Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the. He is an awardwinning painter and the author of the master of disguise. Tony and jonna mendez are former cia intelligence officers with 52 years of. How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history. She and her husband, tony, met as american spies in the soviet. The reason i am already dressed and ready to leave is that i am inexplicably anxious. Cia disguise master whose iran escape inspired ben afflecks argo. He is an awardwinning painter and the author of the master of disguise and spy dust, which he cowrote with his wife jonna mendez, also a retired intelligence officer. Antonio mendez is, and presents, the real deal while i was researching the cia background for my debut thriller, hunter, i devoured a host of books written by former agency officers. Jan 21, 2019 it was a blind ad in a newspaper that caught tony mendezs eye in 1965. To the leaders of the cia, he was their master of disguisean undisputed genius who could create an entirely new identity for anybody, anywhere, anytime.
Following mendez s retirement in 1990, they married in 1991. The master of disguise my secret life in the cia antonio j. Former cia operative explains how spies use disguises. The cold war spy and cia master of disguise writing the. Portrayed by ben affleck in the film, mendez was a 25year veteran of the spy. His most recent book is argo, which tells the story of the operation he ran to rescue six americans hiding in the canadian embassy in tehran during the hostage crisis. Apr 05, 2015 mendez has written three nonfiction books. Jun 05, 2019 mendez also discussed her marriage to tony mendez, a celebrated former cia officer and master of disguise who was famously portrayed in the oscarwinning film argo. My secret life in the cia, chronicles the cloak and dagger operations antonio and his fellow spooks mounted against the russians, the east german stasi and other enemies during the cold war. In addition to writing the master of disguise, mendez and his wife jonna completed another book entitled spy dust chronicling their intelligence exploits in moscow during the last years of the cold war and their budding romance which ended in marriage after mendez retired in 1990.
Here, given unique permission by that agency to write about his career, he offers an entertaining and actionfilled, though restrained, memoir of his cold war clandestine service, emphasizing the gritty, complicated realities of intelligence work. The last thing he and his wife jonna mendez did was get their new book to the publisher and he died feeling he had completed. The master of disguise gives us a privileged look at what really happens at the highest levels of. He earned the cias intelligence medal of merit and was. The master of disguise is, in fact, a master of deception, and mendezs true stories of his cia operations are inspiring lessons in illusion. For those who are scratching their heads at why jonna and tony have the same last name, its because they were married for 28 years. Jonna mendez is onehalf of a legendary espionage power couple. These books are highly recommended reading for new recruits in the us intelligence community, and are part of the curriculum at universities and in the intelligence community. The master of disguise my secret life in the cia book. Tony mendez and his partner in the iran operation each received the cias intelligence star award. Jan 30, 2019 but tony mendez, who died this week at the age of 78, was definitely a oneoff. Nevada man details his years as master of disguise for the.
She and her husband, tony, met as american spies in the soviet union and took turns as the cias chief of disguise. It should not be a surprise that mendez is something of an amateur magician. And the remainder of this book vetted by the agency is, in one sense, a justification of that claim. Mendez gives an interesting behindthescenes look at what it is like to work for the cia. Following mendezs retirement in 1990, they married in 1991. Mendez audio books, best sellers, author bio audible. Since his mid20s, antonio tony mendez has protected the united states with his cunning wits and master skills of disguise for the central intelligence agency. Tony mendez, also a cia officer, while assigned to bangkok. My secret life in the cia ebook written by antonio j. Review of master of disguise, studies in intelligence v. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the 6. The secret cia tactics that helped america win the cold war.
Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in. The story of the daring and inventive escape he orchestrated within an enemy state ended up in an oscarwinning film. Antonio joseph mendez november 15, 1940 january 19, 2019 was an american technical operations officer for the central intelligence agency cia, who specialized in support of clandestine and covert cia operations. Antonio joseph mendez november 15, 1940 january 19, 2019 was an american technical. These books are highly recommended reading for new recruits in the us intelligence community, and are part of the curriculum at. My secret life in the cia and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. Former chief of disguise for the cia, jonna mendez, explains how disguises are used in the cia, and what aspects to the deception make for an. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online the master of disguise tony mendez pdf. The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in childhood and how this experience helped him become one of the cias most. A forgery artist and master of disguise for the cia, tony mendez once transformed a black agent and an asian diplomat into a pair of white business executives, using masks that gave them an. In the first ever memoir by a toplevel operative to be authorized by the cia, antonio j. Dec 21, 2018 buy master disguise pb reprint by antonio j mendez isbn. Portrayed by ben affleck in the film, mendez was a 25year veteran of the spy agency who was in the business of geopolitical. Antonio tony mendez, a former cia technical operations officer who helped rescue six u.
The master of disguise, site of tony and jonna mendez, former cia intelligence officers with 52 years of combined service. The story of the daring and inventive escape he orchestrated within. Jan 21, 2019 working as a chief of disguise, mendez and his workers helped secret agents remain secret through disguises and false documents, according to his book the master of disguise. Be the first to ask a question about the master of disguise. From the author of argo comes an unforgettable behindthescenes story of espionage in action. Jun 27, 2008 the jazz is never more dangerous, the potential melodies never sweeter, than the operations and deceptions outlined in antonio mendezs remarkable book, the master of disguise. Books for all ages new members save 20% off jigsaw puzzles for all ages. Malcolm mcconnell tony mendez, a toplevel operative in the cia, tells about his experiences as a master of disguises who helped hundreds of people escape potentially fatal situations. The jazz is never more dangerous, the potential melodies never sweeter, than the operations and deceptions outlined in antonio mendezs remarkable book, the master of disguise.
It was a blind ad in a newspaper that caught tony mendezs eye in 1965. In a real wilderness of mirrors mendez used elaborate covert operations to defeat hostile surveillance. Tony continued to work for the cia, eventually retiring in 1990 after 25 years of service. To all the members of our families who also served the cause.
Jonna mendez is going to present her newest and tony mendez last book, the moscow rules. My secret life in the cia 1999, memoir of his cia experiences15 spy dust. Tony mendez is a retired cia officer who worked undercover for 25. Tim weiner has won the pulitzer prize and the national book award for reporting and writing on national security. He takes credit for creating and deploying many of the most innovative techniques in the espionage trade. The mendez s have written four books, the moscow rules, argo, spy dust, and the master of disguise, which are currently available on this site. Jan 19, 2019 a forgery artist and master of disguise for the cia, tony mendez once transformed a black agent and an asian diplomat into a pair of white business executives, using masks that gave them an.
Navy civilians did not identify the employer, but it carried the whiff of. Learn more about the moscow rules, the most recent of their four books. In september 2002 he published his second book with his wife jonna. Adept at creating new identities for anyone, anywhere, mendez was involved in operations all. He published his first book, the master of disguise, in november 1999. The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in childhood and how this experience. Jonna hiestand goeser met her future second husband, tony mendez, also a cia officer, while assigned to bangkok. My secret life in the cia 9780060957919 by mendez, antonio j and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Former cia operative explains how spies use disguises wired. Antonio mendez is, and presents, the real deal when it comes to life in the clandestine services. From the author of argo comes an unforgettable behind the scenes story of espionage in action. Oct 22, 2018 former chief of disguise for the cia, jonna mendez, explains how disguises are used in the cia, and what aspects to the deception make for an effective disguise. My secret life in the cia 1999, with malcolm mcconnell, a memoir of his cia experiences.
Mendez is not modest about his considerable accomplishments. The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in childhood and how this experience helped him become one of the cias most successful agents. A former chief of disguise with 27 years in the cia, she discusses her latest book coauthored with her husband tony mendez, her experience in the cia, and her. Mendez also discussed her marriage to tony mendez, a celebrated former cia officer and master of disguise who was famously portrayed in the oscarwinning film. This book was a fascinating look behind the scenes of the cia in the 60s through 80s, a world of dead drops, micro dots, double agents, secret codes, fake passports, etc. The master of disguise book san francisco public library. Retired, still in their 50s, they lived in rustic bliss deep in the blue. For both reasons, i was delighted to discover the master of disguise.
His cia memoir is rich with detail about operations, tradecraft, and the personal impact of living in a universe of lies, ruses, and manipulations. The retired, highly decorated chief of disguise for the cia highlights his adventurous 25year career. I was saddened to learn through the book of the death of karen mendez. Tony mendez, cia master of disguise who was the real argo. Tony mendez is a retired cia officer who worked undercover for 25 years, participating in some of the most important operations of the cold war. My secret life in the cia 2000, with malcolm mcconnell. My secret life in the cia, was published by william morrow in november 1999 on the tenth anniversary of the wall. To his friends, he was a softspoken, nondescript bureaucrat working for the department of defense. Meet the cias disguise artists who helped cold war spies. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in argo. The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in childhood and how this experience helped him become one of the cias. Mendez reveals the cunning tricks and insights that helped save hundreds from deadly situations. His tradecraft for the cia was not a tale of derringdo, but one of illusion and disguise, at which he was. The books author and excia agent, antonio mendez, also wrote argo, which.
Former cia chief of disguise mendez was an awardwinning spy yes, they have awards. Two masters of disguise reveal the tools and operations that helped win the. My secret life in the cia by antonio j mendez online at alibris. Working as a chief of disguise, mendez and his workers helped secret agents remain secret through disguises and false documents, according to his book. But tony mendez, who died this week at the age of 78, was definitely a oneoff. Cias former chief of disguise jonna mendez on how to hide. He has since written four books, including the memoir master of disguise. I am already dressed for the speaking engagement i am attending tonight. Tony mendez, the argo spy who rescued americans in iran. Tony truly was an action oriented person and his operational career was certainly not representative of authentication officers. The reality behind the cloakanddagger work of cia work is revealed by tony mendez in this book. Oct, 2009 from the author of argo comes an unforgettable behind the scenes story of espionage in action. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the master of disguise.
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