Book Review: Code Name Puritan: Norman Holmes Pearson at the Nexus of Poetry, Espionage, and American Power

Military History |

Author: Greg Barnhisel

| Reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, chaplain, US Army War College Class of 2010
  ©2025 Wylie W. Johnson
 
In this riveting biography, Greg Barnhisel uncovers the extraordinary life of Norman Holmes Pearson—a Yale professor, literary tastemaker, and covert intelligence officer. Seamlessly blending poetry, espionage, and Cold War politics, Code Name Puritan reveals how Pearson helped shape both American cultural identity and national security strategy. From championing modernist women poets to dismantling Nazi spy networks, Pearson’s story is a fascinating portrait of influence at the intersection of intellect and power.
 

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Keywords: Office of Strategic Services; counterespionage; World War II; Puritan; disability; Yale University