Hello! I am an award-winning author and translator whose work has been praised for its honesty, vulnerability, and the way it challenges received notions of race and identity in society. A former Lannan Fellow, I find inspiration in bringing forgotten stories to light.
Sarah Valentine, PhD
Books by Sarah
―Liza Mundy, author of Code of Girls and The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA
“I am excited about this project. It is long overdue.”
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 in 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.