The Secret Life of Spies

As a huge fan of Le Carré, Rimington, Deaver and all really good novels about espionage, I was keen to read this book aimed at a younger audience to see what it would be like. I absolutely loved it.
This is written in the first-person, which gives it a sense that it's happening in the immediate present and that makes it really exciting. The book goes through several periods of history and spans many countries (albeit typically from the US/UK allied perspective).
As soon as I finished reading this, I looked at how I could purchase a copy for a friend's son who is currently really into U-boat history - it will be great when it's released for publication in May!
One small note: it would be great if the glossary had not only the CIA but also the abbreviations for MI5 and MI6 - those agencies are referenced throughout the text too so I felt it was only fair to also list them in the Glossary too.
Really great, enjoyable read and I loved learning new facts!
Many thanks for a copy of this ARC.

The Secret Life Of Spies is a fascinating Non-Fiction book for older children. I had heard of several of the spies in this book from other books and movies, but there were many I knew nothing about. I especially enjoyed learning about Mary Bower/Mary Jane Richards of the Richmond Underground Network and the short life of Mata Hari, Spy and Exotic Dancer. I have always had an interest in MI5 and MI6 so really enjoyed the references to The British Intelligence Agencies. This is a great book for both children and adults. With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy.

This book is great for children to learn about real-life spies and what they did. I think it is presented in an interesting way and illustrated wonderfully. Each spy has a lot of good information with dates and countries. There is a glossary to help with some of the harder words. I think it is a great way to expose children to a different type of history that might be more appealing than average content.

A look at spy craft, common terms and tactics used in spying, told through short bios of 20 real spies from all over the world and all throughout history.

This is a nice, quick intro to real spies, what real spy craft is like, and what the goals of spies are. It does a good job of presenting the facts versus the Hollywood version of spies, while doing so in a style that is engaging and very interesting. The book is fully illustrated and most of the text appears as little text boxes scattered across the page written as if the spy is telling their own story. While most of the book does focus on spies from the World Wars and the Cold War, there are spies from several centuries ago sprinkled in and from every continent except Antarctica. It also does a good job of presenting a pretty equal amount of male and female spies, and spies who break codes, to fly planes, to just work a seemingly boring job and pass on information. Recommended for kids who are reluctant to read nonfiction and spy enthusiasts.

Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues. No sexual content (The bios are very cut and dry, basics, and kid friendly. Even Mata Hari’s bio is completely G rated with no hint of anything scandalous included.) Deaths of some spies are mentioned and the fact that they could be tortured for information is mentioned but again, it is very cut and dry factually stated with no details at all.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a collection of short bios about different spies throughout history. I enjoyed the brief glimpses into different operations and loyalties, and learned a lot more than I expected. Even though I was familiar with several of these spies, there were many others that I had never heard of, and this book has a far more global focus than many other books about espionage. There is a good mix of male and female spies, which most collections would aspire to, but this also features a range of different races, ethnic backgrounds, and national interests.

The writing was somewhat dry, but I liked the method having the spies tell their stories in their own words. It made it more suspenseful, and made the endings more dramatic, when it was told in the style of a spy awaiting execution. In this sense, the dry writing made the frequent first-person, present-tense narrations more believable, because they weren't sensationalist, written in a quirky style, or in a voice that didn't fit with another country or culture. Also, in addition to the main text, there are informational sidebars that explain espionage-related concepts, and there is a glossary in the back.

Children who are interested in spies will enjoy this book, and teenagers and adults who find the topic appealing can enjoy this as well, because there is nothing childish about it. Some spy collections I have read talk down to children or soften the harsh realities of spying, but this book is direct, honest, and clear, providing an interesting glimpse into a variety of lives and operations, many of which are quite obscure. This is a really good book, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to read this.

This book was so interesting and will definitely appeal to children keen to learn all about spies.

I learned more than I anticipated I would before picking up this book. There were so many spies that I had never heard of and I really enjoyed learning about them. I would recommend this book to children who enjoy reading non-fiction and learning about the past.

The Secret Life of Spies - Michael Noble
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Pub date: August 2020
ARC made available by @netgalley

Usually I skim through non-fiction books picking out the parts that are relevant to my research/teaching or the parts that really stand out. But I found myself reading this one from cover to cover. Most children now days would think of James Bond when they hear the word ‘spy’. This book is clever because it shows us that espionage work dates back right to the BC era. It charts all types of genders, ethnicities and groups who worked as spies and the sometimes dreadful consequences of being caught. This is a great book, which kids of all ages would enjoy ! 🌟 🌟🌟🌟