Books Between Bites is held in the large Founders Room at Batavia Public Library
10 S. Batavia Avenue, Batavia, IL Noon - 1 PM
Third Thursday/month (except as noted)
September thru May Reservations NOT required
At the end of each presentation, there is always time
for Q&A and discussion.
Thursday
February 20, 2025
Vivien Lasken
The Woman Who Smashed Codes
by Jason Fagone
Elizebeth Smith Friedman was a pioneer in code-breaking and one of the nation’s foremost cryptanalysts. She took down smuggling syndicates during Prohibition, broke enigma codes in WWII, and caught Nazi spies in South America. She and her husband, William Friedman, practically invented their field overnight. Learn about her start at the fabulous Geneva estate of Colonel George Fabyan, the eccentric millionaire, and how her research led to the start of the NSA. Vivien Lasken is director of the Fabyan Villa Museum and Japanese Garden.
