My Adventures as a Spy

This charming volume for younger readers, written during World War I by a British military hero, relates the basics of espionage — including disguise, passing messages, creating diversions, and other maneuvers.

Written during the first years of World War I by a British military hero, this charming volume introduces the essentials of spycraft. Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts and storyteller extraordinaire, developed his spying skills in South Africa and conducted some of his most inspired work in the Balkans, where he worked undercover as a butterfly hunter. In brief, breezy chapters, he explains how to adopt disguises, hide messages, create diversions, escape capture, and perform other thrilling maneuvers. "A good spy no matter which country he serves is of necessity a brave and valuable fellow," Baden-Powell declares. His attitude toward espionage as a sport, in which the players appreciate and honor each other, brings the emotional exhilaration of a well-played game to these tales of danger and adventure. This book will captivate anyone with an interest in spying and the history of espionage.