During World War II and the tense postwar period of the ’50s and ’60s, five women employed by the US government moved around the globe like shadows. No one except their immediate superiors knew the exact nature of their work; even their families had no clue. But though they appeared to live ordinary lives as secretaries and clerks, their jobs were far more complex and exponentially more dangerous than anyone could imagine.
This small cadre of smart women would become founding members of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), where they developed new tools for cutting-edge espionage, played a crucial role in averting nuclear war, and blazed new paths for women’s equality in the field. The inherent secrecy of the CIA’s activity, however, buried evidence of their brilliance and bravery in classified documents for decades.
Bestselling author Nathalia Holt shines a spotlight on these women in her new book, "Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage," a stunning true account that honors their legacy, heroism, and perseverance in the face of institutional inequality.