Interesting tale of Erich Gimpel's time as a spy and how he became one during WWII. It tells of some of his exploits, his capture, and prison time.

I liked him. Too bad he was on the opposing side. At times I felt like I was in an action-adventure novel. Enjoyable and fascinating. ( )

As World War II was winding down Nazi Germany sent two agents on a submarine to the Maine coast, with the assignment to report on the United States atomic bomb program. Both agents, including the author Erich Gimpel, were apprehended relatively quickly and imprisoned. Gimpel had a fascinating set of unpredictable experiences in his career as a spy and he does a good job in telling the story. His dialog is a strength as is his ability to recount precise details. There are grammatical errors but these don't get in the way much because the story is so powerful. The book is narrowly focused on his experiences as a spy. It would have also been interesting for him to reflect on the morality of the Third Reich and its program of genocide. ( )

Erich Gimpel, has written a fascinating account of what it must be like to spy in an enemy country during wartime. Gimpel, who spoke almost perfect American English after having lived in the States before the war, was dropped off near Ellsworth, Maine in 1944. Eventually captured, he came close to being hanged, but was paroled in the early fifties and published this memoir in 1957.

He came close to being caught moments after his landing. It was at night and snowing. He was wearing a trench coat and carrying a suitcase with money and a radio and charged with the task of learning just how far the Americans had come to developing an atom bomb. Walking along a road, he was seen by a fifteen-year-old Boy Scout. He noted the suitcase, the lack of hat and inappropriate dress. By this time of the war everyone was blase about spies in the U.S. -- except for children. The observant young man, followed the footprints in the snow to the beach and he realized that the man he saw must have been delivered by a boat or submarine. His report to the police caused amusement so he went to the FBI who complimented him on his reporting, and in inimitable patriarchal FBI style that apparently has not changed since, sent him on his way. Gimbel was picked up by a off-duty taxi driver who swallowed his story about a car accident and drove him to Bangor. A riveting story. ( )