This startling, intimate portrait of a group of previously unknown Americans offers unprecedented insight into the clandestine world. In a narrative spanning seven decades, award-winning author Toby Harnden reveals the exploits of the thirty-nine recipients of the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Cross, a classified and remarkably rare award for valor.

The 39 is the product of four years of relentless investigation to determine the identities of the thirty-nine men and women, their life stories, and the thrilling details of their spying missions and combat experiences in secret CIA operations across the globe. It establishes Toby Harnden as one of the foremost contemporary chroniclers and historians of the CIA.

What these thirty-nine unsung heroes had in common, Harnden finds, is a steadfast belief in enduring American ideals—they served their country in the shadows, never expecting reward or recognition, and some remain in the CIA today. They come from every background and every corner of the United States, and three were born as foreigners. Their bravery took place in China, Cuba, Vietnam, Bolivia, Greece, Lebanon, Iran, Zaire, Pakistan, Kenya, Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.

Combining the skill of a meticulous historian and the verve of an intrepid foreign correspondent, Harnden connects the thirty-nine in a kaleidoscopic narrative stretching from World War II to the post-9/11 era. He spoke with more than a hundred serving and former CIA officers, sifted clues from archives, diaries, and letters, met with families, and traveled to three continents. The result is a rich, compelling account of CIA operatives at the tip of the spear.