{"product_id":"her-majestys-spymaster-isbn-9780452287471","title":"Her Majesty's Spymaster","description":"Sir Francis Walsingham’s official title was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, but in fact this pious, tight-lipped Puritan was England’s first spymaster. A ruthless, fiercely loyal civil servant, Walsingham worked brilliantly behind the scenes to foil Elizabeth’s rival Mary Queen of Scots and outwit Catholic Spain and France, which had arrayed their forces behind her. Though he cut an incongruous figure in Elizabeth’s worldly court, Walsingham managed to win the trust of key players like William Cecil and the Earl of Leicester before launching his own secret campaign against the queen’s enemies. Covert operations were Walsingham’s genius; he pioneered techniques for exploiting double agents, spreading disinformation, and deciphering codes with the latest code-breaking science that remain staples of international espionage.Fascinating and superbly written. Walsingham was the CIA’s ‘Wild Bill’ Donovan and George Smiley rolled into one.—\u003cb\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/b\u003eStephen Budiansky, journalist and military historian, is the author of nine books about history, science, and nature, including \u003cb\u003eAir Power:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eThe Men, Machines, and Ideas That Revolutionized War, from Kitty Hawk to Gulf War II\u003c\/b\u003e. He publishes frequently in \u003cb\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/b\u003e and currently serves as a correspondent for \u003cb\u003eThe Atlantic Monthly\u003c\/b\u003e.","brand":"Penguin Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44866617082085,"sku":"NP9780452287471","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780452287471.jpg?v=1767728946","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/her-majestys-spymaster-isbn-9780452287471","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}