Narrator Simon Prebble

Starred Review. What could be more intriguing than the young writer Roald
Dahl.destined to create such classics as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
assigned by His Majesty's Government to Washington, D.C., as a diplomat in
the spring of 1942, charged with a secret mission? Dahl's brief was to
gather intelligence about America's isolationist circles (indeed, he
infiltrated the infatuated Claire Boothe Luce in more ways than one) and
propagandize for prompt American entry into the European war. The United
States had technically been at war with Germany since December 1941.
However, the U.S.'s attention was focused mainly on the Pacific theater.and
such pro-German political figures as Luce and Charles Lindbergh meant to
keep it that way. Dahl's most important job was to influence public opinion
generally and the opinions of Washington's powerful specifically.
As bestselling author Conant (Tuxedo Park) shows in her eloquent narrative,
Dahl's intriguing coconspirators included future advertising legend David
Ogilvy and future spy novelist Ian Fleming. Most fascinating, though, is
Dahl's relationship with the great British spymaster William Stephenson,
otherwise known as Intrepid. This all boils down to a thoroughly engrossing
story, one Conant tells exceptionally well.

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