"Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs is a superbly told story of the men and women of the OSS. They helped write the book on special operations. I was struck by the similarity of the context of their stories to ones I've experienced in different combat situations. This book is a must-read for those in the special operations business today and anyone else who wants to learn about the exploits of the real warriors of the OSS during WW II. Only by understanding the deeds of those who have gone before us can we appreciate the sacrifices made that paved the way for the outstanding records established by present-day special warriors."—Captain Robert A. Gormly, USN (Ret.), author of Combat Swimmer and former SEAL team commander.
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"The people who went behind enemy lines were very brave, and maybe a little insane. The Nazis were brutal. Would have liked more details, which just may not be possible without some embellishment. I respect the author's efforts to stay with the facts."
— Michael (4 out of 5 stars)
“A revealing look into the intrigue and extraordinary courage of our intelligence gatherers of World War II. A rare combination of suspense thriller and true heroism by a great American writer.”
— Clive Cussler, New York Times bestselling author“Deftly using oral history and recently declassified documents, Patrick O’Donnell gives us a fascinating look at the shaken-not-stirred life of these intrepid soldiers, who were into intrigue long before intrigue was cool.”
— Hampton Sides, bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers“Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs is as gripping as a techno-thriller, with the bonus that its stories are true.”
— Dennis Showalter, author of Tannenberg“A unique and uniquely valuable contribution…O'Donnell breaks new ground with these first-hand accounts by people who never expected to tell their story.”
— Geoffrey Perrret, author of Eisenhower“This book is far more than a simple historical survey and reads like a satisfying cloak and dagger yarn, making it a good choice both history and mystery buffs.”
— Publishers Weekly“Christopher Lane’s reading gives proper due to these agents, who did everything from acts of sabotage to seducing military leaders in order to learn secret codes. He clearly relishes these tales, and his interest and enthusiasm for [this] superb book shine through at every turn.”
— AudioFile" Interesting anecdotal stories about the US OSS, even for a person with a 20th century History focus there are surprises in here. Overall cohesion is kinda meh though. "
— Albert, 7/6/2012" If you love reading and learning about the behind the scenes of WWII this is a great book. "
— Leslie, 2/18/2012" The title says it all. If you are interested in the history of operatives, spies, and saboteurs, this is a great book. The OSS is center stage in this book. "
— TK, 12/12/2011" I've read more compelling accounts of wartime OSS missions. "
— Michelle, 10/16/2011" Fascinating book that explains the importance of Irregular Warfare (IW) and COIN. The book is a series of stories told in the first person from OSS personnel during WWII. OSS gave birth to today's Special Operations forces. "
— Mark, 7/14/2010" Fascinating book that explains the importance of Irregular Warfare (IW) and COIN. The book is a series of stories told in the first person from OSS personnel during WWII. OSS gave birth to today's Special Operations forces. "
— Mark, 3/17/2010" This book was a brilliant history of the CIA! It was incredibly fascinating and gave me a new respect for those who risked so much in WW2. "
— Kate, 3/23/2008" The title says it all. If you are interested in the history of operatives, spies, and saboteurs, this is a great book. The OSS is center stage in this book. "
— TK, 4/12/2007Patrick K. O’Donnell is a bestselling military historian and the critically acclaimed author of numerous books, including Beyond Valor, Dog Company, and First SEALs. He has provided historical consulting for DreamWorks’ award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers and for documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Fox News. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Christopher Lane is an award-winning actor, director, and narrator. He has been awarded the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration several times and has won numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards.