Tim weiner has won the pulitzer prize and the national book award for reporting and writing on national security. 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. The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in childhood and how this experience. The master of disguise my secret life in the cia book. Antonio tony mendez, a former cia technical operations officer who helped rescue six u. 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. 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. Cia disguise master whose iran escape inspired ben afflecks 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. Dec 21, 2018 buy master disguise pb reprint by antonio j mendez isbn. Jonna mendez is onehalf of a legendary espionage power couple. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the master of disguise. Tony truly was an action oriented person and his operational career was certainly not representative of authentication officers. He takes credit for creating and deploying many of the most innovative techniques in the espionage trade.
Adept at creating new identities for anyone, anywhere, mendez was involved in operations all. Be the first to ask a question about the master of disguise. Tony mendez, also a cia officer, while assigned to bangkok. The cold war spy and cia master of disguise writing the. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Tony and his wife, jonna hiestand mendez, both had held the title of chief of disguise at the cia, she succeeding him. Former cia chief of disguise mendez was an awardwinning spy yes, they have awards.
His cia memoir is rich with detail about operations, tradecraft, and the personal impact of living in a universe of lies, ruses, and manipulations. His tradecraft for the cia was not a tale of derringdo, but one of illusion and disguise, at which he was. 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. The mendezs have written four books, the moscow rules, argo, spy dust, and the master of disguise, which are currently available on this site. 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. 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. My secret life in the cia and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle.
Tony mendez, the argo spy who rescued americans in iran. To all the members of our families who also served the cause. 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. He earned the cias intelligence medal of merit and was. The retired, highly decorated chief of disguise for the cia highlights his adventurous 25year career. 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. 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 audio books, best sellers, author bio audible. My secret life in the cia 1999, with malcolm mcconnell, a memoir of his cia experiences. I was saddened to learn through the book of the death of karen mendez. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the 6. The reason i am already dressed and ready to leave is that i am inexplicably anxious. Two masters of disguise reveal the tools and operations that helped win the. From the author of argo comes an unforgettable behindthescenes story of espionage in action.
The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in childhood and how this experience helped him become one of the cias. Former cia operative explains how spies use disguises wired. Jonna mendez is going to present her newest and tony mendez last book, the moscow rules. To his friends, he was a softspoken, nondescript bureaucrat working for the department of defense. From the author of argo comes an unforgettable behind the scenes story of espionage in action. 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 book san francisco public library. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in. Antonio tony mendez, former cia officer portrayed in argo. 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. Oct, 2009 from the author of argo comes an unforgettable behind the scenes story of espionage in action. Apr 05, 2015 mendez has written three nonfiction books.
Jonna hiestand goeser met her future second husband, tony mendez, also a cia officer, while assigned to bangkok. Mendez is not modest about his considerable accomplishments. It was a blind ad in a newspaper that caught tony mendezs eye in 1965. My secret life in the cia ebook written by antonio j.
Books for all ages new members save 20% off jigsaw puzzles for all ages. Meet the cias disguise artists who helped cold war spies. The master of disguise, site of tony and jonna mendez, former cia intelligence officers with 52 years of combined service. Tony and jonna mendez are former cia intelligence officers with 52 years of. Retired, still in their 50s, they lived in rustic bliss deep in the blue. My secret life in the cia 2000, with malcolm mcconnell. Navy civilians did not identify the employer, but it carried the whiff of. She and her husband, tony, met as american spies in the soviet union and took turns as the cias chief of disguise. 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. The secret cia tactics that helped america win the cold war. The master of disguise is, in fact, a master of deception, and mendezs true stories of his cia operations are inspiring lessons in illusion.
He has since written four books, including the memoir master of disguise. 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. In a real wilderness of mirrors mendez used elaborate covert operations to defeat hostile surveillance. Mendez gives an interesting behindthescenes look at what it is like to work for the cia. 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 1999, memoir of his cia experiences15 spy dust. Tony mendez and his partner in the iran operation each received the cias intelligence star award. Following mendez s retirement in 1990, they married in 1991.
Jan 21, 2019 it was a blind ad in a newspaper that caught tony mendezs eye in 1965. Mendez reveals the cunning tricks and insights that helped save hundreds from deadly situations. 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. The book provides a comprehensive history of tony mendezs background in childhood and how this experience helped him become one of the cias most. Following mendezs retirement in 1990, they married in 1991. 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.
He published his first book, the master of disguise, in november 1999. Jan 30, 2019 but tony mendez, who died this week at the age of 78, was definitely a oneoff. 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. I am already dressed for the speaking engagement i am attending tonight. Tony mendez, cia master of disguise who was the real argo. Nevada man details his years as master of disguise for the. But tony mendez, who died this week at the age of 78, was definitely a oneoff. It should not be a surprise that mendez is something of an amateur magician.
How the cia and hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history. Portrayed by ben affleck in the film, mendez was a 25year veteran of the spy. The story of the daring and inventive escape he orchestrated within. Antonio joseph mendez november 15, 1940 january 19, 2019 was an american technical. Tony mendez is a retired cia officer who worked undercover for 25. She and her husband, tony, met as american spies in the soviet.
Working as a chief of disguise, mendez and his workers helped secret agents remain secret through disguises and false documents, according to his book. My secret life in the cia, was published by william morrow in november 1999 on the tenth anniversary of the wall. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The reality behind the cloakanddagger work of cia work is revealed by tony mendez in this book. 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. Review of master of disguise, studies in intelligence v. The master of disguise my secret life in the cia antonio j. 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. Antonio mendez is, and presents, the real deal when it comes to life in the clandestine services. For both reasons, i was delighted to discover the master of disguise. He is an awardwinning painter and the author of the master of disguise. The master of disguise gives us a privileged look at what really happens at the highest levels of.
Tony continued to work for the cia, eventually retiring in 1990 after 25 years of service. Mendez was the mastermind of the operation to free american embassy personnel trapped in iran as seen in the movie argo. Argo movie true story meet the real tony mendez and the. 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. And the remainder of this book vetted by the agency is, in one sense, a justification of that claim. The story of the daring and inventive escape he orchestrated within an enemy state ended up in an oscarwinning film. My secret life in the cia by antonio j mendez online at alibris. Learn more about the moscow rules, the most recent of their four books. Former cia operative explains how spies use disguises. Portrayed by ben affleck in the film, mendez was a 25year veteran of the spy agency who was in the business of geopolitical. In september 2002 he published his second book with his wife jonna. 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. The books author and excia agent, antonio mendez, also wrote argo, which. Cias former chief of disguise jonna mendez on how to hide.
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