John Lisle is a historian from Azle, Texas. He earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Texas, where he is now a professor of the history of science. His first book, The Dirty Tricks Department, tells the story of the scientists who developed secret weapons, documents, and disguises for the OSS during World War II. He has received research and writing awards from the National Academy of Sciences, the American Institute of Physics, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. His work has appeared in Skeptic, Scientific American, Smithsonian Magazine, and elsewhere. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and son. Curriculum Vitae
Praise for The Dirty Tricks Department
“The Dirty Tricks Department is the best book about the OSS I've ever read. It’s also one of the finest intelligence histories in recent years. Terrific research, razor-sharp writing, and a scintillating cast of characters—heroes, weirdos, con men, mad scientists—make this a must-read for anyone interested in the dark arts of espionage and secret warfare.” —Tim Weiner
“A fascinating tale vividly told, full of sabotage and skullduggery, deviousness and invention, and populated by a cast of remarkable characters. James Bond meets Sherlock Holmes—but in deadly serious real life.” —H. W. Brands
“This enjoyable, picaresque and sometimes alarming book offers another good reason for maintaining oversight over the intelligence services: Spy-scientists tend to go rogue when left to invent their own devices.” —Ben Macintyre