Book Review / Revue de livres
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Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation.
Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com |
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| Betty MacDonald (OSS) w/ colleagues in the doorway of the flooded MO print shop during the 1945 flood in Kumming. The fortified walls around the outpost made the OSS compound a lagoon. |
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Book Review:
Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS
by Lisa Rogak
March 4, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
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Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS by Lisa Rogak
The incredible untold story of four women who spun the web of deception that helped win World War II.
Betty MacDonald was a 28-year-old reporter from Hawaii. Zuzka Lauwers grew up in a tiny Czechoslovakian village and knew five languages by the time she was 21. Jane Smith-Hutton was the wife of a naval attaché living in Tokyo. Marlene Dietrich, the German-American actress and singer, was of course one of the biggest stars of the 20th century. These four women, each fascinating in her own right, together contributed to one of the most covert and successful military campaigns in WWII.
As members of the OSS, their task was to create a secret brand of propaganda produced with the sole aim to break the morale of Axis soldiers. Working in the European theater, across enemy lines in occupied China, and in Washington, D.C., Betty, Zuzka, Jane, and Marlene forged letters and “official” military orders, wrote and produced entire newspapers, scripted radio broadcasts and songs, and even developed rumors for undercover spies and double agents to spread to the enemy. And outside of a small group of spies, no one knew they existed. Until now.
In Propaganda Girls, bestselling author Lisa Rogak brings to vivid life the incredible true story of four unsung heroes, whose spellbinding achievements would change the course of history.
Indigo / Amazon |
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Reviews:
“Journalist [Lisa] Rogak offers a riveting portrait of four women who worked as Allied propagandists during WWII. ... WWII buffs will be hooked.” ―Publishers Weekly
“An astonishing slice of untold WWII history, Propaganda Girls is a stunning feat of storytelling. Rogak’s riveting narrative grants the often unknown but courageous women behind the OSS their much-deserved moment in the spotlight.” Ric Prado, bestselling author of Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior
"Gripping." ―Wall Street Journal
"An enjoyable and briskly told group biography." ―Kirkus Reviews
“A well-researched, approachable, and captivating account … Lisa Rogak shines a light on the efforts of four long-overlooked women who were instrumental to the work of the OSS during World War II.” ―Shelf Awareness
"A well-researched and meaty story, but written in such a way that feels accessible.... There is much to be learned from the Propaganda Girls." ―The Irish Independent
"A page-turning account of the courageous women who manufactured the fog of war and armed the OSS with an arsenal of lies. Rogak writes a story to rival those of her protagonists―except this time it’s true." ―John Lisle, author of The Dirty Tricks Department
"A riveting journey into the covert world of female OSS agents who played a pivotal role in securing victory during WWII through strategic cunning, masterful deception, and razor-sharp wit. Readers will be pulled into this gripping account of four women whose unwavering determination and willingness to risk everything helped triumph over the forces of fascism." ―Lorissa Rinehart, author of First to the Front
"Lisa Rogak’s extraordinary book centers around a select group of women during World War II who worked for the American Office of Strategic Services... Through the eyes of Marlene, Betty, Zuzka, and Jane, the reader is transported across enemy lines into the thick of clandestine war operations. Rogak’s vivid and engaging narrative launches the reader on a captivating journey. Five star entertainment that both educates and enthralls." ―Heath Hardage Lee, author of The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon |
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See also:
Propaganda Girls as reviewed by Melanie Kirkpatrick for The Wall Street Journal - March 2, 2025
Propaganda Girls - as reviewed by Kirkus Review - January 15, 2025
Propaganda Girls as reviewed by Tammy Kupperman Thorp for The Cipher Brief - June 17, 2025 |
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About the book:
Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS
by Lisa Rogak
Mariner Books - 225 pages 21.99 (Kindle)
Publication Date: March 4, 2025
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About the Author: Lisa Rogak
Lisa Rogak, the New York Times bestselling author of more than 40 books, which have been published in more than two dozen languages. Her books Barack Obama: In His Own Words, and Angry Optimist: The Life & Times of Jon Stewart, hit the New York Times bestseller lists. Haunted Heart: The Life & Times of Stephen King was nominated for both the Edgar and Anthony Awards.
Her books have been reviewed and otherwise mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, and hundreds of other publications. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show as the featured guest in a show about small towns to promote her book, Moving to the Country Once and For All.
She served as co-author with famed YouTube star Rich Benoit on his memoir Going Fast and Fixing Things: True Stories from the World’s Most Popular DIY Repair Expert and Car Aficionado, and helped the late librarian Jan Louch tell the story of the world’s most famous library cats in The True Tails of Baker and Taylor: The Library Cats Who Left Their Pawprints on a Small Town . . . and the World
The Man Behind the DaVinci Code, her biography of famed author Dan Brown, was published in two dozen languages. In 2020, she published Rachel Maddow, the first biography of the acclaimed MSNBC anchor followed by Alex Trebek: A Biography.
Her biography of famed cartoonist, A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein, is currently in development for release as a major motion picture.
She lives in New Hampshire and is currently at work on a memoir.
Biography Credit: lisarogak.com
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| Lisa Rogak reads / speaks of Propaganda Girls with Amanda Ohlke, International Spy Museum, Washington, D.C., on June 17, 2025 |
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À propos du livre :
Filles de la propagande : La guerre secrète des femmes de l'OSS
par Lisa Rogak
Mariner Books - 225 pages 21,99 $ (Kindle)
Date de publication : 4 mars 2025 |
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