“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
Book reviews and media mentions
“Who’s That Indie Author? Lillian McCloy” – Book Club Mom. A book blogger and career librarian’s Q&A with Lillian McCloy
“13 Book Recommendations to Read During Quarantine: Books to Read While Staying At Home” – Online Daily 24
“Motherhood and the CIA: One Woman’s Incredible Memoir.” – Bookstr
Excerpt: “The McCloy family had to adapt to everyday life – but in the strangest of circumstances. As Lillian depicts the delicate balance between normalcy and the extraordinary, her humor and wit shine throughout, bringing such a wild story down to earth with a deeply-embedded sense of human nature.”
“Living and Surviving ‘Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant'”– BOOMER Magazine
Excerpt: ” . . . 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.”
“Under deep cover in the CIA during the Cold War.” – Berkeleyside. Book review written by Mal Warwick, a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the Northern California Book Reviewers and chair of the board of directors of the Bay Area Book Festival.
Excerpt: “It’s charming, often troubling, and sometimes hilarious and is altogether a fascinating read.”
“Woman Fulfills Mom’s Wish by Getting Her Book Published for Her 90th Birthday” – Your Daily Dish
Excerpt: “‘I thought it would be a worthy challenge, but more importantly, a valuable gift to my mother and a way to finally share our family’s story publicly,’ McCloy told Your Daily Dish.”
Claremont-Elmwood Social magazine features a two-page article about Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant. The April, 2020 issue was sent to homeowners in Berkeley and Oakland.
Book Review: Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant. – Story Circle
Excerpt: “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!”
Book Review: Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant – Expat Focus
Excerpt: “Lillian McCloy is a talented writer . . . her story is absolutely fascinating . . . a particularly exciting read . . . definitely recommended!”
Author Lillian McCloy received this California Legislature Certificate of Recognition at the conclusion of a book event and reading of Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant.
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“Rad Women, Deep Cover, and a Filipino Folktale,” – Alameda Magazine
Excerpt: “McCloy uses her humor, wit, and resolve deftly to keep a healthy perspective on just what she has gotten herself into.”
“The 80s, Espionage, & Editing” – Story Geometry podcast. Host Ben Hess talks to Lillian McCloy (author) and Johanna McCloy (editor/daughter) about Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant