Dr Susan Williams is a senior research fellow in the School of Advanced Study, University of London. Her pathbreaking books include Who Killed Hammarskjöld?, which in 2015 triggered a new, ongoing UN investigation into the death of the UN Secretary-General; Spies in the Congo, which spotlights the link between US espionage in the Congo and the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945; Colour Bar, the story of Botswana’s founding president, which was made into the major 2016 film A United Kingdom; and The People’s King, which presents an original perspective on the abdication of Edward VIII and his marriage to Wallis Simpson.
'To have found in the history of the Second World War a million
square miles of unfamiliar territory- the Congo- is an achievement
in itself. On top of that, her story is thrilling. Even the mundane
details are delightful.'
*The Sunday Telegraph*
'Ms Williams pieces together her history in forensic fashion. The
result is a gripping, if occasionally dense, work that uncovers a
world long cast in shadow ... tells a little-known story, but one
with a terribly familiar ring-and ultimately devastating
consequences.'
*The Economist*
'[Williams's] new, meticulously researched book has shades of
Graham Greene, a hint of Conrad, even echoes of Indiana Jones ...
truly a thriller, in which Williams paints clear and sympathetic
pictures of characters thrust into a totally unfamiliar
territory.'
*The Guardian*
'Williams lays out in fascinating detail how several score US spies
went about monitoring whether the Germans were gathering Congolese
uranium and preparing to scupper them if so. ... Her account is
nuanced but gripping and does a sterling job of delineating a
complicated plot while at the same time giving a clear sense of the
characters of the major players.'
*The Spectator*
'Spies in the Congo is an espionage classic. Scrupulously
researched, it illuminates a barely-known aspect of arguably the
most significant event of the 20th century, giving fresh
perspectives.'
*The Scotsman*
'The US was determined first to ensure that the Shinkolobwe mine in
particular wouldn't be able to supply Germany with uranium, and
then to take control of its whole production. This is the theme of
Spies in the Congo. It's a clever book, because it's based on
almost no explicit evidence ... [Williams] analyses what little
evidence there is, much of it only recently released, with great
skill.'
*London Review of Books*
'A highly informative and valuable historical record.'
*Morning Star*
'Williams has pieced together the details of a story so enormous it
seems incredible that most people will have heard nothing about it
before ... a thrilling tale ... sometimes comical, sometimes
tragic, but always riveting.'
*History of War Magazine*
'This is an extraordinary and fascinating story, revealed here with
all the detail and pace of a well crafted thriller.'
*Alexander McCall Smith*
'Using recently declassified material, Susan Williams reveals the
startling story of the small and colourful band of secret agents
who jealously guarded this ore in a game of cat and mouse that may
well have been the key to Allied victory.'
*Anjan Sundaram, author of Stringer: A Reporter's Journey in the
Congo*
'The first book to tackle this important and overlooked
subject.'
'Williams has greatly advanced our knowledge of the Allied
strategic and atomic effort in the Congo as well the unique role of
OSS in Africa. She has also provided excellent background as to why
so much of the cold war played out in the Congo. Spies in the Congo
is an excellent contribution to the history of intelligence,
Africa, World War Two and Atomic Power.'
‘A very well-written book . . . a deep discussion about World War
II geopolitics [which brings] these individuals, too many of whom
died at a young age, to life.’
'Truly remarkable.'
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