Council Literary Series with Liza Mundy
The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA
Acclaimed author Liza Mundy joins the December Council Literary Series with her new book The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA. Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as one of the most anticipated books of the fall and said to be “galvanizing” and “a rip roaring read about spycraft.”
“This masterful book cements Liza Mundy as one of our foremost historians.”—Kate Moore, bestselling author of The Radium Girls
Created in the aftermath of World War II, the Central Intelligence Agency relied on women even as it attempted to channel their talents and keep them down. Women sent cables, made dead drops, and maintained the agency’s secrets. Despite discrimination—even because of it—women who started as clerks, secretaries, or unpaid spouses rose to become some of the CIA’s shrewdest operatives.
Propelled by the same meticulous reporting and vivid storytelling that infused Code Girls, The Sisterhood offers a riveting new perspective on history, revealing how women at the CIA ushered in the modern intelligence age, and how their silencing made the world more dangerous.
Our Guest Writer:
Liza Mundy
Liza Mundy is an award-winning journalist and The New York Times-bestselling author of five books including her latest work, The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA (2023). Her narrative non-fiction aims to engage, delight, and inform readers by providing a compelling take on important parts of American history that have long been overlooked, expanding our collective understanding of our past by telling true stories of the people, often unsung, who shaped our world. Her previous New York Times-bestselling book, Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II (2017), tells another true story of women’s contributions to American intelligence, recounting the lives and legacy of more than 10,000 women recruited to break Axis codes during World War II. Mundy is also The New York Times-bestselling author of Michelle: A Biography, a 2008 biography of former First Lady Michelle Obama, and The Richer Sex, which explored the forces behind women’s rising economic power. A former staff writer for The Washington Post, Mundy writes for The Atlantic, Politico, and Smithsonian, among other publications. She lives in Washington, DC—not far from the sites of both the Army and Navy WW II codebreaking operations—and in Los Angeles, CA. At various points in her life as a working parent she has worked full-time, part-time, all-night, at home, in the office, remotely, in person, on trains, in the car, alone, in crowds, under duress, and while simultaneously making dinner.
EVENT FAQ
Complimentary valet parking is provided.
The reception will begin at 11:00 a.m. and the author program will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m.
Yes, copies of The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA will be available for purchase.
Yes, the author will be available to personalize your book.