Lipstick Brigade: The Untold True Story of Washington's World War II Government Girls

Lipstick Brigade tells the dynamic, inspiring—and until now, untold—story of Washington’s World War II “Government Girls,” recruited from every corner of the nation to staff the offices of America’s central command post. Sometimes called white-collar Rosie the Riveters, this clerical corps over 100,000 strong became federal stenographers, typists, code breakers, analysts, and spies. Filled with firsthand accounts and extensive primary research, Lipstick Brigade brings World War II-era Washington to life. Despite its romanticized image, the nation’s wartime capital was gritty, carnal, frustrating, and sometimes deadly. From Sister Carrie to Carrie Bradshaw, the adventures of young, single women working in the big city have captured the public’s imagination. Lipstick Brigade explores the captivating, surprising, and often moving stories of how these real-life adventurers confronted the challenges of war and transformed the usually sedate capital into a rollicking boomtown.

Cindy Gueli is an author and media professional who worked as a consultant on Showtime's The Untold History of The United States, a reporter and producer for Associated Press Television News, VH1, and A&E, and host of the web series "Scandalous Washington." Dr. Gueli has written and lectured widely on American social, cultural, and pop culture history. She received a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a master's degree in Communications and master's and doctorate degrees in History from American University. For more about Dr. Gueli and Washington's Lipstick Brigade go to thelipstickbrigade.com and on Twitter @historybyte.