Thanks so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have read many books about WW2, but this is the first I have read that focuses on the “after”. Not sure what I thought happened - Did the Nazis secret agent just go back to farming”? Of course not. They were fervently working to regroup on rise again.
This is the well researched and true story a 5 very brave women who were part of the creation of the CIA- creating a network of spies, all the while fighting gender discrimination at home- no matter what they did ( staying behind to manage the network of intelligence after a coupe and everyone else in the CIA evacuated) the were still just girls, not deserving of pay, tile or any recognition. The names of these women Addy Hawkins, Liz Sudmier, Mary Hutchenson, Jane Burrell and Eloise Page should be known for their heroics, sacrifice and bravery.

This book taught me so much about history and what was going on behind the scenes during the critical moments in history- the only WW2 battle fought on US soil ( Alaska), how a Geiger counter works, as well as what exactly is enriched Uranium, and Plutonium. The tragic story of Russian City 40- that had a worse disaster ( plus 10 years of open waste dumping ) than Chernobyl yet remained a secret. The rise of communism across the world and numerous near start to WW3.

While I enjoyed the book, Im moving the rating from a 4 star to 3 because the author chose an annoying “cliff hanger” technique to end chapters ( example: “…For Jane, it was the past that would haunt her. Another collaborator was about to come back into her life, and not in a positive light. End chapter) then she would launch into the back story of the Jane or switch to a different character. This made it hard for me to keep the characters straight, as their stories felt were choppy and spread across the globe. Still recommend.

I was unsure how I would feel about this book. Not something I would normally be interested in. It was amazing. The dedication, the disappointments, the loyalty, the heartbreak, the secrecy of these woman are commendable. They have sacrificed so much for our country and had to fight and crawl to get what little recognitions that was given. Thank you for writing this book and giving the insight that we do not normally get to see.

Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt is a very interesting read. I love getting into books such as this. I have very limited knowledge of the subject and I am educated on important historical contributions. (Think “The Other Einstein, Hidden Figures etc.).
This non-fiction book is about five women who worked to transform the OSS into what we now know as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchinson, Eloise Page, Elizabeth Sudmeier, and Jane Burrell. One developed new cryptosystems, one worked overseas in Europe building partnerships, one turned enemy spies into assets, one worked in the Middle East to gain intelligence on Soviet weaponry, and one was influential in scientific and technical operations.
This intriguing book is the result of the author digging into recently declassified information from the CIA. The author was also able to obtain information from personal records and photos kept by the families of these five women. These women, jointly, improved the art of ‘spycraft’.
As with other stories of this kind we are shown the brilliance and bravery of these five women. We are also shown the sexism that was prevalent during this time period. All these women wanted was to be recognized by their co-workers and to be monetarily compensated the same as their male co-workers. The fight for equality was horrible and frustrating. It is still to this day. The women who died during their service have never been acknowledged and never added to the wall at CIA Headquarters like their male counterparts. If not for this book, they would probably be still unknown.
Ms. Holt really draws you into this period of time as she discusses the Cold War, the nuclear arms race, the space race and even the Bay of Pigs. It shows how ‘Spycraft’ grew over time and how the CIA came to fruition.
Apparently I have a similar complaint as other reviewers. The transitions are awkward and hasty at best and downright awful in others. I completely get the idea of introducing these unsung heroes and memorializing their amazing lives but I think the reader would have been better served having each woman’s story told separately with some minor overlap. I can see how Ms. Holt has tried to connect these women and their work to each other but it is definitely difficult to be in the Middle East with one woman and then jumping the world to find yourself at Headquarters in Washington D.C. with another woman. It seems to disrupt the flow.
I will stress that the complaints about the ‘flow’ should not discourage you from reading about these amazing women.
I would like to thank Ms. Holt, Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This nonfiction covers the women who helped found the CIA - four women whose stories couldn't be told until after their deaths. I loved following their stories as they rose through the ranks of the agency, fighting sexism along the way. Events like the Bay of Pigs and conflict in the Middle East are told through the eyes of the wise gals, giving a new perspective to well-known events. I enjoyed this one in both text and audio format - if you're looking to read more nonfiction, this is a good place to start!

Thank you to Putnam Books for an e-ARC and PRH Audio for a complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Kudos to Nathalia Holt for being able to bring non-fiction information to LIFE! I just finished Wise Gals and I feel as if EVERYONE needs to read this piece of history that’s been so shrouded in secrecy and buried deep within the archives.

We all know that women’s contributions to society have been historically quietened, Holt has done her research though, as she chronicles the lives of 5 women who became what is literally the backbone of the CIA as we know it today.

Holt has found research, double-checked and double-sourced events, details, file facts and people before ever considering including it in this story. Her writing covers the beginning during World War II with the OSS and continues on into the CIA’s infancy through Cold War moments, Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race….it is a walk through history as a HERSTORY and I am here for it.

Her writing is TRULY a work of ART! I was gripped on the edge of my seat as I listened to the audiobook (thank you @prha ) and it read like a fictional novel.

As the world headed from World War II into the Cold War Era, there was a lot going on behind the scenes in the intelligence world. This book held a lot of very interesting information specifically regarding the ways the American intelligence community developed during this time. Unfortunately for me, I struggled to get through the book. The biggest reason I kept reading was to learn more about what happened given the current world stage.

Wise Gals
The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage
By Nathalie Holt

A Well-Researched and Informative Group Biography

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
WISE GALS is a story of five female agents who worked for the Office of Strategic during WWII and the CIA when it was created in 1947. These five women were instrumental in blazing a path for women in intelligence work in the post World War II era.

Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchinson, Eloise Page, Elizabeth Sudmeier, and Jane Burrell were each courageous and groundbreaking agents at the top of their game. They rose through the ranks on different paths, and each successfully contributed to the CIA mission of gathering and sharing intelligence to protect the U. S. from threats. One developed new cryptosystems for communications, one worked overseas in Europe and Asia building partnerships and allegiances, one turned enemy spies into assets, one worked in the Middle East to gain intelligence on Soviet weaponry, and one was influential on scientific and technical operations exposing global terrorism threats.

REVIEW
WISE GALS is an informative group biography/memoir heavy on research based on numerous reports, letters, memos, interviews, and diaries. The book is structured into five parts, each covering the women's activities for several years, starting with 1942. The book reveals the treatment of these women whose education, skills, and knowledge were impressive. And yet they were each forced to accept positions and pay far below their capabilities and worth.

Author Nathalie Holt details and describes the successes these women achieved in service to the country, as well as the integrity, courage, and intelligence it took to get the job done. Holt also identifies the obstacles, hardships, and frustrations these women faced. Male coworkers were paid more, promoted to higher positions, and allowed privileges not afforded to women. In 1953, a panel was set up by Allen Dulles, the new CIA director, to address the women’s concerns. The panel condescendingly became known as the “Petticoat Panel” and management ignored the resulting report.

The book is full of amazing stories and facts, but the cohesiveness leaves a little to be desired. It’s a bumpy read, jumping back and forth between the women and years. I would have made an easier connection with the women in the book had the five parts been dedicated to each woman’s story. Despite that, the book is a wealth of information.

Thanks to Netgalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Published September 13, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

n the wake of World War II, four agents helped build what is now known as the CIA. The work of Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the “wise gals”, remained in the dark for the duration of their lives. Smart, courageous, and groundbreaking, these agents were at the top of their class, and played a vital role on the international stage.

Before I picked up this book, I didn't know much about the CIA or how it began. I found the stories of these four women to be very interesting, not only in how they began their work as spies and intelligence agents but also in the struggles they faced because of their gender. It was also interesting to learn more about the time period, and the political struggles of the time.

The book begins before the CIA came into existence and continues through the cold war. Each agent presented shows a different side to the life of a CIA agent and the difficult choices each had to make.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy history and tales of women overcoming impossible odds.

Really interesting! This was a great read! Very, very well researched and kept me interested the whole time because the writing had a warmth to it. It wasn't clinical like a textbook which can be hard to hold my attention for very long.
These women were rock stars!

I have recently taken a liking to non-fiction reads and this one really taught me a lot. I didn’t realize how interesting this topic was until I finished reading and had to sit with what I had just learned. I definitely would read more from this author.

Gosh, this was such a thrilling read! Most of these women I had never heard of, though I've read/researched a lot about women in the early 20th century and World Wars. The location jumps were sometimes hard transitions between the different women's stories, but still fascinating. I almost wish it had been multiple books so the author could delve more into the details, but it was still a wonderful read as is. I really appreciate the author's writing style. While non-fiction, the individual bios read more as fiction -- it was easy to feel present in their stories.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book and share it!

Many of us are familiar with the women of Bletchley Park and other women who worked in the war efforts during WWII in the UK, and most of us know about the Rosie the Riveter-style stories of women making things happen stateside - but I bet you probably don't know about these badass women!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls comes the never-before-told story of a small cadre of influential female spies in the precarious early days of the CIA—women who helped create the template for cutting-edge espionage (and blazed new paths for equality in the workplace) in the treacherous post-WWII era.

I truly can't recommend this book enough! The story is fascinating and so important, and the writing is fabulous. This is one of those stories that everyone should know.

Those who like nonfiction will definitely like it, but I think even those typically prefer fiction will find it rather compelling!

The United States of America’s Central Intelligence Agency would not exist as it is today without the exemplary efforts of five brave and often undersung women. Which lack of recognition, to a certain extent, is part and parcel of working with the CIA: it would never do to publicly laud work that is best done in secret, after all. That said, Nathalia Holt’s masterful biography of these five women not only points out how criminally underappreciated they were even by their employers but also posits that a greater appreciation of their work and opinions would likely have kept the agency out of much of the trouble it’s run into in and since the latter half of the 20th century.

The women in question are Jane Burrell, the first CIA operative killed in the line of duty; Adelaide “Addy” Hawkins, the high school graduate turned codebreaker and communications mastermind; Eloise Page, the Southern socialite who would become the CIA’s first female station chief; Mary Hutchison, the spymaster who chafed at being seen as merely a CIA wife, and Elizabeth “Liz” Sudmeier, the intrepid officer who single-handedly ran Iraq when her colleagues were forced to leave in the wake of revolution. Their careers spanned the majority of the 1900s, beginning in World War II and ending, for the most part, with mandatory retirements as the century closed. As such their stories are very much a history of the CIA itself, from its roots as the Office of Strategic Services through its tumultuous transition into its current form, spanning the defeat of Nazi Germany and the USSR before facing the dawn of modern terrorism.

The book is organized on a linear timeline, with Ms Holt describing what each woman was up to while in the thick of world events. They were each recruited during World War II, from different backgrounds and via different entry points: one of the few good things about times of war and duress is how easily prejudices are set aside in favor of getting the job done. But peacetime brought back all the old indignities. By 1953, matters had come to such a head that the female employees of the CIA – including all the women featured here except Jane, who died in 1948 – heckled incoming director Allen W Dulles about their pay and benefits disparities. To his credit, he promptly set up the Committee on Professional Women, or the Petticoat Panel as it was more commonly known, to look into the matter. Addy, Eloise, Liz and Mary took to their new task force with gusto as:

QUOTE
their work was not just about gaining equity for female employees–it was about saving the agency they loved from itself. Every year since the CIA had been established in 1947, it was hiring fewer women into professional positions. The agency was moving quickly away from [founder William J.] Donovan’s vision of a diverse force of officers. This increased homogeneity lent a vulnerability to their operations. The lack of diversity, in both thought and outward appearance, weakened their missions–and even potentially made their officers easier to identify in the field.
END QUOTE

The lessons these women learned from decades of fieldwork were, they found, increasingly disregarded, as a potent combination of misogyny and political arrogance was shunting aside the elegantly clandestine work of information gathering in favor of more brute force covert action. This refusal to believe in the competency of anyone but a certain type described as “pale, male and Yale” hit a nadir with the Bay of Pigs incident, when experienced polyglot Mary was allowed neither an active role in information gathering despite the paucity of Spanish-speakers on the American side nor the ability to influence strategy, much less policy. She and her fellow officers were forced to listen in impotent horror as almost 1200 Cuban exiles the US had trained and armed in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro were either killed or thrown in prison in a covert attack that was unsupported by local intelligence.

She wasn’t the only one to receive excessive pushback from her male colleagues when it came to what was considered “good work.” In 1975, Eloise finally attained her long coveted position as CIA station chief. She had refused cushy assignments to lead quiet stations like Bermuda, knowing they weren’t a good use of her skills. After the station chief in Greece was assassinated, however, Eloise stepped right in, ready to tackle one of the most active terrorist environments in the world. Some of her agents in Athens were not, however, on the same professional wavelength:

QUOTE
Eloise’s experience over the decades had taught her that manipulating human nature generated far more reliable intelligence than threats or physical violence. There were those who disagreed with her at the agency, men Eloise called “cowboys,” who were more interested in exerting power than in gathering information. Two of these men were working for her in Athens, and Eloise was harsh when dealing with them. One of the men was particularly aggravating because of his disdain for “women’s work.” He would not, under any circumstances, touch a typewriter, believing the task to be beneath him. He insisted that a secretary write up all his reports. It was evidence of what Eloise already knew to be true: Women were better at espionage. They did not let their ego get in the way of the work.
END QUOTE

The stories of these five women are stories of quiet heroism, of putting country before self, of getting the job done no matter the personal risk or cost. They all hid behind clerical covers, doggedly persisting in their real work in order to prevent war, preserve life and keep bloodshed to the absolute minimum they could, no matter what bluster or opposition they faced. Ms Holt brilliantly showcases their lives and heartaches, their tribulations and their triumphs, in a book that’s just as much a reflection on the CIA and American society as it is on these women. As deeply intelligent and empathetic as the group it’s named for, Wise Gals is required reading for anyone interested in either the history of espionage or of the United States in the 20th century.

From the ashes of World War II rose the Central Intelligence Agency, and at the forefront of this new agency were five women, Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, Elizabeth Sudmeier, and Jane Burrell. These women fought tooth and nail to rise within the agency and be taken seriously. They did their jobs without want of recognition, they just wanted to protect America from its enemies.

Wise Gals was extremely informative and well written. The book follows five women, often weaving their stories together over a number of years, but the story never becomes confusing or hard to follow. Sometimes it felt like the book was just skimming the surface of what these women were really doing, but maybe some of the details are still classified and that's why more information can be given, regardless I still found the book engaging and hard to put down.

Wise Gals tells the story of four women who worked for the OSS (later CIA) during WWII and in the post-war era. I'm always looking to read more about the WWII era, and this book did a great job telling the stories of what happened to these women after the war ended. A very engaging and enjoyable read.

Wise Gals is a valuable book, and one that should be in college level Women Studies courses as it gives us an intimate view of the founding of the CIA and the women who pioneered as agents. It focuses on their various contributions which paved the way for its structure and certainly for the future of women in the organization. The story evolves on how the women got their jobs, their slow progress within the organization and their missions and postings. These women sacrificed so much, and their dedication to the cause was rather unprecedented as there were no other women before them to help them navigate the male dominated world of espionage. At one point their treatment was so ridiculous that the four women formed a group called the Petticoat Panel to present a report on their pay grades and how they were unfairly treated.

What I disliked about the book was the structure. It was sometimes hard to follow the story lines and may have been better served with a chapter on each woman as their stories are distinct. It would have great to get some more personal stories from the ones that had children, even husbands and lovers.

We get to understand how male centric the CIA was and even how reluctant they were to pay women commiserate with their level of work as every win for women turned out to be a battle to get recognition. As the book states women have incredible skills in the spy game and bring tremendous value to the table that in some ways in innate to women.

Overall I did enjoy reading the book as I learned a lot, and that to me is important. I would like to read more on the subject. Thank you to NetGalley.

Wise Gals blew me away. It was exciting and educational to read about the pioneering women in the CIA.
I had no inkling about the women who worked for the spy agency or any idea about what they did. The women showcased in the book were dedicated and deserving. They fought the times that limited their careers and pay while also fighting the enemies of the country they all,loved.
Each one of the women highlighted are heroes. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was almost like historical fiction since the writing was so smooth.
I appreciated all the pictures too, as it helped me relate to Addy, Jane, Mary, Liz and all the women who made this country safe.

I love learning about daring and gutsy women and this book features 4 amazing American women who deserve to be recognized for the courage, intelligence and resilience in serving our country.

Wise Gals focuses on Adelaide Hawkins (Addy), Mary Hutchison, Elizabeth Sudmeier (Liz) and Eloise Page. Beginning their careers doing clerical work, these women proved their worth time and again as the US officially formed an intelligence agency for the post WWII era and through the beginnings of the Cold War. These women were known as the Wise Gals and even created the Petticoat Panel to bring attention to the fact that they were not initially paid nor promoted as their male colleagues. Their contributions to our country are priceless.

I absolutely loved this inside look into the CIA and learned so much history along the way. It’s a dense non-fiction read so it took me some time to get through it but it was a fascinating read!

Thank you to Netgalley and GP Putnam Books for this advance readers copy in exchange for this honest review. This review can also be found on Goodreads and on IG @maria.needs.to.read

Wise Gals is the riveting story of the women who worked tirelessly and sacrificed heavily to make the CIA what it is today and pave the way for women working as spies, operatives, informants, and other essential roles within the government. It's utterly amazing to me what these women were able to accomplish and the things that they did in utter secrecy, knowing that they would get little or no recognition for their efforts. I imagine that having a job that you felt so committed to and felt such gratification performing would be wonderful. I wonder how many people today can say that about their jobs. Nathalia Holt did an amazing job researching this book and went through an extraordinary amount of effort to obtain the information she did to be able to tell the stories of these women. Kudos to her, as I feel this is a story that needed telling. Even people who don't normally read nonfiction will enjoy this book. It's so engrossing - from beginning to end. I just wish this is a story that could be told while these women were still alive to see the impact they've had. Unfortunately, this is a story that could only be told upon the deaths of these remarkable women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher.

History I didn’t learn in school is a favorite nonfiction reading topic of mine. In “Wise Gals,” Nathalia Holt tells a fascinating story of extraordinary women who were instrumental in the development of what is now the CIA and the crucial intelligence work they did all over the world. Ms. Holt is also the author of “Rise of the Rocket Girls” and “The Queens of Animation.”

In 1953 agents Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudemeier were members of a committee working to improve retention rates for female agents: male co-workers derisively called it the Petticoat Panel. The four women were instrumental in developing intelligence systems during World War II and wanted to continue to serve and encourage female agents to stay with the agency. What they found was that female agents left the service not for marriage and motherhood (which was the conventional wisdom) but because they were doing the same work as male agents, but were making less money and were not receiving promotions at the same rate as the men. This serves to introduce readers to what jobs these women and others did for the CIA.

This book relates the extraordinary work of women in service of their country from Cold War locations, to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and anti-terrorism efforts all over the world. Hawkins, Hutchison, Page, and Sudemeier did hard, secretive jobs in communications, science and technological operations, and with human assets all over a dangerous world.

A great read. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy for review.