Register 7 Seats Remaining

Let's Get Real: Book and Dagger by Elyse Graham

How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of WW2

The untold story of the academics who became OSS spies, invented modern spycraft, and helped turn the tide of the war.

At the start of WWII, the U.S. found itself in desperate need of an intelligence agency. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to today’s CIA, was quickly formed—and, in an effort to fill its ranks with experts, the OSS turned to academia for recruits. Suddenly, literature professors, librarians, and historians were training to perform undercover operations and investigative work—and these surprising spies would go on to profoundly shape both the course of the war and our cultural institutions with their efforts. Thrillingly paced and rigorously researched, Book and Dagger is an inspiring and gripping true story about a group of academics who helped beat the Nazis—a tale that reveals the indelible power of the humanities to change the world.

Upcoming Events