Author Guide · Narrative Nonfiction
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Elizebeth Smith Friedman was one of the greatest code breakers of the twentieth century: she cracked the codes of rum-runners during Prohibition and hunted Nazi spies in South America during the Second World War. But the FBI took the credit, her work was classified, and she was almost forgotten. Jason Fagone, a journalist, found her papers and her declassified war records and told her story. Before that he had written about competitive eaters and about a race to build a car that could do a hundred miles on a gallon. This guide covers all three of his books in order.
By Lisanne Swart · 3 books · Narrative nonfiction · 2006–2017 · Updated October 2026
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Quick answer
Jason Fagone has published three books: Horsemen of the Esophagus (2006), about competitive eating; Ingenious (2013), about the race to build a super-efficient car; and The Woman Who Smashed Codes (2017), about the code breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman, an NPR best book of the year.
Where to Start with Jason Fagone
If you want the famous one
→ The Woman Who Smashed Codes (2017).
If you want something lighter
→ Horsemen of the Esophagus (2006).
All 3 Jason Fagone Books, in Order
Horsemen of the Esophagus
A year inside the world of competitive eating, its stars and what it says about American appetites.
Ingenious
Teams competing for the Progressive Automotive X Prize to build a car capable of 100 miles per gallon.
The Woman Who Smashed Codes
The life of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, who with her husband William helped invent modern American cryptology, broke the codes of smugglers and exposed Nazi spy networks. NPR named it one of the best books of 2017.
How Many Books Did Jason Fagone Write?
Three books between 2006 and 2017.
- History — The Woman Who Smashed Codes (2017). Read the entries →
- Subcultures — Horsemen of the Esophagus and Ingenious. Read the entries →
In What Order to Read Jason Fagone
His books are very different; The Woman Who Smashed Codes is the essential one.
A reading path
1. The Woman Who Smashed Codes (2017)
2. Ingenious (2013)
Quick facts about Jason Fagone
- Works for
- The San Francisco Chronicle, investigative stories
- Film
- His HuffPost article became the 2022 film Jerry & Marge Go Large
- Books
- 3, from 2006 to 2017
How Jason Fagone Writes: Recovering Lost Lives
Fagone builds his books from archives and documents, as with the Friedmans' letters and declassified war records.
He writes about obsessive people with warmth, whether they are code breakers, inventors or competitive eaters.
Frequently asked questions about Jason Fagone's books
How many books has Jason Fagone written?
Jason Fagone has published three books: Horsemen of the Esophagus (2006), Ingenious (2013) and The Woman Who Smashed Codes (2017).
Who was Elizebeth Smith Friedman?
She was an American code breaker who broke smugglers' codes and helped expose Nazi spies, and is the subject of The Woman Who Smashed Codes.
Footnotes
Bibliography last verified 1 October 2026.
This list was not put together by a machine.
The notes are all mine,
and the books are all his.
Lisanne x
Written by Lisanne Swart, who has curated reading lists and author guides at lisanneswart.com since 2021.
See more on her personal bookshelf.
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