Washington's Spies

The Story of America's First Spy Ring

De: Alexander Rose

Narrado por: Kevin Pariseau

Based on remarkable new research, acclaimed historian Alexander Rose brings to life the true story of the spy ring that helped America win the Revolutionary War. For the first time, Rose takes us beyond the battlefront and deep into the shadowy underworld of double agents and triple crosses, covert operations and code breaking, and unmasks the courageous, flawed men who inhabited this wilderness of mirrors—including the spymaster at the heart of it all.

In the summer of 1778, with the war poised to turn in his favor, General George Washington desperately needed to know where the British would strike next. To that end, he unleashed his secret weapon: an unlikely ring of spies in New York charged with discovering the enemy’s battle plans and military strategy. Washington’s small band included a young Quaker torn between political principle and family loyalty, a swashbuckling sailor addicted to the perils of espionage, a hard-drinking barkeep, a Yale-educated cavalryman and friend of the doomed Nathan Hale, and a peaceful, sickly farmer who begged Washington to let him retire but who always came through in the end. Personally guiding these imperfect everyday heroes was Washington himself. In an era when officers were gentlemen, and gentlemen didn’t spy, he possessed an extraordinary talent for deception—and proved an adept spymaster.

The men he mentored were dubbed the Culper Ring. The British secret service tried to hunt them down, but they escaped by the closest of shaves thanks to their ciphers, dead drops, and invisible ink. Rose’s thrilling narrative tells the unknown story of the Revolution–the murderous intelligence war, gunrunning and kidnapping, defectors and executioners—that has never appeared in the history books. But Washington's Spies is also a spirited, touching account of friendship and trust, fear and betrayal, amid the dark and silent world of the spy.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2006 Alexander Rose (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

PUNCTUATION: It's there for a reason

Later the author & book. First, the reader. Who taught this reader to read and why was he hired??? He has absolutely no idea how to use punctuation. Maybe he thinks it's optional. It is so difficult listening to this book because the reader seems to end a sentence, but then continues on to the actual end. This disrupts comprehension and is so irritating. Add to that, he completely lacks voice inflection (hello, Ben Stein). If I weren't so interested in the subject I would have quit in the first 10 minutes.
Now, the author, who is thoroughly researched to a fault. I listened for nearly an hour to the history of code writing. That could have been a footnote or end note. Yet, the story is so compelling that I keep listening.
Final note: If you're hoping to get the low down on the love affairs we watched in TURN, you may be disappointed. This is history....but still more interesting than high school.

So... Not at all like the show, but a different, good story!

Was driven to this book by the recent television adaptation. Not that I ought to be surprised to learn that a television program did not follow the historically accurate train of events, but— wow! A finely far-pushed use of the words "inspired by".
This book tells the true story as we know it to have been. An excellent telling of an otherwise overlooked part of the American Rebellion.

Fantastic Backstory of the Revolution

Washington’s Spies is a really great look into 18th century espionage. Focusing on the Culper Ring, it amazes me how difficult it was to get information from point A to point B. The story was easy to follow, developed in a logical manner, and was entertaining. The narrator had a good voice and pace. Highly recommend!

True American Heroes!

Awesome story of the first American spy ring that help General George Washington win the American Revolution. This is the book that the AMC tv series "TURN Washington's Spies" is based upon. I absolutely loved this book. These people are not just some characters in a story. These are real people that worked everyday jobs and volunteered to engage in espionage for the revolutionaries, knowing full well if they were caught they would hang from the gallows! True grit and bravery you seldom see in our modern era!

Tough Listen

Not a very enjoyable listen. I ended up going to 1.5 speed to just try to get through this one. Felt like I was listening to someone reading a timeline of events.