Other women came to the Agency not to start their careers but to round them out. Leftovers from the OSS, where they’d been legends during the war, they’d become relics relegated to the typing pool or the records department or some desk in some corner with nothing to do.”
-- Typists (Prologue: “The Typists”)

Importance: The tone of this quote showcases the resentful tone of the typists and their belief in workplace gender bias. The women of the typing pool are brave, intelligent trailblazers. They graduated from esteemed colleges and universities, and some served their country well in World War II, but they are all barred at an entry-level position by their male superiors. Mentioned in the quotes, these women worked for The Office of Strategic Services, the precursor of the Central Intelligence Agency. The typists acknowledge they were “legends” while their contributions were necessary for overall success. After the war, though, the typists...