Secrets hidden. Secrets revealed. \; E lizabeth Bentley \;led the two largest Communist spy rings in America- -and then\, in a dramatic about-face\, became an FBI informant and helped to usher in the McCarthy Era. \; Author Lauren Kessler\, who worked to uncover and understand this complex story\, chronicles Bentley's fraught life in Clever Girl: Elizabeth Bentley\, the Spy Who Ushered in the Mc Carthy Era. \;
\nCommunists vilified her as a raging neurot ic. Leftists dismissed her as a confused idealist. Her family pitied her a s an exploited lover. Some said she was a traitor\, a stooge\, a mercenary and a grandstander. To others she was a true American heroine&mdash\;fear less\, principled\, bold and resolute. Congressional committees loved her. The FBI hailed her as an avenging angel. The Catholics embraced her. But the fact is\, more than half a century after she captured the headlines as the "Red Spy Queen\," Elizabeth Bentley remains a mystery.
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Lauren Kessl er \;is an award-winning narrative nonfiction writer who spec ializes in exploring invisible subcultures in our midst. The author of fif teen books\, she has written about the gritty world of a maximum security prison\, grueling world of ballet\, and the surprisingly vibrant world of those with Alzheimer's. Her book\, \;Stubborn Twig: Three Generations in the Life of Japanese American Family\, won the Oregon Book Award and wa s the State All Reads selection for Oregon&rsquo\;s sesquicentennial. Her upcoming book\, \;Everything Changes Everything\, explores love and lo ss\, wounds and healing\, and the search for the answer to the question so very many of us face at a time of upheaval\, transition or disconnect:&nb sp\;What now? \;Her weekly essays can be found on her Substack\, Life After All at \;https://lau renjkess.substack.com/ \;
\nShe teaches storytelling for soc ial change at the University of Washington and conducts writing workshops here and abroad. Learn more at \;https://www.laurenkessler.com/ \;
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\nQues tions? Contact \;laurelh @deschuteslibrary.org \;
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