Antonio J. Mendez Books

From the spymaster and inspiration for the movie Argo: how a group of brilliant but under-supported CIA operatives developed breakthrough spy tactics that helped turn the tide of the Cold War Antonio Mendez and his future wife Jonna were CIA operatives working to spy on Moscow in the late 1970s, at one of the most dangerous moments in the Cold War. Soviets kept files on all foreigners, studied their patterns, and tapped their phones. Intelligence work was effectively impossible. The Soviet threat loomed larger than ever. The Moscow Rules tells the story of the intelligence breakthroughs that turned the odds in America's favor. As experts in disguise, Antonio and Jonna were instrumental in developing a series of tactics--Hollywood-inspired identity swaps, ingenious evasion techniques, and an armory of James Bond-style gadgets--that allowed CIA officers to outmaneuver the KGB. As Russia again rises in opposition to America, this remarkable story is a tribute to those who risked everything for their country, and to the ingenuity that allowed them to succeed.

From the author of Argo comes an unforgettable behind-the-scenes story of espionage in action. In the first ever memoir by a top-level operative to be authorized by the CIA, Antonio J. Mendez reveals the cunning tricks and insights that helped save hundreds from deadly situations. Adept at creating new identities for anyone, anywhere, Mendez was involved in operations all over the world, from “Wild West” adventures in East Asia to Cold War intrigue in Moscow. In 1980, he orchestrated the escape of six Americans from a hostage situation in revolutionary Tehran, Iran. This extraordinary operation inspired the movie Argo , directed by and starring Ben Affleck. The Master of Disguise gives us a privileged look at what really happens at the highest levels of international espionage: in the field, undercover, and behind closed doors.

Relates the true account of the 1979 rescue of six American hostages from the Canadian embassy in Tehran during the early days of the Iran Hostage Crisis as the result of an ingenious plan developed by CIA agent Antonio Mendez.

From the spymaster who inspired the movie Argo comes a gripping account of how a group of under-supported CIA operatives developed groundbreaking spy tactics that shifted the balance during the Cold War. In 1976, Antonio Mendez arrived in Moscow, facing one of the most perilous periods in history, where the Soviets meticulously monitored foreigners, making intelligence work nearly impossible. The Moscow Rules narrates the intelligence breakthrough that turned the tide in favor of the U.S. As Chief of Disguise and Authentication, Mendez played a crucial role in devising innovative tactics that enabled CIA officers to outsmart the KGB. These strategies ranged from elaborate identity swaps inspired by Hollywood to deception techniques and document forgery. With new guidelines and advanced gadgets from the Office of Technical Services—like miniature cameras and suitcase release body doubles—the CIA established a foothold in Moscow and executed some of the most remarkable intelligence operations ever. As contemporary America grapples with the threat of Russian disinformation, this dramatic inside story of overcoming a formidable adversary remains profoundly relevant.

Teheran, 1979. Een groep islamitische studenten en militanten gijzelt 66 Amerikanen in de VS-ambassade. Zes andere Amerikanen, die op dat moment niet in de ambassade zijn, weten onder te duiken. CIA-agent Tony Mendez bedenkt een even geniaal als complex reddingsplan: hij probeert de zes als medewerkers van de fictieve sciencefictionfilm ARGO Iran uit te krijgen. Het wordt de spectaculairste en spannendste reddingsoperatie van de CIA uit de geschiedenis.

Vylíčení jedné z nejlepších a nejnebezpečnějších akcí CIA, při které se v roce 1980 podařilo Kanaďanům dostat z obklíčené americké ambasády v Teheránu šest amerických diplomatů díky jejich perfektně vymyšlenému přestrojení za kanadské byznysmeny. Autor pracoval v CIA jako Chief of Disguise a v knize popisuje zákulisí celé CIA a těchto speciálních útvarů. Vychází z autentických materiálů CIA, které byly uvolněny před několika lety. Stejnojmenný film bude uveden do kin v listopadu 2012 s Benem Affleckem v hlavní roli.