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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Turn: Washington’s Spies, an original series on AMC!   Free Shipping!

About the Author:  "A little about myself. I was born in the United States, grew up in Australia, and educated (sort of) in Britain, worked in Canada, but now live in New York. For several years, I was a journalist but went into the History Business around the time my book, "Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring," first appeared. It's since been used as the basis for the AMC drama series, "Turn: Washington's Spies," for which I also served as writer and producer.

I always like to hear from readers, so if you have any questions or comments or requests, please feel free to contact me, either by email (www.alexrose.com), on Twitter (@AlexRoseWriter), or through The FaceBook (Alex.Rose.Writer)."

The Book:

"Based on remarkable new research, acclaimed historian Alexander Rose brings to life the true story of the spy ring that helped America win the Revolutionary War. For the first time, Rose takes us beyond the battlefront and deep into the shadowy underworld of double agents and triple crosses, covert operations and code breaking, and unmasks the courageous, flawed men who inhabited this wilderness of mirrors—including the spymaster at the heart of it all.

In the summer of 1778, with the war poised to turn in his favor, General George Washington desperately needed to know where the British would strike next. To that end, he unleashed his secret weapon: an unlikely ring of spies in New York charged with discovering the enemy’s battle plans and military strategy.

Washington’s small band included a young Quaker torn between political principle and family loyalty, a swashbuckling sailor addicted to the perils of espionage, a hard-drinking barkeep, a Yale-educated cavalryman and friend of the doomed Nathan Hale, and a peaceful, sickly farmer who begged Washington to let him retire but who always came through in the end. Personally guiding these imperfect everyday heroes was Washington himself. In an era when officers were gentlemen, and gentlemen didn’ t spy, he possessed an extraordinary talent for deception—and proved an adept spymaster.

The men he mentored were dubbed the Culper Ring. The British secret service tried to hunt them down, but they escaped by the closest of shaves thanks to their ciphers, dead drops, and invisible ink. Rose’s thrilling narrative tells the unknown story of the Revolution–the murderous intelligence war, gunrunning and kidnapping, defectors and executioners—that has never appeared in the history books. But Washington’s Spies is also a spirited, touching account of friendship and trust, fear and betrayal, amid the dark and silent world of the spy."

Reviews:
From Publishers Weekly:
"The unfamiliar terrain of Britain's American colonies made it vital for both sides to gain knowledge of enemy troop movements during the Revolutionary War. But acquiring that information called for a level of espionage that neither side was prepared for, requiring both to make up many of their operational procedures as they went along. Rose (Kings in the North) focuses on a small band of Americans, longtime friends who created an intelligence network known as the Culper Ring to funnel information to George Washington about the British troops in and around New York City. The author quotes extensively from their correspondence, showing how contentious the relationship between the general and his spies could get, especially when Washington thought they were underperforming. Rose also delves into technical aspects of the Culpers' spycraft, like their attempts at cryptography and invisible ink."

"Fascinating…. tells how the work of the spies proved to be the tipping point in the summer of 1778, helping Washington begin breaking the stalemate with the British…. [and] brings to light their crucial help in winning American independence."—Dallas Morning News

"Compelling."—Publishers Weekly

"After working on Washington, I knew there was a story to tell about his reliance on spies during the Revolutionary War. But I believed the story could never be told because the evidence did not exist. Well, I was wrong, and Alexander Rose tells this important story with style and wit."—Joseph Ellis, author of His Excellency: George Washington

"Making brilliant use of documentary sources, Rose gives us intrigue, crossed signals, derring-do, and a priceless slice of 18th century life…Rose unfolds the story of a Long Island-based spy ring of idealists and misfits who kept George Washington informed of what was going on in enemy-occupied New York." —Richard Brookhiser, author of Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington

"Rose has used some valuable new historical sources to tell this interesting story…. Excellent."—Deseret Morning News.

"Alexander Rose's book is certainly on my "top ten" list of books about the American Revolution. Is has a taut narrative that, despite all of the characters and plot twists and turns, is easy to follow. The book is also scrupulously researched, with the author delving into a myriad of original sources, as well as addressing the small body of secondary sources and their weak spots (sixty pages of footnotes and a great bibliography). There is a photo section (even in the paperback edition) with copies of some key documents accompanied by thorough decryptions, and two valuable maps. But that said, this scholarly work of non-fiction reads like a novel.

In the summer of 1778 (after Nathan Hale was discovered by the British and executed for spying), General George Washington desperately needed to know where the British (ensconced in their New York City North American HQ) would strike next. To that end, he unleashed his secret weapon: an unlikely ring of spies in New York, Long Island, and Connecticut charged with discovering the enemy's battle plans and military strategy. As noted by Washington's top general Nathanael Greene, "intelligence is the life of everything in war," and the American War of Independence was no exception to this insight.

Washington's small band included a young Quaker (Robert Townhend, Samuel Culper Jr.) torn between political principle and family loyalty and posing as a Loyalist, a swashbuckling sailor (Caleb Brewster) addicted to the perils of espionage, a tavern owner (Austin Roe), a Yale-educated cavalryman (Major Benjamin Tallmadge, alias John Bolton who bcame Washington's chief intelligence officer) and friend of the doomed Nathan Hale, and a peaceful, sickly farmer (Abraham Woodhull, Culper Sr.) who begged Washington to let him retire but who always came through in the end. Personally guiding these brave, flawed, everyday heroes was Washington himself. In an era when gentlemen were officers, and gentlemen did not spy, he possessed an extraordinary talent for deception--and proved an adept spymaster.

Among the Culpers' greatest successes were thwarting a British attempt to counterfeit Continental currency in Connecticut in an attempt to devalue it completely, and deceiving and diverting the British in New York away from interfering with the arrival of a French fleet and troops in Newport, Rhode Island.

The men he mentored were dubbed the Culper Ring. The British secret service tried to hunt them down, but they escaped by the closest of shaves thanks to their ciphers, dead drops, and invisible ink (also known as "sympathetic stain" courtesy of John Jay's brother, Sir James Jay). Washington's Spies tells a little known story of the American Revolution--one encompassing a deadly intelligence war, gunrunning, kidnappings, and defections--that has not received its due in many history books. The story is also a spirited, touching account of friendship and trust, fear and betrayal (the Culper's were almost exposed by Benedict Arnold's treachery), amid the shadowy world of divided loyalties and spies."

How Common Americans Helped Win the Revolutionary War
ByCrisman Cooleyon January 21, 2018
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
"After watching the first three seasons of Turn: Washington’s Spies, I felt a kind of desperation to hear the rest of the story. I read an announcement that said that AMC, the studio that was making the show, had committed to a 4th and final season, and that (because I don’t have cable), I’d have to wait at least a year to watch season 4.
If you haven’t seen TURN and you like historical fiction, watch it. The best series I’ve seen since Roots. Maybe the best ever.
A cliffhanger series is as close as fiction can ever get to being as addictive as cocaine or heroin. Although I didn’t see the point of committing a crime to get my fix (it wouldn’t have helped!), I did scour the globe for something more about the story, about this set of characters that had so captivated my imagination.
Finally, on Amazon, I found this book that actually inspired the series to begin with. Even better than a novel, TURN is a history book. It provides a 3rd and 4th dimension to the story. I was pretty astonished to discover how many of the characters are historical.
Major Benjamin Tallmadge, Major Robert Rogers, Captain John Simcoe, Nathaniel Sackett, Abraham Woodhull and Robert Townsend all were real people. This book of history contains actual correspondence between Tallmadge and Woodhull--and between Woodhull and General George Washington. The letters discuss the business of spying down to its most mundane details: the fact that Woodhull (like most people in Washington’s armies) was not getting reimbursed for his expenses.
This book is a fascinating addition to the story for anyone into the series and excellent stand alone reading for someone interested (as I am) in American History. I recommend it highly."