The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington - Jennet Conant
Jennet Conant writes a colorful chapter of Washington history in The Irregulars (Simon & Schuster, $27.95), her new biography of Roald Dahl. She focuses on Dahl’s wartime years here, spying for the British, who were anxious to draw America into their battle with Nazi Germany. As a spy, Dahl relayed to his home office gossip from the political and diplomatic scenes, as well as from the local cocktail circuit and even pillow talk with the prominent rich and beautiful ladies he bedded, including Clare Booth Luce. If he couldn’t collect enough rumors, he manufactured them. Despite Dahl’s sometimes shaky espionage operations, the intelligence network, officially known as British Security, succeeded in securing America’s support for the British war effort.
