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Oxford. She now lives with her family in England, where she writes, bakes double-dark-chocolate cake, and plots mischief.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
April 27, 2023
Audible 7 hours Narrated by Samantha Desz (A)
4.5 stars I began this book yesterday, March 8, International Women's Day. I spent one of my treasured audible credits based on the short sample offered because I was immediately captured by the subject. This biography of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, written by Amy Butler Greenfield, truly captures the spirit to honor women of distinction on IWD. The contributions of Elizebeth to the world of code breaking were almost lost due to the sensitive nature of her work and the huge shadow cast by her husband, William Friedman. Theirs was a love story of shared dreams and true devotion to each other and their children. This book captures the essence of their love and is beautifully written. I rarely she'd tears while reading, but this book was an exception. There is an interesting YouTube interview with the author that includes great photographs. There is also a pdf file that comes with the book. Elizebeth was a bright star and role model n the 20th century and worthy of remembering! 4.5 stars
Note: The Friedmans were concerned about the relationship between the need for secrecy and its abuses by those in places of power, even in a democracy. This directly affected their lives as individuals and as a couple.
Special note: The Friedmans are buried in Arlington National Cemetery with a shared headstone designed by Elizebeth that includes a cipher in the phrase "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER." Such a fitting memorial to her husband.
Also available on Audible is The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone, a more In-depth look into Elizabeth's life.
4.5 stars I began this book yesterday, March 8, International Women's Day. I spent one of my treasured audible credits based on the short sample offered because I was immediately captured by the subject. This biography of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, written by Amy Butler Greenfield, truly captures the spirit to honor women of distinction on IWD. The contributions of Elizebeth to the world of code breaking were almost lost due to the sensitive nature of her work and the huge shadow cast by her husband, William Friedman. Theirs was a love story of shared dreams and true devotion to each other and their children. This book captures the essence of their love and is beautifully written. I rarely she'd tears while reading, but this book was an exception. There is an interesting YouTube interview with the author that includes great photographs. There is also a pdf file that comes with the book. Elizebeth was a bright star and role model n the 20th century and worthy of remembering! 4.5 stars
Note: The Friedmans were concerned about the relationship between the need for secrecy and its abuses by those in places of power, even in a democracy. This directly affected their lives as individuals and as a couple.
Special note: The Friedmans are buried in Arlington National Cemetery with a shared headstone designed by Elizebeth that includes a cipher in the phrase "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER." Such a fitting memorial to her husband.
Also available on Audible is The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone, a more In-depth look into Elizabeth's life.
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June 25, 2022As someone who did an entire term project on notable women of WWII, I was surprised to say I haven’t heard of Elizebeth Smith Friedman until I picked up this book.
Her incredible life story aside, the book was structured in a logical and easy-to-read manner, with every few chapters having a bonus segment about cyphers which - as someone who had an interest in coding - found extremely interesting. It kept me engaged and each chapter left on a cliffhanger to encourage me to keep reading.
It’s amazing how much occurred to one woman in her lifetime and the accomplishments she made, yet how LITTLE she was given credit for. Honestly, if I never picked up this book, chances have it I would never find out about Friedman.
Her incredible life story aside, the book was structured in a logical and easy-to-read manner, with every few chapters having a bonus segment about cyphers which - as someone who had an interest in coding - found extremely interesting. It kept me engaged and each chapter left on a cliffhanger to encourage me to keep reading.
It’s amazing how much occurred to one woman in her lifetime and the accomplishments she made, yet how LITTLE she was given credit for. Honestly, if I never picked up this book, chances have it I would never find out about Friedman.
January 27, 2022
so well done! amazing bio of something i knew nothing about!
def recommend if you like this kind of stuff, history, or just a good bio.
elizebeth is amazing :)
def recommend if you like this kind of stuff, history, or just a good bio.
elizebeth is amazing :)
March 15, 2022
This American woman pioneered codebreaking in WWI and WWII and brought down rumrunners during Prohibition, but she has only recently been recognized for her extraordinary contributions. 2022 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction finalist!
September 5, 2024
4 1/2 stars
And the well written and highly detailed account of two of the founding members of cryptology science. 2/3 of the book or maybe 3/4 of the book were exciting. However, the treatment of the couple at the end of the book was a bit depressing.
I highly recommend.
And the well written and highly detailed account of two of the founding members of cryptology science. 2/3 of the book or maybe 3/4 of the book were exciting. However, the treatment of the couple at the end of the book was a bit depressing.
I highly recommend.
February 11, 2022
This is a wonderfully written biography of an extraordinary woman who NEVER truly received the recognition or respect that she was due. For teen readers today, this glimpse into the cultural and workplace attitudes will be unforgettable and Elizabeth's perseverance will be inspiring.
Amy Greenfield did a masterful job of piecing together the story of Elizebeth's life and accomplishments as so much of her life and work is as hidden as the keys to the codes Elizabeth was so good at seeing. Drawing extensively from Elizebeth's letters and diaries, this is a carefully constructed picture. The explanations of the various types of codes throughout the book was fascinating too.
One of the elements that stood out for me is the clear picture of someone who truly was humble and self-effacing but also had pride in her work and achievements and the frustration at working with less competent supervisors who not only impeded the work but then claimed credit for it.
Just as important in Elizebeth's life was her husband and her abiding love and support for him. Also a brilliant mind, William's struggles with bipolar disorder and depression had to have been an incredible source of stress, worry and pain for them both. I am still awed at the capacity of these amazing people to work through these overwhelming issues, achieve so much and never breathe a word about the incredible weight of what they were doing even to each other.
Greenfield's writing is fascinating and meticulous, with excellent documentation. A story not to be missed.
Amy Greenfield did a masterful job of piecing together the story of Elizebeth's life and accomplishments as so much of her life and work is as hidden as the keys to the codes Elizabeth was so good at seeing. Drawing extensively from Elizebeth's letters and diaries, this is a carefully constructed picture. The explanations of the various types of codes throughout the book was fascinating too.
One of the elements that stood out for me is the clear picture of someone who truly was humble and self-effacing but also had pride in her work and achievements and the frustration at working with less competent supervisors who not only impeded the work but then claimed credit for it.
Just as important in Elizebeth's life was her husband and her abiding love and support for him. Also a brilliant mind, William's struggles with bipolar disorder and depression had to have been an incredible source of stress, worry and pain for them both. I am still awed at the capacity of these amazing people to work through these overwhelming issues, achieve so much and never breathe a word about the incredible weight of what they were doing even to each other.
Greenfield's writing is fascinating and meticulous, with excellent documentation. A story not to be missed.
December 10, 2023
I was delighted to learn about cryptographer Elizabeth Smith Friedman and the work she did for decades on codebreaking. Her husband also was a cryptographer, which often meant she lived in his shadow. However, this book does a great job of describing her contribution to the world of codebreaking.
Who is the ideal reader? Those ages 14 and older particularly those with an interest in computer science, codebreaking, World War II, and/or women in STEM. As a college instructor, I would assign this book in 100-level courses.
She started as part of a team of codebreakers working at Riverbank, a place where a wealthy man hired codebreakers in a vain attempt to find a hidden code in the typesetting for Shakespeare's First Folio.
While there, she was able to develop her skills as a codebreaker, which would be put to use in helping various branches of the US government obtain encrypted messages. She foiled rum runners, drug lords, and military foes. She even managed to find a way to decode messages in Chinese, which is notoriously difficult because of the use of characters instead of letters.
She faced a number of hardships from men holding her back because of her gender, starting with her father. She was able to achieve quite a bit despite constant limitations, prejudice, and harassment by others.
At Riverbank, she met William Friedman, another cryptologist. They developed a deep friendship and became soul mates long before they transformed their relationship into a romance. They remained co-workers for decades to a degree. William was sent to Europe alone to work on projects there, which meant that he outpaced her skill for a time. But Elizabeth was still able to accept projects that challenged her and demonstrated her skills.
The last third of the book describes the complex relationship they had with the National Security Agency, which made it difficult for both Elizabeth and William to receive credit for their work or to hold onto some of the material from their library of books and papers, under the excuse of "security," even though some of these documents were declassified.
An engaging read!
Who is the ideal reader? Those ages 14 and older particularly those with an interest in computer science, codebreaking, World War II, and/or women in STEM. As a college instructor, I would assign this book in 100-level courses.
She started as part of a team of codebreakers working at Riverbank, a place where a wealthy man hired codebreakers in a vain attempt to find a hidden code in the typesetting for Shakespeare's First Folio.
While there, she was able to develop her skills as a codebreaker, which would be put to use in helping various branches of the US government obtain encrypted messages. She foiled rum runners, drug lords, and military foes. She even managed to find a way to decode messages in Chinese, which is notoriously difficult because of the use of characters instead of letters.
She faced a number of hardships from men holding her back because of her gender, starting with her father. She was able to achieve quite a bit despite constant limitations, prejudice, and harassment by others.
At Riverbank, she met William Friedman, another cryptologist. They developed a deep friendship and became soul mates long before they transformed their relationship into a romance. They remained co-workers for decades to a degree. William was sent to Europe alone to work on projects there, which meant that he outpaced her skill for a time. But Elizabeth was still able to accept projects that challenged her and demonstrated her skills.
The last third of the book describes the complex relationship they had with the National Security Agency, which made it difficult for both Elizabeth and William to receive credit for their work or to hold onto some of the material from their library of books and papers, under the excuse of "security," even though some of these documents were declassified.
An engaging read!
March 4, 2022
Another woman buried in history by the patriarchy, now resurrected for our edification. Elizebeth Smith Friedman was not simply the wife of cryptologist William Friedman, but was a formidable code breaker herself. While she was apparently well known in the 1930s because she was a woman codebreaker, she went "dark" to protect her work, and after death, poof, gone from history.
But what I loved most about her story was the humanity of it. Elizebeth did not lead a glamorous life. Most of it she toiled away for the government and had her work claimed by others, like the FBI.
She had a loving relationship with her husband, who supported her working and loved her brilliance, but it was made difficult by his bouts of severe depression, severe enough that he underwent electroshock therapy.
Elizebeth grew up on a farm in Indiana, the youngest of many children, and began her career in 1917, after finishing college, when she was hired by an odd millionaire named George Fabyan. She was hired to help find the secret codes embedded in Shakespeare's work! (Well, she concluded there weren't any.) Here she met her future husband, William.
Eventually they escaped the clutches of this odd man, and went to work for various branches of the armed forces. During her working life, Elizabeth served as a cryptologist during World War I, Prohibition, and World War II. Her work made a real difference in each of these events.
And here we were, growing up in the 50s and 60s, thinking all women who came before us stayed home and tended house, well, maybe except for Rosie the Riveter during WWII.
History (even the name History implies a "him") really is written by those in power. But things really are changing for women in the 21st century.
And, ahem, like another reviewer, I wonder why this book was marketed as Young Adult. A lot of her adult life travails would not appeal to teens.
But what I loved most about her story was the humanity of it. Elizebeth did not lead a glamorous life. Most of it she toiled away for the government and had her work claimed by others, like the FBI.
She had a loving relationship with her husband, who supported her working and loved her brilliance, but it was made difficult by his bouts of severe depression, severe enough that he underwent electroshock therapy.
Elizebeth grew up on a farm in Indiana, the youngest of many children, and began her career in 1917, after finishing college, when she was hired by an odd millionaire named George Fabyan. She was hired to help find the secret codes embedded in Shakespeare's work! (Well, she concluded there weren't any.) Here she met her future husband, William.
Eventually they escaped the clutches of this odd man, and went to work for various branches of the armed forces. During her working life, Elizabeth served as a cryptologist during World War I, Prohibition, and World War II. Her work made a real difference in each of these events.
And here we were, growing up in the 50s and 60s, thinking all women who came before us stayed home and tended house, well, maybe except for Rosie the Riveter during WWII.
History (even the name History implies a "him") really is written by those in power. But things really are changing for women in the 21st century.
And, ahem, like another reviewer, I wonder why this book was marketed as Young Adult. A lot of her adult life travails would not appeal to teens.
May 29, 2023
4,5⭐️
Now Elizabeth was a historical figure I really enjoyed. Truly a role model,
I was pleasantly surprised on multiple occasions by her. I love her persistence and wit and her achievements are too impressive to have almost been erased from history. But she was also a good daughter, wife, mother, coworker, boss and person in general . I cannot express how amazed I am of how sweet and healthy her relationship with her husband William was, especially considering the times!
Overall, Elizabeth is just the kind of person I’d love to learn more about and enjoy actually having around. She deserved better.
Now Elizabeth was a historical figure I really enjoyed. Truly a role model,
I was pleasantly surprised on multiple occasions by her. I love her persistence and wit and her achievements are too impressive to have almost been erased from history. But she was also a good daughter, wife, mother, coworker, boss and person in general . I cannot express how amazed I am of how sweet and healthy her relationship with her husband William was, especially considering the times!
Overall, Elizabeth is just the kind of person I’d love to learn more about and enjoy actually having around. She deserved better.
September 30, 2021
THE WOMAN ALL SPIES FEAR: Code breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman
This excellent book by Amy Butler Greenfield was delivered to my Kindle free by Net Galley.
The true story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman was fascinating. She is an ordinary lady who found interest in breaking codes. She was living in a small farming community. Not much was known about Elizebeth's earlier years.
She came to code breaking through her love for Shakespeare when she was hired by a millionaire to prove Shakespeare's plays had secret messages in them. Within a year she had learned so much about code breaking she was a star in the making. She played a major role in code breaking in WWI and WWII as well as Coast Guard's war against smugglers.
Elizebeth and her husband were an excellent team and were the top code breakers in the US and she did it all in a time when women were not really welcomed in the workforce.
I would found the book intriguing and written in a manner that made it easy to read. I would highly recommend it to anyone. History is fascinating and much is to be learned thru this outstanding book.
She was an exceptional woman both in character and commitment to her husband and the United States of America.
#Net Galley #Goodreads #The Woman All Spies Fear
This excellent book by Amy Butler Greenfield was delivered to my Kindle free by Net Galley.
The true story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman was fascinating. She is an ordinary lady who found interest in breaking codes. She was living in a small farming community. Not much was known about Elizebeth's earlier years.
She came to code breaking through her love for Shakespeare when she was hired by a millionaire to prove Shakespeare's plays had secret messages in them. Within a year she had learned so much about code breaking she was a star in the making. She played a major role in code breaking in WWI and WWII as well as Coast Guard's war against smugglers.
Elizebeth and her husband were an excellent team and were the top code breakers in the US and she did it all in a time when women were not really welcomed in the workforce.
I would found the book intriguing and written in a manner that made it easy to read. I would highly recommend it to anyone. History is fascinating and much is to be learned thru this outstanding book.
She was an exceptional woman both in character and commitment to her husband and the United States of America.
#Net Galley #Goodreads #The Woman All Spies Fear
February 16, 2022
A solid biography of the amazing Elizebeth Smith Friedman who pioneered code breaking during WWI and WWII. She was brilliant and she has not received much credit for her work – both because it had to be kept secret, but also because she was a woman who was not always respected or welcome by the men with whom she worked. This sometimes was a little dry and I would love to read a historical fiction on Elizebeth. On the other hand, this biography is important as it gets her accomplishments on the record.
January 17, 2024
This nonfiction book is a great read for middle schoolers and high schoolers about an amazing woman, her amazing husband, and the careers both together and separately that changed our world. It doesn't shy from tough topics either, like Antisemitism or mental health. It drives headlong into the walls erected for women, even when they were experts in their field as well. Highly suggested when looking at the 1920s-1940s.
May 26, 2024
TBR Read Harder Challenge selection for a YA non-fiction book.
Very interesting biography about a woman I had to knowledge of and her role in breaking codes and ciphers from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Written for a teenage audience, it was still engaging and accessible to an adult and I very much enjoyed the interstitials between chapters that helped educate the reader about different codes and ciphers.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Very interesting biography about a woman I had to knowledge of and her role in breaking codes and ciphers from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Written for a teenage audience, it was still engaging and accessible to an adult and I very much enjoyed the interstitials between chapters that helped educate the reader about different codes and ciphers.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
December 30, 2021
Thought this was a good narrative non-fiction biography of a woman in STEM. For fans of The Radium Girls or Dreaming in Code. I learned a lot of history about code breaking during WW1 + WW2. **There is also a picture book that recently came out about Smith Friedman's life that might pair well: Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars**
May 3, 2022
The premise and the engagement with the history of this female codebreaker was great! Love reading about people like this! The book was poorly written in my opinion and made it hard to get through. I ended up not finishing it fully but instead skimmed through the remaining pages.
June 27, 2022
The life of Elizabeth Smith Friedman and her husband, William, intrigues me greatly. This couple was instrumental in discovering so many international secrets and intercepting messages through codebreaking. I would have liked to have worked with her in order to experience how her mind worked. I imagine she was brilliant and her intelligence intoxicating. Go watch the documentary called "Codebreakers" on American Experience with PBS. It was the perfect culmination to the book.
May 30, 2023
I have read 500+ books on WW2, including several on the cryptographers, male & female. I had never heard of Elizebeth Friedman. I am thankful this book was written and so well written. Now, her legacy and life's work are not forgotten.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2023
Interesting YA read about a woman who broke codes in WWI, WWII, & on rum runners during Prohibition. Lots of little bits of the actual codes & cyphers in the book as well. 15 year old Leslie would have been very into this! Adult Leslie wants way more in depth analysis 😂
February 28, 2022
Incredible research. Incredible writing. Highly recommend for those the least bit interested in history, spies, codes, or cyphers.
June 4, 2022
So informative!
July 12, 2022
What a fascinating life! An inspirational read!
September 1, 2023
A close look at someone critical to our success and security, whom otherwise would have been forgotten. A wonderful and quick read.
June 18, 2025
Book club pick.
Loved.
Loved.
August 6, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Book club read.
Book club read.
February 28, 2022
-the love and respect william and elizabeth had for each other 🥺
-a lovely biography- learned a lot
-a lovely biography- learned a lot
April 6, 2022
What a terrific, thrilling read. Hard to imagine given it's about a brilliant code breaker and cipher cracker who spent much of her life working at a desk, painstakingly unraveling secrets with paper and pencil, but it's true. Highly recommended, especially along with the documentary by AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, Elizebeth Friedman: Cryptanalyst Pioneer.
June 16, 2023
Very thorough. Personally prefer Code Girls.
October 25, 2023
Engaging and quick, my only complaint is that I often wanted to know more about every detail mentioned.
July 2, 2024
Got slow in the middle but I enjoyed it!
March 13, 2023
You all know I love a well written non-fiction, because they read like fiction. But who could make up this stuff!
Elizabeth Smith Friedman loved to play with codes and ciphers. She is recruited into a strange world of decoding Shakespeare's plays. There she meets her husband, also an expert code breaker. The two of them become world renowned -be it with intelligence circles- code breakers for the Navy, Coast Guard and more. Some of the examples of her and her husband's code breaking were unbelievable.
Well written and always interesting how the espionage realm works.
Elizabeth Smith Friedman loved to play with codes and ciphers. She is recruited into a strange world of decoding Shakespeare's plays. There she meets her husband, also an expert code breaker. The two of them become world renowned -be it with intelligence circles- code breakers for the Navy, Coast Guard and more. Some of the examples of her and her husband's code breaking were unbelievable.
Well written and always interesting how the espionage realm works.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews