Book Review - Stealing Secrets

About the Book

Clandestine missions. Clever, devious, daring. Passionately committed to a cause. But these are not the Civil War personalities you are used to hearing about. These are the original femme fatales-the women who spied during America's most divisive war. The women who took enormous risks and achieved remarkable results-often in ways men could not.

Stealing Secrets: How a Few Daring Women Deceived Generals, Impacted Battles, and Altered the Course of the Civil War  by H. Donald Winkler, details how both the Union and the Confederacy took advantage of brave and courageous women willing to adventurously support their causes.

Stealing Secrets features tales of women spies that are filled with suspense and seduction, treachery and trickery, romance and bravery, including those of:

• Rose Greenhow, who operated one of the largest Confederate spy networks of the war, even while under constant supervision by the Union Army.
• Loreta Velazquez, who disguised herself as a man, infiltrated the Union Army, and was then hired to track down a female Confederate spy on the loose-herself!

• Harriet Tubman, who worked as a spy for the Union and led a regiment of black soldiers on a successful river raid.

Author H. Donald Winkler uses primary Civil War sources, such as memoirs, journals, letters, and newspaper articles, and the latest scholarly research to make Stealing Secrets come alive.

H. Donald Winkler is a professional journalist, historian, and retired university public-affairs executive. The recipient of 84 national awards, Winkler was cited in 1991 by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education for "professional endeavors that have strengthened the entire fabric of American education." Winkler is the author of Civil War Goats and Scapegoats, Lincoln and Booth: More Light on the Conspiracy, and Lincoln's Ladies.

My Take on the BookThis book focuses on women within the Civil War that acted as spies or covert agents. While I had heard of this occurring I was amazed at how complete this book was and the extent by which this book examined the lives and contributions of the sixteen women spies that he chose to examine. I was impressed with how courageous and creative these women were in evading capture. I also was impressed with the fact that these women were doing something that other women would not even dare, taking risks that were not even thinkable for women to take in those days.

The book was an easy and was one that made history come alive. You do not need to be a history buff or an expert in the Civil War expert to understand and appreciate the contributions that these women made. You too will be amazed at everything that they did to further their cause!

If you would like to have this book as a part of your own library you can find it on Amazon!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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