Family of Spies

A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor

De: Christine Kuehn

Narrado por: Erin Bennett

"[Narrator Erin] Bennett’s reading is never overdone; her directness neither shies away from [author Christine] Kuehn’s unpleasant revelations nor sensationalizes them...her light expression lets the dramatic details speak for themselves." — Booklist

"[Narrator Erin] Bennett's enunciation is clear and precise, and she credibly affects various accents for people of different nationalities, as well as male and female voices. Bennett's alto pitch and calm presentation are splendid for this amazing true story." — Kirkus

A propulsive, never-before-told story of one family’s shocking involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies during WWII and the pivotal role they played in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

It began with a letter from a screenwriter, asking about a story. Your family. World War II. Nazi spies. Christine Kuehn was shocked and confused. When she asked her seventy-year-old father, Eberhard, what this could possibly be about, he stalled, deflected, demurred, and then wept. He knew this day would come.

The Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, saw the rise of the Nazis as a way out of the hard times that had befallen them. When the daughter of the family, Eberhard’s sister, Ruth, met Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels at a party, the two hit it off, and they had an affair. But Ruth had a secret—she was half Jewish—and Goebbels found out. Rather than having Ruth killed, Goebbels instead sent the entire Kuehn family to Hawaii, to work as spies half a world away. There, Ruth and her parents established an intricate spy operation from their home, just a few miles down the road from Pearl Harbor, shielding Eberhard from the truth. They passed secrets to the Japanese, leading to the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. After Eberhard’s father was arrested and tried for his involvement in planning the assault, Eberhard learned the harsh truth about his family and faced a decision that would change the path of the Kuehn family forever.

Jumping back and forth between Christine discovering her family’s secret and the untold past of the spies in Germany, Japan, and Hawaii, Family of Spies is fast-paced history at its finest and will rewrite the narrative of December 7, 1941.

"[Narrator Erin] Bennett’s reading is never overdone; her directness neither shies away from [author Christine] Kuehn’s unpleasant revelations nor sensationalizes them...her light expression lets the dramatic details speak for themselves."—Booklist

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books

Reseñas de la Crítica

New York Post - "Most Exciting Books to Read This Fall"
New York Times: 21 Nonfiction Books Coming This Fall

"A brilliantly researched and dramatic story which will captivate the reader till the very end. The humanity of this story underlies the terrible acts undertaken, and a testament to the power of truth, and love, above all."
—Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

"This true tale of espionage in wartime is full of plot twists worthy of a Hollywood thriller. Christine Kuehn takes on an intriguing, sometimes startling journey into a family’s dark past—her own."
—Evan Thomas, author of Road to Surrender

"Deeply researched and evocatively written, Family of Spies is that all too rare combination of accurate history and great storytelling. An honest and unflinching exploration of the role Christine Kuehn's grandparents played in facilitating the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the book deftly weaves geopolitics, espionage and strained familial relationships into a spellbinding whole. Highly recommended."
—Stephen Harding, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Battle

"Absorbing niche history about a grandfather’s secret Nazi identity."
—Kirkus

"Taut as a spy thriller—but shockingly real—Family of Spies unearths the dark secret of an American family swept up in Nazi ambition, deception, and a covert role in one of the most devastating days in U.S. history. Christine Kuehn’s journey into her family's past will leave you stunned. This is history that haunts."
—Adam Makos, author of the New York Times bestseller, Devotion

Amazing!!!! So good.

This is a shocking book — the author is the daughter of German spies who contributed to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The bravery of her to tell her family story, and do so much research on such a painful subject is wildly impressive. It and reads like a thriller, Albeit with tragic results all around. I can’t believe she had the courage to write this.

Uncovering investigative missteps, understanding the causes and conditions that led to this family’s decisions

Loved the story and with it the authors ambivalence along the way. It could be a template for many families stories.

Well written and real.

Held in suspense by bthe true story. Well written and presented. Fascinating story. Well read

Riveting!

If you are interested in WW2 history this is a must listen! The story and narration was captivating

Astounding

Uncovering a long hidden story must have been an incredible experience for this author. Can you imagine discovering, bit by bit, that your father had hidden a family history which, once revealed, would expose the family’s connection to the devastating bombing of Pearl Harbor which began the Pacific arena of WWII? What emotions would you feel, knowing that your grandparents and aunt were Nazis who lived in Hawaii, spying for the Japanese who were planning a total destruction of the US stronghold, the entire fleet, docked at Pearl Harbor?

Christina Kuehn knew nothing of her German grandparents. She knew that her father never spoke of them. He grew up in Hawaii, and had made his own way in the world, seemingly without parents, during the time between WWI and WWII, in what would appear, to the casual observer, to be an idyllic childhood in paradise. When his daughter began unrolling the story and discovering the part her family had played in initiating WWII, she hesitated to continue, but felt compelled to research her family’s hidden connection to the bombing of the American fleet on December 7, 1941. She was connected to the “day that would live on in infamy”.

I saw Christine Kuehn in an interview on tv and became so intrigued by her story, that when I found this book, I had to read it. Now, I recommend it to you, my fellow readers, as one of the most astounding true stories I have ever read.