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Of Spies and Stratagems: Incredible Secrets of World War II Revealed By a Master Spy Hardcover – January 1, 1963

by Stanley Lovell (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars 17 ratings
Very good copy!
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  1. Print length
    191 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Prentice-Hall
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1963
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000LBAQYS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Prentice-Hall; First Edition (January 1, 1963)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 191 pages
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Michael Layne
    5.0 out of 5 stars "Now pay attention, 007..."
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Before there was Major Boothroyd, of "Q" Branch, there was Stanley "Professor Moriarty" Lovell, of the OSS, and his technical wizards. After decades of security, Lovell was finally able to write about some of the weird and wonderful devices he and his people came up with for the World War II Office of Strategic Services (OSS) -- the predecessor of the modern CIA. He sometimes even mentions examples of how these devices were used by brave OSS agents, behind enemy lines, to help win the covert war! His account of having to deal with conventionally minded regular officers, and with office politics, while keeping his department going, are quite illuminating and amusing. Some later books on the OSS have mentioned some of his gadgets and escapades, but this book, written back in the 60s, was the first. Find out about "Aunt Jemima" (the exploding flour that could be baked into biscuits and cookies), "Casey Jones" (the railroad sabotage device), "Firefly" (a mini-bomb which could be covertly dropped into a vehicle's gas tank while it is refueling), and many more items which could have featured in a Bond movie set in WWII. He even mentions some of the failures, such as "Beano" -- a contact-detonating grenade that killed its admittedly negligent user during a demonstration in front of top brass!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • William.Myers
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book
    Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    The book was in great condition for being printed in 1965. The book had some very interesting information about the OSS that I had not heard about before. It gave an insight into how the US would do almost anything to win the war. It is an easy and fast read and I recommend it for anyone with an interest ine WWII history.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed it!
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  • HMS Warspite
    4.0 out of 5 stars A peek behind the curtain...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2018
    Stanley Lovell served as Director of R&D for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during the Second World War. He released a memoir of that service in 1962. OSS activities were still largely a secret at that time; Lovell's book was a real peek behind the curtain.

    Lovell provides a series of brief but breathless accounts of intrigue, espionage, and James Bond-like devices and stratagems from the war. He alludes to OSS's status as a independent, buccaneering spy agency, operating outside the existing U.S. intelligence framework largely run by the military. There's a certain amount of bragging inherent in the narrative, with broad hints about additional information too secret to released.

    Seventy years on, historians are much more skeptical of various OSS claims of success, and of the "old boy network" method of vetting agents. The principal legacy of the OSS may have been laying the groundwork for a permanent civilian intelligence agency, the CIA. This book is recommended as an interesting read; its claims should be taken with a grain of salt.
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  • Stephen M. St Onge
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2014
    Stanley Lovell was the Director of Research for the OSS during WWII, responsible for the development of such things as silent and flashless guns, anti-tire spikes, and exploding "flour" that could be baked into something resembling bread, then blown up. In this book he tells his experiences in that job, and the many things he learned of second-hand. Highly recommended for WWII history buffs.
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  • T.A.L. Dozer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Inside the OSS
    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2012
    Inside the OSS

    This book is an account of the author's experience in special operations. This book has excellent detail covering details of his related to research and development in the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in World War II. Overall, I have found this book to be highly readable and although the material is dated it is still historically significant in the study of modern special warfare. I believe that this title will appeal to the professional and armchair military historian and serving military personnel.
    One person found this helpful
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  • steve
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2016
    Some great insights even after so many years.
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  • H Osborn
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, at least when I was in the 8th grade
    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2011
    All kinds of interesting stories about the O.S.S., the precursor to the CIA. I haven't read it for 40 years but just ordered it again because of the lackluster article about Wild Bill in the New Yorker this week (March 7th, 2011). I remember lots of really interesting stories that give insight into how the war was fought and won. I'll update this when I reread it. But you can't go wrong.
    2 people found this helpful
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