Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant: Undercover & Overwhelmed as a CIA Wife and Mother
Imagine being married to a spy. Imagine keeping the big secret and moving your family from country to country to country. How does it all work? In this entertaining memoir, Lillian McCloy shares stories from her life as the wife of an undercover CIA officer. It's an eye-opening and often humorous tale about the CIA, marriage, family, secrets, friendships, international adventures, and the meaning of home.
"A charming and unusual portrait of the secret life." - JOHN LE CARRE´, author of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
"Lillian McCloy reveals the intrigue, danger, and humor of clandestine life in her thoroughly entertaining account of a CIA family's nomadic lifestyle. Few living in the U.S. will ever encounter the unique trials and tribulations of the McCloy family, but what a fascinating read it is!" - ALAN B. TRABUE, CIA (Ret.), author of A Life of Lies and Spies
"If you're married to a spy, the always fraught arena of a relationship turns into a positive minefield. What does that all-night absence mean? What can you begin to say to the kids? Lillian McCloy gives us the story of a life spent around secret intelligence that is funny and charming and in every wonderful sense, deeply spooky." - PICO IYER, author of Video Night in Kathmandu and The Art of Stillness
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Lillian McCloy (nee Sveinson) was born in Canada. She was a paralegal and a big band jazz singer before marrying Frank in 1959. She currently resides in the U.S. and travels as little as possible.
Johanna McCloy is a published writer and editor, as well as an actor with starring and guest starring roles in theatre, television, and film. She grew up internationally, living in Spain, India, Japan, and Venezuela before getting her B.A. in International Comparative Studies and Anthropology from Duke University.
"It's charming, often troubling, and sometimes hilarious, and it's altogether a fascinating read." -Berkeleyside
"Six Lengths Behind An Elephant was endorsed by John le Carré as 'A charming and unusual portrait of the secret life.' He was spot on." - Studies in Intelligence (a CIA publication)
" . . . while the tale reveals the complexity and challenges of a spy family's lifestyle, McCloy tells it with generous doses of humor and candor. Indeed, throughout the memoir, McCloy shares a multitude of odd, eye-opening and incredible tales with inimitable wit and fortitude." -BOOMER Magazine
"Lillian McCloy is a talented writer . . . her story is absolutely fascinating . . . a particularly exciting read . . . definitely recommended!" - Expat Focus
"McCloy is a brilliant storyteller, sharing honest emotions without becoming sentimental. Her husband's new assignments required learning to live in new and diverse cultures and often created palpable tension. Sometimes I had to remind myself this is not a novel, it's Lillian's life. Wow!" - Story Circle Book Reviews
"The blend of humor, practical information, and country-hopping adventure maintains a fast pace, bringing many thought-provoking moments. Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant should be welcomed by readers interested in overseas adventures, the realities of a spy's family, and how families adapt to living in foreign countries." - Midwest Book Review
