Wise Gals: the Spies who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt

HerKentucky Whiskey Glass Rating: 🥃🥃🥃🥃

Publisher’s synopsis: In the wake of World War II, four agents were critical in helping build a new organization that we now know as the CIA. Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier, called the “wise gals” by their male colleagues because of their sharp sense of humor and even quicker intelligence, were not the stereotypical femme fatale of spy novels. They were smart, courageous, and groundbreaking agents at the top of their class, instrumental in both developing innovative tools for intelligence gathering—and insisting (in their own unique ways) that they receive the credit and pay their expertise deserved.

Throughout the Cold War era, each woman had a vital role to play on the international stage. Adelaide rose through the ranks, developing new cryptosystems that advanced how spies communicate with each other. Mary worked overseas in Europe and Asia, building partnerships and allegiances that would last decades. Elizabeth would risk her life in the Middle East in order to gain intelligence on deadly Soviet weaponry. Eloise would wield influence on scientific and technical operations worldwide, ultimately exposing global terrorism threats. Through their friendship and shared sense of purpose, they rose to positions of power and were able to make real change in a traditionally “male, pale, and Yale” organization—but not without some tragic losses and real heartache along the way.

Meticulously researched and beautifully told, Holt uses firsthand interviews with past and present officials and declassified government documents to uncover the stories of these four inspirational women. Wise Gals sheds a light on the untold history of the women whose daring foreign intrigues, domestic persistence, and fighting spirit have been and continue to be instrumental to our country’s security.

HerKentucky Review: Wise Gals is a fascinating and painstakingly researched history of the women of the OSS and, later, the CIA. Ms. Holt details the stories of these agents’ lives of espionage and service while detailing their struggle for equality within the agency. It’s a fascinating look at how a core group of female agents impacted the future of the CIA and, ultimately, the history of our nation.

Wise Gals is impressive in its scope, spanning from the 1930s to the 1980s, and telling the stories of four groundbreaking women. Due to the nature of these women’s work, it is necessary to quickly recap major world events. At times, the narrative becomes lost in details of complex situations like the Cuban Missile Crisis or the Iraqi Revolution. At times, the author tends to refer to players who are never again referenced or to end a paragraph with a thread of foreshadowing that seems a little too neatly tied. In all, this was a very enjoyable and informative work that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys 20th century history, stories of boot-on-the-ground second wave feminists, or stories of espionage.

Purchase Wise Gals on Amazon or Bookshop.org.

Please note that I received an Advanced Review Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of this work. This review contains affiliate links; I will receive a small commission for purchases made through the links in this post. This commission does not impact the purchase price of the item.

Just a Few Miles South by Ouita Michel

HerKentucky Whiskey Glass Rating: 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃

Publisher’s synopsis: For twenty years, diners in the Bluegrass have been able to satisfy their cravings for Ouita Michel's sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine at her many acclaimed restaurants. Each restaurant—from Wallace Station to Holly Hill Inn—features dishes that combine Kentucky's bounty with Michel's celebrated vision. Diners can enjoy traditional southern staples like buttermilk biscuits, country ham, and Po-Boy sandwiches, or opt for unique variations on international favorites and American classics. Now, readers around the country can experience what makes Ouita Michel a culinary and cultural treasure.

Just a Few Miles South serves up the recipes that patrons of Michel's restaurants have come to know and love, including the Bluegrass Benedict breakfast sandwich, Ouita's Sardou Panini, Wallace Station's Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup, and Honeywood's Hoecake Burger. Some dishes offer creative twists on classics, like the Inside Out Hot Brown, the Wallace Cubano, or the Bourbon Banh Mi. Throughout, the chefs responsible for these delicious creations share the rich traditions and stories behind the recipes. When you can't get down to your favorite place, this book will help you bring home the aroma, the flavors, and the love of fresh foods made with locally sourced ingredients—and share it all with friends and family.

HerKentucky review: A few years ago, I attended a media event preceding the opening of Chef Ouita Michel’s Honeywood restaurant in Lexington. I’d met Chef Ouita a few times prior to that event, and had interviewed her fairly recently. We stood around talking for a few minutes as the camera crews and various blogger and media folks set up. Then, Ouita noticed my hands. “Those are kitchen burns,” she said worriedly. “I would recognize them anywhere.” Here was a multiple James Beard Award nominee and owner of 7 Central Kentucky restaurants, less concerned about the news cameras in her new restaurant than in asking about my kitchen mishap. I laughingly told the story of an ill-fated lasagna I’d battled with years earlier in Nashville. I also went from considering myself quite fond of Ouita’s restaurants to being a Ouita Michel fan for life. Ouita, as any Kentucky grandmother would say, is good people.

If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Chef Ouita Michel, whom most of us consider The Queen of Kentucky Food, you’ll find her to be one of the kindest, funniest and loveliest people ever. Her food is insanely good and she doesn’t shy away from a stiff bourbon pour. But, most importantly, she loves Kentucky — our food, our land, and our people. In the twenty years since Ouita and her husband, Chris, opened their first restaurant, Midway’s Holly Hill Inn, their restaurants have become synonymous with local, seasonal Kentucky food. She was one of the key people who helped attract Bravo’s “Top Chef” competition to film a season in Kentucky. She works tirelessly to promote fellow chefs and to improve the community around her. She uses her knowledge and talents to promote the study of Appalachian culture and foodways — she even made dumplin’s at a fancy NYC James Beard House dinner!

Chef Ouita’s first cookbook, Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes from Our Favorite Places, recently released by University of Kentucky Press, reflects the Southern-style comfort food served in her restaurants. The po’ boy sandwiches from Windy Corner Market are included, as are the hoecake burgers from Honeywood and the bourbon cheese dip and Weisenberger Mills cheese grits from Holly Hill Inn. If you’ve enjoyed a dish at one of Ouita’s restaurants, odds are that they’re included in her cookbook!

Just a Few Miles South demonstrates Chef Ouita and her staff’s commitment to fresh Kentucky food and authentic local recipes. It’s a great gift for anyone who enjoys Southern and Appalachian cuisine, an expatriated Kentuckian, or anyone who, like me, always looks forward to dining at one of Ouita’s restaurants. It would make a fabulous Mother’s Day, graduation, or wedding gift when bundled with a bottle of Woodford Reserve (Ouita is also chef-in-residence at Woodford Reserve Distillery!) Trust me, it’s a gift any Kentuckian would love!

Purchase Just a Few Miles South on Amazon or Bookshop.org.

I was given an advance review copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own. This review contains affiliate links; I will receive a small commission for purchases made through the links in this post. This commission does not impact the purchase price of the item.

Nashville: Scenes from the New American South by Heidi Ross and Ann Patchett

HerKentucky Whiskey Glass Rating: 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃

Publisher’s synopsis: A dynamic, experiential, and intimate portrait that explores the many sides of the legendary Southern city and country music capital, from award-winning writers Ann Patchett, Jon Meacham, and acclaimed photographer Heidi Ross.

Nashville is a creative collaboration that awakens the senses, providing a virtual immersion in this unique American city hailed as the Athens of the South. Patchett, Ross, and Meacham in his introduction, at once capture both the city’s iconic historical side—its deep, rich Southern roots, from its food and festivals to its famous venues, recording studios, and style—and its edgier, highly vibrant creative side, which has made it a modern cultural mecca increasingly populated by established and upcoming artists in art, film, and music.

Nashville celebrates Nashvillians’ beloved locales and events, both established and new, that are the heart of the city’s character including:

• Bobbie’s Dairy Dip

• Broadway

• Cumberland River

• Buchanan Arts District

• Bolton’s Chicken and Fish

• Dino’s

• East Nashville Tomato Arts Festival

• Germantown

• The Gulch

• Grand Ole Opry

• Pie Town (SoBro)

• Pride Festival

• Prince’s Hot Chicken

• Schermerhorn Symphony Center

• Stanley Cup Playoffs

• Tennessee Performing Arts Center

• Tennessee State Fair

• Third Man Records

• WXNA Independent Radio

Here, too, are engaging vignettes spotlighting the diverse talent that makes the Tennessee city a significant cultural incubator and influencer, including singer-songwriters Marty Stuart, Gillian Welsh, and Dave Rawlings; film director Harmony Korine, textile designer Andra Eggleston, country music fashion designer to the stars Manuel, chef Margot McCormack, acclaimed pastry chef Lisa Donovan, and model and musician Karen Elson.

Blending exceptional narrative, evocative photography—including 175 black-and-white and color photographs—and a bold graphic design, Nashville is an intimate, textured panorama that brilliantly illuminates one of America’s most remarkable treasures.

HerKentucky review: Nashville is my very favorite city. I loved living there. I visit as often as I can. It just sparks the creative process for me in a way that no other place can. It’s the perfect mix of small-town and big-city. Trends arrive there about a year after they hit Brooklyn, and a good 18 months before they make it to Louisville — just in time for me to have a firm opinion on them!

Because I love Nashville so very much, i spent a good chunk of last autumn waiting for the release of Nashville: Scenes from the New American South by Heidi Ross and Ann Patchett. Of course, I waited to purchase it from Parnassus Books, author Ann Patchett’s bookstore, on my annual Christmas shopping trip to the Music City. I wanted a signed copy, of course, and I never pass up an opportunity to visit Parnassus.

If you love any aspect of Nashville — the music scene, the meat and threes, the history, or anything else — then you’ll love this coffee table book. The foreword by journalist/Presidential biographer Jon Meacham touches on the city’s role in the civil rights movement, popular culture, and Southern life. Ann Patchett’s accompanying essay intersperses these themes with her own experiences of growing up in 1960s Nashville. While I never miss a chance to read what either of these folks have to say, the true star of this work is the stunning visual spread of Heidi Ross’s photographs. You’ll see everything you love about Nashville in this work. The Nashville I love — the Pancake Pantry line, musicians like Margo Price and Sturgill Simpson, the iconic hot chicken restaurants — is well-represented. So are everyday sights like high school cheerleaders and street musicians, art galleries and parks, diners and farmers’ markets. It’s a gorgeous reminder that Nashville is far more than the Disney-like strip of celebrity-inspired bars and bachelorette parties offered on SoBro. If you love Nashville, you’ll love this book.

Purchase Nashville: Scenes from the New American South on Amazon or Bookshop.org.

This review contains affiliate links; I will receive a small commission for purchases made through the links in this post. This commission does not impact the purchase price of the item.