The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life - Amy Bulter Greenfield

 

YALSA Nonfiction Award

Okay, so a little bit about my family. My aunt got her Masters degree in Medieval Literature, and while most people wouldn't know what to do with that degree, she is has worked at several major tech companies like Google and Microsoft. And because of that, she is actually one of my personal heroes. And this book reminded me so much of her. And, Elizebeth learning how to break codes due to her love of Shakespeare is such an unique, but also similar experience to my aunt, that is made me appreciate this book in a new way. On top of that, I've grown to love non-fiction narratives. Because it feels like real life can be just as crazy the stories we tell. I also like that it explains the significance of why Elizebeth being a renowned code breaker is important to the overall war efforts for both world wars.

This was honestly a book that I picked just because I thought the title and cover were really cool. This feels like a book that I would recommend to a student if they were doing a report on an important historical figure or another project related to World War I & II. I think that this book would be enjoyable for most students that would actually read it. This would be a great pick for any one that's into true crime. And while it's not exactly the same thing, it has similar style and often talks about this historical importance like a true crime podcast would.  

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