Author Sylvia Press shares her revenge novel after being fired during the McCarthy purges. Jefferson Morley reveals CIA director Richard Helms' attempt to create an American James Bond with E Howard Hunt. Explore the implications of these stories on the CIA and their connection to Watergate.
The novel 'The Care of Devils' by Sylvia Press provides a revealing fictional account of the CIA's inner workings during the McCarthy era, highlighting the dangers of McCarthyism and exposing the cluelessness and cowardice of CIA Director Alan Dulles.
CIA Director Richard Helms attempted to create an American James Bond with the help of future Watergate burglar E Howard Hunt, showcasing the agency's fascination with covert operations and espionage.
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Sylvia Press's novel, The Care of Devils, exposes McCarthyism and CIA's mistreatment
The Care of Devils by Sylvia Press, published in 1958, serves as a revealing fictional account of the CIA's inner workings during the McCarthy era. The protagonist, Ellen Simon, an intelligence analyst, becomes a target of investigation with vague accusations and tormenting interrogations. Eventually, she is fired as a sacrifice to appease Senator Cochran's paranoia. The novel sheds light on the dangers of McCarthyism and exposes the cluelessness and cowardice of CIA Director Alan Dulles. Press faced backlash and even the CIA tried to suppress her book, which didn't receive the recognition it deserved.
Two very different tales about making stuff up about the CIA. Your host shares the story of Sylvia Press, who in the 1950s, wrote a revenge novel after she was fired during the McCarthy purges. And author Jefferson Morley tells us about the time CIA director Richard Helms tried to create an American James Bond with the help of future Watergate burglar E Howard Hunt.
Get Jefferson Morley’s amazing new book: Scorpion's Dance. Sylvia Press’s novel The Care of Devils is harder to find.
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