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| Harry N. Abrams, Inc. March 2, 2021 |
It was a joy to read this recent addition to Laurie Wallmark's series of picture book biographies about WOMEN IN STEM. I read a pdf file and was ready to rave about it. As a picture book fanatic, I found that holding the physical book in my hands impressed me even further. The illustrations and art design are perfectly arranged to enhance the author's complex text. Pages include embedded quotations to reveal Friedman's thoughts, reactions, and insights. We learn that it was her early love of English literature, particularly the works of Shakespeare, that fostered Friedman's appreciation of structures, patterns, and internal relationships, skills that later served her well as a code-breaker. Puzzles and mysteries engaged her attention, while creating and deciphering codes provided theist possible entertainment.
She and her like-minded husband were soon recognized as master cryptographers (code-breakers) when such skills were needed most- during the First World War. Each page turn reveals further steps in Friedman's lifelong journey through the secret mazes of spies, codes, and secret efforts for enemies to overthrow the United states. |
| Interior image: CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER Wallmark/Baker Harry N. Abrams, inc. March 2, 2021 |
Once again, Wallmark manages to devote most of this biography to her subject's adult life, but incorporates enough childhood spotlights to establish Friedman's character, intelligence, and risk-taking nature. She describes the exuberance she felt when taking risks, which explains a great deal about how she could move so effortlessly and successfully between her pastoral family life and her rapid responses to calls from criminal prosecutors, Coastguard officers, and government officials plain need of her help to establish the OSS (later, the CIA) as the Second World War presented massive threats to her/our country. And yet she relished her time at home to garden, host "coded" dinner parties, read, write, and teach.
Back matter expanded my appreciation of Friedman with an accessible timeline of her life, a code-breaking challenge page, sources and bibliogaphy, and a fast-forward description of digital cryptography.
Elizebeth Friedman is a standout in the world of cryptanalysis and spy hunting. You didn't know her name? Neither did I. It astonishes me that no one has made a movie of her life-- yet-- and I am crossing my fingers that this book could lead someone with the necessary skills and connections to pursue that project. It would be an edge of the chair, breath-holding video success.
I just borrowed this from the library and can't wait to read it. I loved code breaker stories and this one sounds so interesting,and perfect for March.
ReplyDeleteHope you'll enjoy it as much as I did! Now that Elizabeth Friedman's life story is available to the public (following many years of sealed records for secrecy reasons) I believe we'll be seeing and sharing much more about her amazing accomplishments.
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