This book is deeply indebted to those writers who came before—the diarists, letter writers, and memoirists whose voices imbue almost every word with the emotional veracity, urgency, and complexity of their wartime experiences and the aftermath. Facts can always be researched and assembled, but the absurd twists and turns of fate, and the astonishing extremes of history that allow a period of unprecedented courage and idealism to devolve into a frenzy of fear and hate, cannot be adequately rendered without a record of the human toll. First and foremost, I must thank Elizabeth P. McIntosh (Betty MacDonald) for serving as my trusted guide through this troubled time. Not only did I rely on her two excellent books about the OSS, I took full advantage of her marvelous memory over the course of many interviews—and countless telephone queries—during the three years it took to complete this project. Her compassion, wisdom, and wonderful good humor have colored and shaped every page. I dedicated this book to Betty because it is every bit as much her story as it is Jane’s, Julia’s, and Paul’s. To that end, I am also grateful to Susan Tenenbaum, Jane Foster’s niece by marriage and closest surviving relative, for her willingness to share her family saga and unflinching honesty in facing some of the more uncomfortable truths.
No writer could have asked for a better archive than the one left to the Schlesinger Library by Julia and Paul Child. I wish to thank the library’s long-suffering staff, Lynda Leahy and Elle M. Shea, for helping me to navigate the tremendous store of correspondence, diaries, personal papers, clippings, photographs, and videotapes, as well as Diana Carey, for coping with my many photo requests. My gratitude also to Athena Angelos for her work at the Library of Congress. I must also thank the author Noë Riley Fitch, who conducted extensive interviews with Julia Child for her excellent biography, Appetite for Life, for helping to fill in some gaps and making available some private diary entries not in the archive. She generously shared many of her impressions of Julia, as well as her attitude about the security investigation and Jane’s culpability, and I am most grateful for her insight. Also, Susy Davidson, coordinator of the Julia Child Foundation, for granting access to certain photographs.
For access to unpublished collections thanks are also due to Chris Summers for the wartime letters and diary of his mother, Eleanor Thiry; also to Susan Tenenbaum for the private papers of Jane Foster, as well as access to a trove of her artwork, and the unpublished manuscript of George Zlatovski’s autobiography.
In the writing of this book I am indebted to those people who particularly helped me along the way: Charles T. Pinck, president of the OSS Society; his father, OSS veteran and historian Dan Pinck; Fisher Howe; Walter Curley; Walter Mess; Basil Summers, now sadly deceased; and John F. Fox, Jr., FBI historian. I was incredibly fortunate to be working for the fourth time with my indefatigable researcher, Ruth Tenenbaum (no relation to the Tenenbaums in this book), who fell in love with this project and did so much more than I could have asked—and dug up so much more than I would have believed possible—that I owe her far more than I can ever repay. I also benefited from having the best assistant, Cavelle Sukhai, who keeps my world running even when I disappear into my writer’s cave for months on end. A very special thanks goes to the multitalented Mary Tavener Holmes, who commented on this work in progress, encouraged my every step of the way, and generally tried to keep me sane. I would also like to acknowledge Perri Peltz for her kindness and support. Having such loyal friends (and I include all the tennis girls) is what makes such a lonely endeavor possible.
As always, I am profoundly grateful to Kris Dahl, my literary agent, a friend and advisor for two decades. None of my books would have seen the light of day without my brilliant editor, Alice Mayhew, who somehow always manages to drag me over the finish line, and then days later convinces me that the next one will be no problem. Her enthusiasm and vision have been a driving force in my work. A team of gifted people at Simon & Schuster contributed to this book, including the attention of Alice’s assistant, Rachel Bergmann, dedication of Roger Labrie, careful copyediting of Janet Fletcher, and astute art direction of Michael Accordino.
Finally, for their unfailing support, I would like to thank my husband, Steve Kroft, and son, John. They showed great love and forbearance in listening to me go on and on about Julia, Paul, and Jane for three years, particularly when the present was imposing on their lives, there were so many pressing matters at hand, and I was always stuck in the past. Thank you.