Daughter of Spies

Daughter of Spies is a beautifully-written book about one of the most prominent WASP families in post-WWII America. But more than just a peek inside the old guard of movers and shakers, it is a poignant story of the women who lived with and around the power-broking men: the author’s mother, Tish, a......more

This heartfelt memoir is an exploration of the author's relationship with her mother and the events in her mother’s life that shaped the woman she became. It takes courage to delve into the past when it's uncertain what may be lurking there, but this book is a tribute to finding understanding and pe......more

A remarkable book - I felt totally drawn in to the mysteries of this memoir. The author's search to understand her parents' world felt instantly alive. The spare style of writing is a perfect match to their aristocratic trappings, & it lets the author's viewpoint emerge like a hidden source of light......more

An excellent memoir—much of it set just three blocks from my own childhood home. Elizabeth Winthrop Alsop's parents met during World War II. Her father was twelve years older than her mother who married him at age 18. Alcohol was the social lubricant of their era and tight circle. No one seems to ha......more

A girl’s sensitive, aching and difficult search to understand her mother’s secrets is the beating heart of this fascinating memoir. Set in the complex political world of Washington in the decades following WWII where political luminaries surrounded the household, much is done by the young Elizabeth......more