The Secrets We Kept follows the parallel stories of three women – two CIA typists-turned-spies and a literary muse in Soviet Russia. Lara Prescott's debut novel traces the real-life tale of the Cold War-era CIA operation that led to not only the publication of Doctor Zhivago, but also its proliferation around the world. This mission was grounded in the belief that art has the power to shape culture and politics, a theme that resonates today.

Lara Prescott received her MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas. She was previously an animal protection advocate and a political campaign operative. Her stories have appeared in The Southern Review, The Hudson Review, Crazyhorse, Day One and Tin House Flash Fridays. She won the 2016 Crazyhorse Fiction Prize for the first chapter of The Secrets We Kept. She lives in Austin, Texas.​

Check out this interview with Lara Prescott and learn more about The Secrets We Kept.

Which character did you identify with?  Did you learn something about the Cold War and spies?  Were you aware that the novel Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak was used as an anti-Soviet propaganda?  Discuss all these questions and more when you attend any of our book discussions facilitated by library staff.

Register for any of the following discussions and you will receive an email, one day prior to the discussion, with a link to participate on Zoom.