Disciples

August 3, 2015
Journalist Waller follows his 2011 biography, Wild Bill Donovan, with an examination of the WWII exploits of the four men who would later be the CIA’s most influential leaders during the Cold War: Allen Dulles, William Colby, Richard Helms, and William Casey. All four men had entered the world of espionage as members of the CIA’s WWII predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), and Waller’s meticulously researched work details their time there under Donovan’s tutelage. Waller begins with short chapters on each man, tracing their lives and identifying their influences and personalities up to WWII. He then follows the four through the war into the occupation of Berlin, noting their disparate personalities and very different private lives along the way. Casey and Helms chiefly served as operational planners and administrators in England; Colby was an airborne commando; and Dulles was the head of American espionage operations in Switzerland. Waller makes a strong case that their experiences under Donovan strongly influenced them during their tenures as CIA director. Waller’s easygoing writing style and extensive use of primary sources make this work worthwhile for those interested in espionage history, but the lack of action will limit its appeal to general readers. Agent: Kristine Dahl, ICM.

September 1, 2015

Former Time correspondent Waller (Wild Bill Donovan) chronicles the activities and World War II missions of four Office of Strategic Services (OSS) operatives--Allen Dulles (1893-1969), William Casey (1913-87), Richard Helms (1913-2002), and William Colby (1920-96)--all of whom would later serve as director of Central Intelligence for the OSS's successor, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). After biographic chapters on each of the men, the narrative launches into their involvement, together and apart, throughout the war. Although competently researched, the narrative doesn't pick up until the latter part of the story, when "Team Bruce" begins a dangerous mission in support of the Invasion of Normandy. Using brief chapters, the author changes topics often, resulting in prose that occasionally feels disjointed. The final chapter, which describes the subjects' tenures at the CIA, perhaps should have been an epilog, as it quickly covers decades while the rest of the book moves deliberately through the war, year by year. However, Waller has packed his study with new, fascinating information about secret World War II operations throughout Europe. Particularly well treated is how OSS missions, in support of the French Resistance, allowed the United States to ramp up the famous eastward drive of George Patton's tank force. VERDICT Recommended for history fans interested in World War II, the CIA, the military, and historical spies. [See Prepub Alert, 4/20/15.]--Benjamin Brudner, Curry Coll. Lib., Milton, MA

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