An amazing book on the lives of the women who started the CIA and fought for equality with the men who served with them. In these most hidden of Hidden Figures is the world of James Bond for America.

I really enjoyed reading about these amazing women: Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier. These women were true pioneers of their time. I learned so much about these incredible women and the role they played in the early years of the CIA.

Would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and badass women.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was really excited about this book because it tells the stories of the women that had integral parts in forming intelligence and how they led non traditional lives and hid their actual roles from their families.

I liked how the women were detailed out in their lives before joining the ops and their stories of the missions they were a part of. I found it fascinating that such amazing women were only thought by their families to be clerks when they were so much bigger.

I wish the book had focused on a few of the women at a time or for one book rather than jumping around because the transitions were too clunky for my liking and by the time we came back I'd almost forgotten what had happened before. I know this was done to show how they were all connected, but it was a style I didn't really care for.

Overall the stories were fascinating and important to see how things couldn't have been accomplished without these strong women.

Wise Gals by Nathalia Holt is a fascinating account of the women integral to the founding & development of the CIA. These women were true pioneers and I'm so grateful the author brought their stories to light. Much of it reads life fiction—Highly recommend!

I was really excited for this book based on the description. Unfortunately, I ended up finding it difficult to get into. For the most part, the book seemed to focus on operatives used by the Allies/the US and with whom the “wise gals” worked rather than on the wise gals themselves. DNF

I loved this book.

Badass women? Check.
Highlighting women's role in history? Check.
Riveting non-fiction? Check.
Highlighting each woman's life AND her role? Check.

I had never heard about any of these women or how they influenced the development of the CIA and it was absolutely fascinating. It was a refreshing change from reading about the male, Bond-esque agents all the time. I learned so much and it was so easy to read. Not at all dense or dry.

I did have two notable complaints:
-Why are the women referred to by first name and the men by last name? I'd like to give Holt the benefit of the doubt and assume that this was to make the women's stories feel more personal or something but it was felt like a nod to the patriarchy.
- The writing felt a bit awkward and forced many times throughout the book. Transitions could use some work.

If you enjoy history, historical fiction, or learning about the role of women throughout history I highly recommend this one. Great choice for readers of Erik Larson and Walter Isaacson.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC.
Expected Publication: September 6, 2022

Wise Girls focuses on the careers of several women involved with the founding and early years of the CIA. It's probably gonna sella lot of copies, and there's no doubt that the women chronicled here deserve the attention. But the writing is clunky, full of awkward transitions and forced connections that make it a less-that-stellar read. I understand the author's desire to show the interconnectedness of the women she covers, but a more linear or other structure would have served their stories better. I also look askance at the author's decision to call the women by their first names while referring to men by their last names; this practice is sexist and most editors will call authors on it. Maybe Holt and her editor wanted the women to seem more familiar or human, but using an old-fashioned, male-centric practice undermines the feminist argument that the book offers.

Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt is a great nonfiction that gives a glimpse into the fascinating and complex lives of some of the first female CIA agents. Just wonderful!

I really enjoyed reading about these four pivotal women: Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier. Each had their own story, strengths, weaknesses, specialties, and additions to the network.

The author clearly has a passion for these women and to be able to tell their respective stories, as it clearly showed with the research that was done to produce such a wonderful biography. I learned so much about not only these brave, smart, and impressive women, but also about the history of the organization and obstacles placed upon women at this time. These women saw these barriers and chose to persevere (and sometimes with consequences) and I am all the more great full for their sacrifices and gumption.

I also just liked learning more about the early years of what would be the CIA and some of the foundational aspects that were created and developed. As I said, I truly learned a lot and the author was able to place it into an easy to read context so that it left me feeling engaged and interested.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/13/22.

Positively riveting. I had no idea how integral women were to the early evolution of American intelligence.

Fans of Erik Larson will appreciate the compelling combination of historical context and colorful personal detail. As readers we get an intimate look at the life of each exceptional woman as well as an understanding of how they fit into the greater narrative. The experiences of being often underestimated, pushed aside. and undervalued mimic the experience of many professional women in the current time. Yet, like their modern counterparts, these women persevered and were able to accomplish some truly incredible things against the odds.

Would highly recommend to anyone who appreciates reading within the genres of History, Historical Fiction, Spy Fiction, Women's Studies, or Biography.

Anything CIA related gets me excited, and when it's a women focused plot, I'm 100% in. I learned so much through this page-turning book.