The Woman All Spies Fear: Codebreaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life  by Amy Butler Greenfield

September 5|  Cotuit Library |  6 pm

Elizebeth Smith Friedman, an American woman who pioneered codebreaking in WWI and WWII, had a rare talent for spotting patterns and solving puzzles. These skills led her to become one of the top cryptanalysts in America during both World War I and World War II.
 
She originally came to code breaking through her love for Shakespeare when she was hired by an eccentric millionaire to prove that Shakespeare's plays had secret messages in them. Within a year, she had learned so much about code breaking that she was a star in the making. She went on to play a major role decoding messages during WWI and WWII and also for the Coast Guard's war against smugglers.
 
Elizebeth and her husband, William, became the top code-breaking team in the US, and she did it all at a time when most women weren't welcome in the workforce.