Hello! I am an award-winning author and translator whose work has been praised for its honesty, vulnerability, and the way it challenges notions of race and identity in society. A Lannan and NEH fellow, I find inspiration in bringing forgotten stories to light.
Sarah Valentine, PhD
“Shatters the mythology of American intelligence. With relentless research and electric storytelling, Sarah Valentine restores the erased Black cryptologists.”
―Nathalia Holt, Bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls
Decoding the Devil tells the shocking true story of four women in segregated codebreaking units in the Army’s intelligence agencies during World War II and the Cold War. Winner of the National Endowment for the Humanities Award 2025. Coming from HarperCollins on June 2, 2026.
Decoding the Devil
“A masterful explication on the nature of self and identity.”
―NPR Review
A Stunning and provocative coming-of-age story.
Valentine grew up believing that she was white like the rest of her family, but at 27, she discovered her family’s secret.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, Valentine describes an ordinary childhood in a loving family of Italian and Irish descent.