The Irregulars

Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington

By: Jennet Conant

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Prior to the U.S. entering WWII, a small coterie of British spies in Washington, D.C., was formed. They called themselves the Baker Street Irregulars after the band of street urchins who were the eyes and ears of Sherlock Holmes in some Arthur Conan Doyle stories. This group constituted the very beginning of what would become M16, the British version of the CIA, and they helped support the fledgling American intelligence service, known at the time as the OSS.

Among them were writers Roald Dahl, Ian Fleming, and the flamboyant Canadian industrialist turned professional saboteur William Stephenson, known by the code name "Intrepid", upon whom Fleming would later base his fictional M16 agent James Bond. Richly detailed and carefully researched, Conant's narrative uses never-before-seen wartime letters, diaries and interviews to create a fascinating, lively account of deceit, double dealing and moral ambiguity - all in the name of victory.

©2008 Jennet Conant (P)2008 HighBridge Company.

Critic reviews

"A thoroughly engrossing story, one Conant tells exceptionally well." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Reads like a classic spy novel....With this excellent history of personalities and politics during World War II, Conant adds successfully to her previous books that have made vivid the war's background players. Highly recommended." ( Library Journal)
"Simon Prebble, fastidiously pukka in his accent, has a fine 'top-secret' voice, shaded with condescension and understatedly urgent. Coming from him, the expression 'rumor mill' sounds especially insidious, and the deeds he describes - 'eavesdropping and peering over people's shoulders,' forgery, political subversion and general backstabbing - seem wonderfully dastardly." ( Washington Post Book World)

Fascinating stuff

This is a remarkable book. The reading is "transparent", I didn't notice anything wrong at all. The book is fascinating, If you know WWII era history fairly well, you'll find all sort of people you perhaps didn't expect, for example Lyndon Johnson and Ian Flemming. I didn't even know how well I knew the works of Roald Dahl, in particular. I've listened to it a couple of times, and enjoyed it on the second listening.

My main complaint is that not enough of the darker "undercover" aspect of the history is revealed. Perhaps later more information will be revealed.

Slow down Simon

--it's not so bad a book that Prebble had to rush through it - but my download (Enhanced format) was read at too brisk a pace. Since this is easy listening history, that pace detracted from the enjoyment of the listen.

I suspect those who know much about the period will quibble over details, but for me this was an entertaining look at propagnada making and the types who find themselves spinning it - more relevant an industry today than ever. This was better listening than most spy stories and the only violence is verbal, committed against oponnents' spin.

Witty,entertaining, real spies

This piece definitely gave me the most intimate and realistic feel for WWII espionage. Far from the Hollywood version, but a believable and honest vision of Britain's desparate efforts for American support in their fight against Hitler.

The narration is superb. One of the best I have heard since listening to "Portrait of a Lady". Simon Pebble is brilliant in conveying that wonderful caustic but satirical sense of humour that so British. A great listen.

Fascinating, complicated

As the child of a former OSS officer and CIA officer, I found this glimpse into British covert operations in the war-time US fascinating. There are so many threads to this story that it can be easy to lose track of who's who, however. I really enjoyed the portrait of Texas newspaper magnate, Charles Marsh, an intensely interesting character who should have his own biography. He plays a larger role in Dahl's life than many of the other names you will see in reviews (ex: Ian Fleming,Claire Booth Luce, etc.). The "what happened next" section is somewhat truncated, as it should be. I suspect that for Dahl and the others involved in the BSC, it was difficult to create a second act for their lives.

Thoroughly Enjoyable!

This book was engrossing, educational and entertaining. I learned so much about the relations between Britain and the US during WWII, the inner workings of the White House, and the fascinating persona of Roald Dahl. He was an intriguing, mulit-dimensional person who lived a storybook life as he was writing his own fiction. The references to Ian Flemming and LBJ were interesting as well.

A Brit in Washington

What did you love best about The Irregulars?

I loved the insight into Washington during the War. My parents having grown up in the city, I am constantly fascinated by the stories they tell about all the goings on and how Washington transformed from a sleepy Southern town to the city it is today.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Irregulars?

The discussions about the Wallace Vice Presidency was absolutely fascinating. I had not realized what a concern that he caused to the British government.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was moved most by the post war period. It seems that the people in the book were constantly chasing the life they had during the war.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this. I found it very interesting and entertaining to hear about Dahl's life. The literary figure seems so divorced from real man.

A bit gossipy

Any additional comments?

The book is a good view of life in Washington before the U.S. entered the war and what gadabouts, like Roald Dahl were up to on behalf of the British government, trying to gather info and influence the U.S. to enter the war. It is centered around Dahl, is almost his biography and the 'gossip' includes people such as FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, Tyrone Power and Patricia Neal. I found it sometimes boring, but at other times engaging. Roald Dahl comes across as a very brave, charming, talented and perhaps not totally likable fellow.

Dull

This book is in a genre that I love, yet I quit listening before finishing.

Interesting anecdotes, not enough story

There's very little narrative about the British spy ring and their actual spying activities and lots of gossipy anecdotes about wartime Washington. It doesn't really deliver on the premise.

history with information you won't find elsewhere

A house guest of a Texas Publisher/ power broker named Marsh, a direct line to FDR and Elanor through a house guest named Princes Sophie and courting a congress woman by the name of Claire B Luce. A conduit to Churchill and insider on the delicate balance of post war aviation. You would think the character is fictional. Instead he is a writer of great children's fictional literature who is 6'6", educated in England with a Norwegian mother and four older sisters. This is a great read the first time and even better the second time with Simon Prebble as narrator. Prebble does many of the Dick Frances Mysteries and is well suited to this complex mystery of a man.