Bookworm's Reviews > Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring

Eh. I had heard such great things about this book and decided to pick up the paperback after seeing it was in paperback and was now serving as the basis for a cable series. I just couldn't get into it.

The book follows the tales and adventures and missions of the spy ring that worked for George Washington during the Revolution. It follow various historical figures from their methods to their travels to some of their ends, sadly or not. However it is not a history on the American Revolution. Battles and the politics are mostly left aside, although they do get mentions here and there. George Washington is a secondary player who gets the info.

I'm not into military history and haven't had much luck reading espionage history. I felt the book tended to be uneven, drag in spots but have some really great information in others. It was interesting to see what happened when a mission goes wrong, if a spy gets caught, what methods these agents used (which went from codes to invisible ink). The most poignant parts are Washington's decision to hang a traitor after all, even though the man was under the impression he'd get a military-style firing range.

For someone who is interested in the period, any of the people involved in this spy ring, espionage and spying history, this is a good book. It seems especially relevant in light of the NSA revelations and will pick apart anyone who argues that the Founding Fathers would have never have spied. If you're just a casual reader or just curious, recommend the library.