Secrets and Spies: The Underground World of Espionage; Anita Ganeri, illustrated by Luke Brookes1/5/2023 Calling all double agents, triple agents, masters of disguise, code breakers and wannabe secret operatives. Espionage in one form or another is one of the oldest human activities to have ever existed. The actions of spies from across the globe have changed and shaped the world with their activities scattered throughout history. Now it’s your turn to go undercover and enter the world of secret missions, covert ops and classified information. Discover the history, meet infamous spies, decipher the codes and embark on daring missions. Do you have what it takes to join the ranks… Spies of the world assemble in this captivating, engaging and thrilling look at all things espionage. Through the stories of real life spies we meet those that have gathered, diverted and concealed information and stolen closely guarded secrets, always trying to stay one step ahead of the enemy. We discover the important impact that espionage has played in shaping global history and the tools, techniques and tricks needed to successfully deceive and carry out a dangerous and thrilling role. We learn what it takes to go unnoticed and the deadly consequences of being caught and identified as a traitor if it all goes terribly wrong. The journey into spies and secrets starts way back in the ancient kingdoms of China, Egypt and India where some of the earliest evidence of spying has been discovered in books and artefacts. Next comes acts of espionage in Medieval and Tudor times. This is followed by significant historical events - specifically global conflicts - and the roles that spies played in the accumulation of political and military information. It is fascinating reading and it is hard to imagine the experiences of those that led double lives, or in some remarkable instances, triple lives, and carried out many acts of bravery. Plenty of spies and their actions are name-checked and the mini fact-files and bios are a great starting point for further research. Other areas of interest include; what exactly spying involves, disguises, spy skills, gadgets, tricks and tools of the trade, the evolution of spy craft, codes and ciphers and some rather unusual ways that animals have been involved in spying. And of course, no book on spies would be complete without a nod to the ultimate movie spy…’The name’s Bond, James Bond.’ I particularly enjoyed the spread on Bletchley Park (a place that I definitely need to visit and have a look around) and the comic strip story of Alan Turing and his work in creating the revolutionary Enigma codebreaking machine that would be influential in helping the Allied forces to victory in World War II. The exploration of the art of modern spying and the influences of technology in the world of espionage - cybercrime, hackers, the electronic sharing of information and the eyes in that sky that are spying on us 24/7 - ensure that content is bang-up-to-date. Packed with visual and textual detail, dramatic comic-book style illustrations pop off of every page and are supported by a plethora of information presented in a variety of engaging ways; snappy bite-size chunks, comic strips, fact-files and news reports will keep the attention of readers. A glossary of espionage terms and definitions can be found at the end that will have young spy-enthusiasts talking the talk in no time.
Like a good spy, I am doing my best to not give too much away. There are plenty of secrets waiting to be discovered within these pages but you’re going to have to read for yourself to discover them. A terrific read! Recommended for 8+.
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