Book Details:
Book Title: Velvalee Dickinson: The “Doll Woman” Spy by Barbara Casey
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 184 pages
Genre: True Crime / Historical / Biography
Publisher: Strategic Media Books
Release date: April 2019
Tour dates: May 27 to June 7, 2019
Content Rating: PG – Velvalee Dickinson is appropriate for all ages.
Book Description:
Velvalee Dickinson was born in Sacramento, California, graduated from Stanford University, married three times, and then in the early 1930s moved to New York City where she eventually opened her own exclusive doll shop on the prestigious Madison Avenue. It was there that she built her reputation as an expert in rare, antique, and foreign dolls. She traveled extensively around the country lecturing and exhibiting her dolls while building a wealthy clientele that included Hollywood stars, members of high society, politicians, and other collectors.
When medical bills started to accumulate because of her husband’s poor health and business started to fail with the onset of World War II, she accepted the role as a spy for the Imperial Japanese Government. By hiding coded messages in her correspondence about dolls, she was able to pass on to her Japanese contacts critical military information about the US warships. After surveilling Velvalee for over a year, the FBI arrested her and charged her with espionage and violation of censorship laws. She became the first American woman to face the death penalty on charges of spying for a wartime enemy.
Velvalee Dickinson: The “Doll Woman” Spy is a carefully researched glimpse into the “Doll Woman’s” life as a collector of dolls, and as the highest paid American woman who spied for the Imperial Japanese Government during World War II.
Velvalee Dickinson: The “doll Woman” Spy by Barbara Casey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
I simply adore history, and this book has it all. A well-documented WWII espionage story I had never heard before, pictures, and just an unbelievable tale that if it were not absolutely, verifiably true, I would never believe it. This is a time when the old adage holds true: Truth is stranger than fiction!
This book is one of the most readable books on history I have ever read. The writing is straightforward, and the style is direct and entertaining. I have never read anything by this author, but if this is indicative of her work, I’m sold. I look forward to the day when Hollywood snatches this story up for a blockbuster movie. This is a story that needs to be told, and as it unravels, the reader cannot help but marvel that this actually happened.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who has a fascination with history and especially WWII.
Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. Her nonfiction book, Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave, is under contract for a major film. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency.
Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2018 Barbara received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three pets who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Reese, a black cat; and Earl Gray, a gray cat and Reese’s best friend.
Connect with the author: Website
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19 Comments
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Debbi, I hope you get a chance to read my book. Thanks for stopping by.
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Cynthia, I agree. To read about individuals and their lives from the past helps to bring into focus how we live today. I appreciate your comment.
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Christian,
The amazing thing to me was learning that so few people have ever heard of Velvalee Dickinson. Yet she played such a critical role during World War II. Thank you for your comment.
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Sarah,
I am glad you stopped by. Good luck with the contest.
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Looks like an interesting book.
Thanks for the contest. -
I like history stuff like this!
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Reading individual stories helps bring history alive. This story sounds fascinating.
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I am very intrigued!
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Thank you for your comment, Sunnymay. The thought behind the cover design was to somehow present Velvalee as a conflicted person. She never did admit that she had been a spy for the Imperial Japanese Government. It was almost like she was in denial.
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Spies are pretty intriguing, so one with a doll is even more so. The cover looks disjointed with the photo torn and the dolls surrounding it. This story looks like a good read that might keep the reader up at night.
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I am so glad you like the cover, Gwendolyn. The background color reminds me of an antique satin and fits the theme of antique dolls which Velvalee collected.
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Thank you for following my tour, Rita.
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Susan, the dolls incorporated into the cover were part of Velvalee’s original doll collection. I am glad you like it.
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Thank you, Becky, for stopping by.
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Ruth, I certainly appreciate your review and kind words about my latest book. Velvalee was such an interesting woman. She was a lover of dolls, but yet used that love to spy against the United States. I am so glad you enjoyed my book about her. All best to you and your bloggers.
~ Barbara
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I enjoyed the book description.
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Sounds like a great read, I like the cover.
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Sounds like a great book.
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I like the cover
