Nonfiction Monday: Deep-Cover Spies and Double-Crossers of the Cold War by Rebecca Langston-George

I keep looking at the 900s and then shying away. What do I get rid of? What do I add? Where do I get the money for new sets? Do I even need new sets? Does anybody even read the 900s? Well, yes. Mostly the kids want books about war and Who Was... biographies. I gratefully seized on some review copies sent me from Capstone to get me started in this section.

From the "Spies" series, which includes four titles covering World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and modern times, I previewed Deep-Cover Spies and Double-Crossers of the Cold War. The book opens with a brief explanation of the Cold War then looks at five spies who operated during the Cold War;  Gary Powers, an American spy who was eventually exchanged for a Russian spy and returned to America and the complicated story of the Rosenbergs. George Blake, a hero of World War II who was imprisoned during the Korean War and voluntarily became a double agent, and Janet Chisholm, wife of a British diplomat and agent who became involved in spying while in Moscow. Finally, the only non-Western person featured, Pham Xuan An, who had a complex relationship with the Western world where he was educated and earned the respect of both sides for his journalistic integrity.

In addition to the main text covering the activities of the people featured, there are also photographs of primary documents and people, additional facts, while back matter includes a timeline, glossary, and a few titles for additional reading. There are also questions that tie into "critical thinking" for the common core, source notes, bibliography, and index.

Although I would have liked to see more perspectives from people who were not white males, this is a good coverage of a complicated topic. It includes exciting stories, descriptions of codes and spy equipment, breathtaking escapes, and all the thrilling adventures kids look for in war stories. It also includes thoughtful examinations of the motives of the various people involved and how events are viewed differently after the fact, like the case of the Rosenbergs.

Verdict: This is a good, basic series on a popular topic. It includes both familiar, mainstream stories and some lesser-known events and people. Librarians will be pleased to know that it's available in paperback as well as library bound editions. I've found Capstone's paperbacks to be very sturdy. A good choice for filling in your 900s.

ISBN: 9780756554972; Published 2017 by Capstone; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library