The Woman Who Smashed Codes

by Jason Fagone

“We glide over the offensiveness of names and calm down our consciences by eulogistic mellifluous terms, until our very moral senses are dulled,” she wrote. “Let things be shown, let them come forth in their real colors, and humanity will not be so prone to a sin which is glossed over by a dainty public!”

Rather, the Friedmans built an archive because that’s what the best intelligence professionals do. They become librarians.

Elizebeth, of course, didn’t think she was a genius; actual geniuses never do.