A review by hoosgracie
The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies by Jason Fagone

4.0

This was an excellent biography/history of Elizabeth Friedman, "America's first female Cryptanalist." She was a fascinating woman who helped develop the field of cryptography. She started the Coast Guard Cryptology department and trained other cryptologists and worked on deciphering messages during World War I. Between the wars, she worked on smugglers messages and then during World War II, she was instrumental in deciphering the codes of South American Nazis. She did most of her code breaking by hand, including work on enigma machines. If you like books like Radium Girls or Hidden Figures, this is a book for you.