A great listen for International Women's month and beyond! Always good to be reminded of the essential roles women have played in history that have sorely gone under acknowledged and appreciated. Lisa Rogak did her research and crafted a plot line that allows listeners to follow the lives and contributions of 4 fabulous and strong women. The narrator of this audio book is clear and engaging. Thank you Lisa Rogak, Macmillan Audio and of course NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audio ARC. Put it on your list!

Propaganda Girls shines light on all the wonderful things women did during war. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the precursor to the CIA and played a key role in U.S. intelligence during World War II. Thousands of women served in the OSS in roles ranging from administrative support to espionage, codebreaking, and sabotage operations behind enemy lines. They worked with resistance groups, gathered intelligence, and helped organize sabotage missions.. Women worked in intelligence analysis, breaking enemy codes, translating intercepted messages, and interpreting aerial reconnaissance images. This book follows four women of the OSS and their journeys. A remarkable read

This is the incredible story of four women who did their part for the war effort by creating black propaganda. This propaganda had the sole aim to break the morale of the Axis soldiers.

Rogak has crafted an easy to read account of four amazing women that were drawn to serving their country. It appears to be thoroughly researched, yet not overly technical. This was a perfect read for international women’s month.

Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS
By Lisa Rogak
Narrated by Samara Naeymi
4 ⭐️

The lives of the 4 women this book follows during WWII were fascinating. The book was written with steady pacing and is thoughtfully complied. As a fiction reader, I was never bored and happily learned loads of things I never knew or fully understood. The narration of the audiobook is solid.

Thank you NetGalley, Lisa Rogak, and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC.

Absolutely fantastic listen. Gives insight into some of the women who helped the Allies win WWII. I binged listened to it in a day and have not stopped talking about it since I finished it.

I listened to the audio version of Propaganda Girls. Given the current political climate I was especially interested in this topic and thought listening around International Women’s Day would be very fitting!

Re: The narrator: she sounds a bit like a newscaster, which I suppose, given the material is appropriate. For me, personally, I wish the narration was more varied and emotional. I found myself hearing but not listening, and then needing to rewind and physically engage myself which is not common for me with audiobooks.

I wished that I had a taste of the women’s personalities. Although the 4 women have a lot in common, they have varied backgrounds and their voices should be distinguishable. I found this to be the case especially with Marlene Dietrich as the book gets beyond just her upbringing marriage. Because of this, I wonder how much the author has infused her own conclusions into their women’s personalities.

While the women in the service are clearly treated unfairly, wage gaps and denials of promotions aren’t stunningly shocking. There were some facts that DID shock me, I will keep this spoiler-free but less harping on commonly known issues with the patriarchy and a heavier focus on some of the lesser-known facts would have been more captivating.

The women are inspiring, they broke the mold and paved a path for future generations and for that, I appreciate them. I found that I learned a lot about Marlene Dietrich, I mean, what an absolute icon. I cannot imagine the bravery for living her life the way she did in the 40’s.

Although this book is well researched, I wish the material read less like a book report, however.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a copy of the audio book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and the stories of each of the women.
This book was well-researched, well-organized, and well-written account of the lives of four women whose contributions during World War II

“Did I hate the Germans? The Japanese? Not really. I helped make up the slogans to make the other people hate,” she said. “Packaged hate, like packaged breakfast foods, produced by the ad man in uniform. And249 a prize of a promise in every package— the corner drugstore, ice cubes, America.”

Happy International Women’s Day (and yes, it’s real - despite what any Apple or Google calendar will now tell you)! And, thanks to both @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress, I was able to recently read and listen to such a fitting book: a #gifted copy of PROPAGANDA GIRLS: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS by Lisa Rogak.

This was the fascinating, well-researched story of four women who were responsible for brainstorming, creating, and strategizing the release of propaganda that eventually helped win WWII. They created parody newsletters and manuals in other languages; they strategized to release them via airplane or by strategically recruitment POWs to their cause. It was truly fascinating to see how they manipulated the enemy’s emotion and knowledge to influence morale and energy.

It showed readers both the backstory of each woman and how they ultimately were called to serve, the major projects they oversaw during the war, the gender inequality they faced (particularly as it relates to promotion and recognition), and how they spent their time later in life - so I appreciated that we were able to get to know the women even outside of their military accomplishments.

The audiobook was incredibly engaging; there was a single narrator and she helped bring these women to life - without it feeling like we were lost in facts and dates.

PROPAGANDA GIRLS is out now!

I would like to begin by thanking NetGalley for providing the audiobook of Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak in exchange for an honest review.

From the very first chapter, Rogak draws readers into the tense and turbulent atmosphere of World War II, setting the stage for an enthralling narrative. Propaganda Girls follows the stories of four remarkable women, each of whom played a significant role in the wartime efforts of the Allied forces, fighting against the Axis powers. Rogak expertly weaves together their individual journeys, showcasing the personal and professional challenges they faced while contributing to the war effort.

Each woman’s story is fascinating and unique, with Rogak delving into both the struggles and, at times, the more salacious details of their work in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to the CIA. Rogak does an exceptional job of bringing these women's voices to life, highlighting their resilience, courage, and determination in a time of global chaos.

This book is a captivating blend of history and personal narrative, making it a perfect read for history enthusiasts. Though it's a relatively quick read, it offers enough depth to keep you hooked while remaining entertaining throughout. I highly recommend Propaganda Girls to anyone interested in the unsung stories of women during World War II or those looking for an engaging historical account.

This book is SO well done! It’s well paced, and well broken up. The Narrator absolutely nailed it! I really appreciated the author's choice to cover the women's whole life and not just the segments of their lives that aligned with the war. Talking about women's adjustment to life after the war is very important, and the struggle that these women had with readjustment is covered very well.
I like the range of women that the author chose to write about. I think covering multiple cultures and types of lifestyle is very important, and was very well done in this book! The biggest compliment I can give a history book is that while reading it I forget that it is a history book and that is something that happened multiple times in this book!

Thank You NetGalley Macmillan Audio and the author for this AudioARc.



Again, I am so sorry for the previous mix up.

Highly recommend this book! Propaganda Girls recounts the wartime experiences of four gifted women from vastly different backgrounds, including Marlene Dietrich, who were recruited to the OSS and proceeded to show a remarkable gift for psychological manipulation to help demoralize Axis soldiers in WWII. Some of their greatest hits included putting toilet paper with Hitler’s face printed on it in German soldiers’ latrines (think for a moment about the ability to pull off printing toilet paper in wartime conditions); erasing original messages on postcards from enemy soldiers to their families and replacing the text with unsettling reports before sending them on their way; and recording and broadcasting to Germans English songs translated into German with the original lyrics rewritten to undermine morale.

When I first saw that this audiobook clocks in at only 6.5 hours, I was not sure how Lisa Rogak would cover the ground necessary to do these women justice. But she has done it masterfully. The book reads and moves more like journalism, compressing an enormous amount of research, providing vivid details (starting with her depiction of Betty MacDonald, a reporter herself, in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor—I had not known about the birds), and bringing the women and their experiences alive. The image of Marlene Dietrich throwing herself voluntarily into scrubbing floors in a USO facility kitchen on her hands and knees in an evening gown makes a lasting impression, as does the fact that Gen. Patton gave her a pearl-handled revolver with which to kill herself should she be captured by the Nazis, who had deemed to her a priority target. The other women featured are Zuka Lauwers and Jane Smith-Hutton—all fascinating. The book follows them through WWII and their immediate post-war experiences to the ends of their long and accomplished lives. You will be glad to have met them.

Samara Naeymi is an engaging and effective narrator. Interestingly, she makes no attempt to imitate the women’s actual voices or accents in reading quotes attributed to them, which is probably a wise choice, though she instead renders all quotes in the same slightly odd voice.

Although I had resolved to not read any more WWII books, I decided to give this a try and I am glad I did! . I listened to the audio version of the Propaganda Girls and the narration was excellent and the story easy to follow. The book was about four women from differing backgrounds (including the actress Marlene Dietrich). The four were from different countries but had several traits in common: they were smart, well-educated formally and informally, spoke more than one language, were eager to explore the world, and were unable to find meaningful, fulfilling work in the “man’s world” of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. Through various means they all found their way to the OSS, an arm of the American military which was engaged in spreading propaganda helpful to the Allies and demoralizing to the enemy.
The four characters were well-fleshed out and because they were each unique it was easy to follow the story. It was an eye opener because I knew the US was engaged in this type of war-time activity but was unaware of what it entailed. It was a fascinating read and I strongly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher St Martins Press and to the author for this well-researched book.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved learning about the women involved in the O.S.S., especially Marlena Dietrich. All of these women had an amazing impact on World War II. I learned so much about each woman's life and impact on the War. Thanks again to NetGalley and MacMillan for access to both the ebook and audriobook. #PropogandaGirls

A compelling look at women who defied convention and worked in secret against the Nazis in WWII. I really enjoyed the incredibly thorough look at the lives of each of these brave ladies and the courage they showed not only as soldiers, but as females in a male dominated field. The tales of their determination and fortitude are inspiring. The research is impeccable and each story jumps from the page.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for my copies. These opinions are my own.

Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS is the absolutely fascinating story of four women - Betty MacDonald, Zuzka Lauwers, Jane Smith-Hutton, and Marlene Dietrich - and the incredible work they did during WWII. These women were part of a secret group of the OSS who were tasked with creating black propaganda to be used to break the morale of Axis soldiers. They fabricated newspapers and "official" military orders, wrote songs and radio broadcasts, and even worked with spies to create stories to be spread amongst enemy soldiers. I cannot believe that I have not heard of these women until now! Their stories are so intriguing and I loved hearing the ins and outs of their efforts to create and spread these "believable lies" in order to help win the war. I appreciate that the author, Lisa Rogak, did not shy away from the more difficult war-related topics and told the stories of these women in a clear, transparent way without sugar-coating things or glossing over the more questionable aspects of their roles. The narrator, Samara Naeymi, has a lovely voice, and I enjoyed listening to her read the stories of Betty, Zuzka, Jane, and Marlene.

First, the narrator Samara Naeymi is outstanding and was perfect for this title. Next, a point of clarification - OSS means Office of Strategic Services, an agency of the U.S. Fed Gov 1942-1945c when WWII ended.

This book isn’t too lengthy, following four women entering the military and serving to demoralize and encourage surrenders. Each with their own reasons to join and serve, and each serving important roles where they were stationed and with their work.

At 6 hours and 30 minutes for the audiobook, it isn’t too lengthy and doesn’t oversaturate listeners with information. I would love a PDF companion guide with names, dates, and service locations to get started, and it may be worth buying the book for.

I recommend this title for readers interested in women’s history, WWII history, and history of communication, wartime, and propaganda.

A wonderful history about the impacts that four women had as members of the OSS and their black propaganda campaigns that helped win the war on both the European and Pacific fronts. I'm always interested in the histories of women and they are so often left out of mainstream history narratives.

This book does a great job navigating between the narratives of multiple stories, as it focused on multiple figures amongst the "propoganda girls" mentioned in its title. However, it might have served the book better to have split the story into each individual narratives instead of going back and forth, as it was harder to keep up with the stories within the audiobook format. Overall, I thought the book was well researched and well written.

Propaganda Girls shares the story of 4 women who worked in the Morale Office (should have been called demoralization office) of the OSS (the precursor of the CIA) during WWII.

I recognized the names of 3 of the four women. Betty MacDonald and Jane Smith-Hutton appeared in the biographical fiction novel The Secret War of Julia Child. They were minor characters, though Betty had a larger part than Jane. I loved getting to know more of their real story. And yes, there is mention of Betty knowing Julia.

A name that many will probably recognize is Marlene Dietrich. She was an actress from Germany. I knew the highlights of her life during WWII - primarily that she did radio'' propaganda that was aired in Germany. She was their sweetheart and even though some in Germany thought she was a traitor they still loved her. We get a lot more of her life in this book.

Zuzka Lauwers was the only one I wasn't familiar with. But I'm glad she was included in the book

We are introduced to the women before the war and we get to see life for them after war. I liked that we got more than just what they did during the war. It really lets you get to know them as people.

The audiobook was really easy to listen to. The chapters do rotate through the 4 women but we stay with each one through a significant period of time so it doesn't feel disjointed. I liked Samara Naeymi as the narrator. There are a few places where the women are quoted and she gives them each their own unique voice.

While this is a nonfiction book it was very interesting and read almost like a novel. I found myself listening to large chunks of it at a time. I was really invested in the lives of these women. For Marlene and Zuzka, I was right there with them at the end of the war, wondering if their families had survived.

This is definitely a great book to read during Women's History Month or any time of the year if you enjoy reading stories of extraordinary women.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/03/propaganda-girls-secret-war-of-women-in.html

Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS (image: book cover), by Lisa Rogak, depicts the amazing story of four women Marlene Dietrich, Betty MacDonald, Zuzka Lauwers, and Jane Smith-Hutton. Recruited by Bill Donovan to join the Office of Strategic Services’ Morale Operations Branch which was responsible for executing propaganda campaigns against the Axis Powers, contributing to the win of the Allied Powers in WWII.

This biography is a wonderful addition to the current trend of fiction and non-fiction celebrating the contribution made by women during WWII. I strongly recommend it to those who liked fiction books like Good Night Irene, The Women, and No Better Time, or non-fiction works like Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race, and Sisters in Science: : A Riveting Historical Account of Women in Science with a Powerful Message of Sisterhood.
The Narration by Samara Naeymi was engaging and I was able to listen to the book in one sitting.

Thank Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ALC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 5 Stars
Audio Release and Print Pub Date: Mar 4 2025

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