"Washington's Spies - The Story of America's First Spy Ring" by Alexander Rose

We watched the AMC series "Turn"; finally the 4th and last season ended. In order to plug the "show-hole grief" that always happens after the completion of a beloved series, I read the history book on which the show was based.

The book is written in modern style, yet completely referenced with sources.

For a commander to hire civilian informants to spy on  the enemy on a regular basis was considered low; but even so Washington needed to know what the British were up to in New York during the American Revolution. So the link between Ben Tallmadge and his Long Island connections was formed; it functioned quietly for several years.

A lighlight was the early realization of the defection of Benedict Arnold.

After reading the book, I was better able to understand the connections our family shares with this time in history.

We have long known of the Silliman's in Fairfield CT. Researched by my husband's Grandmother, his 5th Great-Grandfather had been a corporal in the CT militia during the Revolution. This man's uncle was General Gold Selleck Silliman, in charge of defence of CT coast line.

Many families have interesting heritage, either in the US or in countries of their origin; if only people had the interest to use the records to discover it.

We had known that General Silliman was kidnapped and held by the British for months; but from the book we learned that: "On arriving at (Lloyd's Neck) they (the kidnappers and hostage) were hailed by Col. (John Graves) Simcoe (the essence of evil in the TV series). "Have you got him?" asked Simcoe. "Yes" was the answer. "Have you lost any men? asked Simcoe. "No". And Simcoe says "That's well, Your Sillimans and your Washingtons are not worth a man."

Goodness.

Another family connection is one with Selah Strong: both descended from the immigrant John Strong (well researched family tree). And Caleb Brewster would certainly have know General Silliman.

Slightly Belated Remembrance of Dad's 98th Birth Anniversary

 As an infant, with his Father

 As a toddler, with his Mom. Below, probably the first photo ever as a very young enfant. Spring, 1920.

Haha--another kind of mask

One of our home grown potatoes seemed to smile at me as it was readied for cook pot.

I was Confused....But there really is a "Tailor of Panama"; A Great Read!

"The Tailor of Panama" by John Le Carre

Since he also wrote a wonderful spy thriller called "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy", where those occupational references were "code names" for suspected turn coats, I wondered if the "tailor" referred to a character from a previous novel?

But no. In this post-Soviet era novel, published 1996, Harry Pendel is an expert and savvy British tailor to the cream of society in Panama: local dignitaries including the President, as well of foreigners of all nationalities--but all wealthy and powerful. In the perfect position to facilitate espionage; Harry is trapped into assisting his government in the effort to keep a finger on the pulse of the disposition of the Panama Canal once the Americans turn it over to the local government at the end of the century.

There is a perfect anti-hero and some great characters who populate the British Embassy. I'm not going to say one more word about the plot, since the twists are part of the enjoyment.

My favorite part of the book is the method the author uses to tell the story: it's as if we are sitting in the pub or bar having drinks with the worldly, all-knowing narrator. He tell the story in casual diction, it feels like the story wanders pleasantly as the narrator has a few more drinks--no, he is providing back ground. After I finished the book, I had to go Google all I could find on Panama and the Canal. I watched several You Tubes and satisfied my curiosity.