Argo

July 16, 2012
Tied to the October release of the political thriller film Argo (starring Ben Affleck as Mendez), this is a fast-paced account of a 1979 rescue operation during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979–1981. Iranian militants entered the American Embassy in Tehran and held dozens of Americans hostage for 444 days. Six diplomats managed to escape and fled to the Canadian ambassador’s home, avoiding discovery and possible execution by militants for two months. After a recap of the hostage situation at the American embassy, the narrative follows the six step-by-step as they moved through several hideout locations. CIA operative Mendez (Spy Dust), in charge of creating and maintaining myriad false identities and disguises for the CIA, relates, with the aid of journalist Baglio (The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcism), how he concocted a clever but risky plan to get the six Americans safely out of the country. Posing as a film producer, he set out to disguise the six as a Hollywood production crew scouting locations for a fake science fiction movie titled Argo: “It’s like Buck Rogers in the desert.” Details of this dangerous operation inject strong suspense and excitement into the closing chapters. Agent: Christy Fletcher.

August 15, 2012
A real-life tale of intrigue and deception from a former CIA agent. When the U.S. embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979, a small group of American employees escaped from an outlying building and took to the streets in an attempt to evade capture. Mendez (Spy Dust: Two Masters of Disguise Reveal the Tools and Operations that Helped Win the Cold War, 2002, etc.) was the CIA man who got them out of the country without being discovered. With the assistance of Baglio (The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist, 2009), he tells the story of the exfiltration from beginning to end. Though no one knew about the escapees in the immediate aftermath of the hostage crisis, Mendez was actively involved in drafting a plan to free the hostages. He gives an overview of the situation from the moment students entered the embassy grounds. With plenty of background information on how the CIA practices its deception, Mendez leaves no guesswork for readers. The difficulty of operations in hostile territory is clear, as is the work that goes into disguises. Occasionally, the story slows--real spies spend much more time in the office than fictional ones--but the writing remains fresh and engaging. The Hollywood portions of the book are peppered with recognizable names and unexpected spycraft, but they are a smaller part of the narrative than the subtitle indicates. While the eventual ending is no surprise, the journey is always enjoyable. A solid choice for fans of thrillers and international intrigue.

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2012

In 1979, after Iranian militants stormed the American Embassy, creating a hostage situation that lasted 444 days, six Americans escaped. Then a CIA agent, Mendez arranged for their rescue by bringing in a bunch of Hollywood types, ostensibly to scout locations for a film they dubbed Argo but in fact to smuggle out the escapees. Yes, a real film about the rescue is forthcoming.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2012
Beyond the drama of the 444-day ordeal of the American hostages held in the U.S. embassy in Iran that began in November 1979 is the little-known fact that six escaped to safety in the Canadian embassy. The six were smuggled out of Iran by a team of CIA operatives led by Mendez, who had been with the CIA 14 years, working in its disguise section. Mendez provides historical context for the hostage drama; the alliance between Iran and the U.S., aided by the CIA; and the revolution that brought down the shah of Iran. He details the art of misdirection used in espionage, in this case his disguise as a Hollywood producer scouting for locations for a fake sf movie called Argo. With the aid of CIA operatives, foreign agents, and Hollywood special-effects artists, Mendez led the intriguing mission to smuggle the six embassy staffers out of Iran. This is an amazing and dramatic story of intrigue and deception set against the backdrop of international tension.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)