The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA – The First CIA-Authorized Memoir of International Espionage Operations

by Antonio J. Mendez

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Espionage, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't an action-packed spy thriller featuring ruthless agents breaking all the rules. This is about a guy who wanted to eat & be an artist, but found an opportunity with the CIA & rose through the ranks impressively. He spent 25 years mostly forging documents, identities, & working out disguises so other agents could do the job, but he did have quite a few hours in the field as well.

There was some repetition due his meticulous handling of every subject, definitely great fodder for any spy-thriller novelists. Forged papers & identities - legends - aren't whipped up at the spur of the moment. The amount of tedious preparation, sometimes in primitive conditions, was incredible. The skills needed were mind blowing. He discusses slicing open an envelope & then gluing the threads back together until the glue job was invisible! I can't imagine doing detail work like that, sometimes for 18 hours at a time under threat of discovery.

Perhaps the best part was to hear an insider's account of some of the milestones of recent history. He discusses Argo (but never mentions Zelazny or Lord of Light by name) the fall of the Berlin Wall (the very end of his career), & several traitors. He doesn't excuse Iran-Contra or other boondoogles, but it's pretty easy to see that the CIA has done some great work as well as made some great goofs. They're also hampered by politics & news coverage. He doesn't blame either, but does mention a couple of times when both certainly put extra pressure on those in the field.

I'm glad I listened to this. I would have skimmed a lot if I'd read it in print. Still, it's well worth getting through the entire book. I don't think I'll read Argo: How the CIA & Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History, since it was covered well enough for me in this book, but I might read another of his books. Spy Dust: Two Masters of Disguise Reveal the Tools & Operations That Helped Win the Cold War & Gathering Info: Getting the Scoop by Using Your Wits both look interesting because they're co-authored by his second wife, who worked with him in the CIA.

[Robert Bidinotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I was researching the CIA background for my debut thriller, HUNTER, I devoured a host of books written by former Agency officers. My goal was to try to get a sense of the reality of their day-to-day lives and activities. And because aliases and disguises play such an important role in my novel, I was especially eager to learn as much as possible about that aspect of spycraft.

For both reasons, I was delighted to discover The Master of Disguise. Antonio Mendez is, and presents, the real deal when it comes to life in the clandestine services. His CIA memoir is rich with detail about operations, tradecraft, and the personal impact of living in a universe of lies, ruses, and manipulations. I profited greatly from reading this book -- both as a writer, and as a citizen who acquired a greater appreciation for the brave, dedicated men and women who often must put their lives on the line to defend our nation.

With the hit movie "Argo" now paying tribute to his greatest covert-ops triumph -- his daring rescue of six desperate American citizens from the heart of post-revolutionary Iran -- I'm delighted that Mr. Mendez is now receiving the public acclaim that he never sought, but has richly deserved. Thank you, sir, for your service to America. And thank you for this wonderful book.

[Terry Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Mendez's book 'Argo' a few years ago, which was about his mission to extract six hidden American embassy workers during the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979. This book does have a chapter on that, and covers his initial employment with the CIA, incudes operations up to his retirement at the fall of East Germany and the Soviet Union. Maybe not as edge of your seat as a Vince Flynn or Tom Clancy novel, but this is the real stuff. Formulating disguises, forging documents, and basically becoming a chameleon. Seems like our intelligence services today rely too much on the world of cyberspace, and not enough intel from the ground. Have times changed that much? Hopefully twenty years from now, some ex-spook will tell us some of his/her stories.

Entertaining stories for anyone interested in this genre--historic or fiction.

[Jenny GB · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after seeing the movie Argo and becoming intrigued to hear the real story behind the mission to help the six embassy workers get home from Iran. Mendez in this book takes you through his early life and the parts about his career in the CIA that he can reveal. It's not an action packed spy novel, but it's better than that because the is talking about real operations and real things that officers did in their daily work. Mendez primarily worked with disguises and exfiltration during his years with the CIA. Even though the Iran situation takes up about 60 pages of the book, the other stories were quite interesting, too. I found this to be a fascinating piece of insight into the pre-911 CIA and how it conducted some of its work. The one down side is that Mendez clearly wanted to boast at least a little about the awards that he won (despite him saying otherwise), although even with the little information he can disclose it seems clear that his awards were highly deserved.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book's author (and ex-CIA agent), Antonio Mendez, also wrote Argo, which was/is, IMHO, just a better book. I'd say more, but I'm on a frantic book logging catch-up scramble, so, for now, I'll leave it at that.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! The reality behind the cloak-and-dagger work of CIA work is revealed by Tony Mendez in this book. I found it to be VERY fascinating, and worth reading. How the 6 US diplomats escaped from Iran when the American Embassy was taken over is explained in this book. How informants are managed and extracted from various countries is also explained. Have you read "The Hunt for Red October"? Well, it seems that Tom Clancy must have known some real details, because it meshes and matches with what Mendez speaks about.

The most fascinating aspect of the book to me is that Mendez had a friend in the movie makeup / special effects industry. Mendez asked for some disguise help from his Hollywood friend, and then the Hollywood friend used some of the techniques in subsequent movies! The real name of the Hollywood friend is not supplied, but it would be fascinating to know and then watch the movies.

Of course not all the details are shared or spelled out in detail, and many of the disguise methods are still classified. But to read about the CIA during the 70's and 80's is worth the time with this book.

I find myself wanting to read "Agent Zigzag" again, as I remember how the British spy handlers managed Eddie Chapman. Even though there is always the "gadget" aspect of this kind of work, the one-on-one human work is also important and critical.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book. Parts of it were very intriguing, while other parts could get boring.
It was cool to learn about CIA tradecraft, but also takes some of the mystique away. Not so many James Bond stories, but still some interesting things they did.

[Spencer Belyea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting and captivating intelligence memoir from a very well-known CIA operative. Tony Mendez may be best known for his rescue of the six American diplomats from Iran (as seen in Argo), but his career was full of innovation, daring, and tricky operations, all involving disguises, document forgery, and deception. Whether it was creating alternate identities to exfiltrate an agent from a hostile country or creating disguises so CIA officers could shake surveillance in hostile territory, Mendez played a significant role in developing these ingenious and intricate techniques, and he recounts them all here in detail. (At least, as much detail as allowed by secrecy requirements.) He also blends in his life story, and how he got to the CIA is a very interesting journey. Not a difficult book to read, but an interesting one. Highly recommended for any intelligence buffs, or people who like captivating stories.

[Yaaresse · Rating 2 out of 5]

One has to expect a good amount of hyper-patriotism and bellicose from a career CIA officer. They likely don't hire people willing to entertain the notion that their employer might just have an agenda that isn't pure as the driven snow. I was hoping for more "Argo" style stories and less "we're always right and have never, ever done anything even remotely immoral."

[Ann Garth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Prior to reading it I would have expected this book to be a little biased, but I did not anticipate just how jingoistic it would be. Did you know the CIA was a paragon of virtue throughout the Cold War and never did anything morally wrong??

[Mike Worley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

[Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.5 ***

this is quite a nice book, as much as a memoir or an autobiography can be, it's not really full of action and intrigue or suspense and tension like a fiction spy book, but it's nonetheless quite entertaining

the author is a retired CIA operative, that reached over the years the equivalent of the rank of colonel or even close to a general, if compared with the army ranking system, as such he had the chance to see a lot and to take up a special seat with a great view in his career to some events that took place in fact in our recent history

is covering the cold war era, from 1965 all the way to 1990 and even a bit more, so, if you have some interest in some significant events that happened during this period, you may find this book quite interesting

I know I did and it was time well spent on my end

[Arwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit boring at parts, but overall, very interesting. The actual processes that go into operations is much more than I thought it'd be.

[Steven Yenzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun "behind-the-scenes" account of CIA operations, mostly during the Cold War. It's "fun" because Méndez carefully avoids most of the CIA's most heinous history in favor of rollicking spy tales. I enjoyed The Master of Disguise with eyes wide open to Méndez's bias.

[Jeff Clausen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Within the limits set by the CIA, he writes of cool disguises and spy tradecraft. This book is best when it’s a first-person account of his adventures on the job in exotic locations, with code-named foreign agents working for the US. When it gets to the expositions of how and why his occupation works, it can be a bit dry but necessary. And the most famous of his tales, the extrication of 6 diplomats from Iran using the Argo movie scam, gets only a few pages.

[Jennifer Dwight · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an interesting and very biased narrative from behind the scenes at the C.I.A., of its development of operations, techniques, and thinking during Mendez's 25 year career (ending in 1990). There is a lot of description of the Cold War and the attitudes within U.S. Government, without much accountability for many horrific events which are conveniently omitted - such as the C.I.A.'s involvement - on U.S. soil - of the development and testing of chemical and biological agents on U.S. citizens without their consent from the 1960s into the 1980s. Mendez is obviously proud of his creative involvement, ability to navigate the power structure, and his rise through the ranks. This book is his effort to tell the world about it - under the guise of explaining to readers what it is the C.I.A. "actually does" with our taxpayer dollars. I was not won over, by a long shot. The sugar coating is so thick as to not be palatable. The justifications for C.I.A. operations on U.S. soil, expressly prohibited in its charter, are pathetic. The book would have been more effective if Mendez spent less time blowing his own horn and preaching the party line. But then again, the C.I.A. has always been about distorting perceptions and doing the U.S.'s dirtiest work. There is just no way to put lipstick on that pig.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, because of the author’s position as a forger and disguise-master, he didn’t get the plum assignments. No tales of break-ins or derring-do here, but rather hours spent behind a magnifying glass creating documents. The most exciting cases here involve ex-filtrating spies and others from behind unfriendly territory. This usually involves making a mask for them and walking through an airport. In fact, there’s about 3 tales of making masks and walking through airports … and the author can’t tell you the details of the masking technique, because it’s secret.

I can’t help but think that any CIA spook who did see REAL adventure couldn’t tell about it anyway because it would be classified. So this is the best we’ll get. I’ll stick with John LeCarre.

EDIT: In retrospect, this book is more interesting than I thought at the time I wrote the review above. The book is about real CIA work, not fictional heroism. The author Mendez is the subject of the film "Argo", as well.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. There’s a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ books regarding American intelligence but this is one of the few that’s agency sanctioned. Antonio Mendez is a CIA lifer who has worked in Southeast Asia and Russia during the Cold War including working with a woman who has her own small exhibit at The Spy Museum.

I definitely liked it and parts of it were very difficult to put down. However, parts of it very dry and dragged. If you already have an interest in spying and intelligence, this is definitely worth the read. Mendez has lead a fascinating life but it doesn’t come across as enthralling as it should in print.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mendez is in the news again because of the part he played in smuggling six U.S. diplomats out of Iran in early 1980, but don't read this book merely to get that story. Read it because Mendez manages to write 300 pages of fascinating stories without revealing any trade secrets, keeping the suspense up while juggling your curiosity with his pledge to protect classified material. This is a Cold War memoir, one that captures the spirit and attitudes of those times. A true tale well told.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative on the world of espionage.

The reason why I don't read much crime or spy novels is because I know it isn't like that. I admit, it is cool, but it's something I'm very sensitive in. Anyway, while. do know that the US Department of Defence has taken out every classified piece in this book, it truly does give a meaning to what "CIA officer" means, and he's not a man who wears custom tailored suits who shoot guns like they're vigilantes.

[J.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing the movie Argo this is really interesting. At first I thought I'd only be into the Argo section, but the lead up to it was very important to understand aspects of the situation and the movie. Somethings that were detailed but were not explicitly explained are much more understandable after having read this.

I do think movie first and then this book.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after watching Argo, and it was interesting to hear about this and several cold war operations from the man who lived it. Surprisingly candid and relatable. Action buffs may be disappointed by the lack of certain story details that relate to still-classified agency tactics, but that's a small price to pay for a peek inside life as a CIA officer,

[Samadrita]

Didn't particularly like Argo. But....I'm intrigued.

[Ann Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story. Author is the character played by Ben Affleck in the movie Argo. A real behind the scenes reselling of events.

[Misanthropic · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book manages to turn a fascinating subject into a boring "report". There are too many repetitions, unnecessary details (eg., a chalk sign on a pole in front to a movie theater, close to a bakery, and so on), and a lot of acronyms that are unexplained eg. (SDI), or explained too late to make sense. The editing is incompetent, or lacking altogether (grammar errors, spelling such as the country name "Rumania" instead of "Romania", "head quarters" rather than "headquarters", and many more). I trudged through the 800+ pages hoping to find nuggets of interesting information, but this novel ended up being a waste of time. The whole book is a biased rendering of a handful of situations from the author's self-aggrandizing perspective, when in fact luck was a more important factor, and presents only the good of the CIA. The author pats himself on the back shamelessly, ending by stating he had an important role in the fall of Communism, which is a slap in the face of countless millions who died bringing the Iron curtain down from the INSIDE. History students know that the Iron curtain was the creation of Stalin, Churchill, and FDR at the Yalta conference (codenamed "Argonaut") where Europe was divided as the spoils of war.
The CIA has no merit in the fall of communism. Mendez claims that CIA opened the eyes of oppressed people under the communist regime to the riches of the West; that is absolutely untrue. Gorbachev's perestroika is in fact what brought a few liberties to the oppressed Eastern Europeans, and allowed the media to show the opportunities offered by the West. Also, by 1998, Russians became weak and poor, so they could no longer sustain the "empire" they had been allotted at Yalta. They could no longer intervene to squash the uprising in neighboring countries, like they did decades previously in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. When the Berlin Wall fell, the satellite communist countries saw an opportunity to push for a change in regime. This did not occur everywhere as peacefully as in Germany; the Romanian revolution, for example, was bloody, and its success is only due to the sacrifice of desperate Romanians, not the CIA.

[Rams Kick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Master of Disguise is a book that feels better than it actually is. While reading it I generally enjoyed it but the more I thought about it the less I liked it. The main reason for this disconnect is that upon reflection I’m not totally sure what it’s supposed to be simply because it’s not great at anything I can think of. Is it an inside look at intelligence operations during the Cold War? Kind of, except so much of what was used was still classified at the time of its writing, meaning so many details have to be left out. Is it a guy telling stories about his time in the CIA? You could say that, except it’s written in an extremely professional, dry manner that makes it hard to appreciate. Is it a memoir of a genuinely interesting guy who lived a fascinating life? Sort of, we only get bits and pieces about who Mendez is outside of the CIA and even then heavy periods of his CIA life are glossed over. As such it’s hard to really praise it when I can’t put my finger on what exactly I’d be praising it for.


There’s also the fact that this is a weird book to talk about simply because of what it is and when it was written: an insider account on American espionage during the Cold War published in 1999. As such, it’s a book that feels like a victory lap as America had defeated its greatest enemy two years before the nation’s collective conscience was completely shaken. Does that make this book an effective time capsule? Once again I can’t really say it’s that either because the book doesn’t evoke the feelings of the late 90s.


All that said, this book is a fun ride at points. It’s at its best when giving these little microdetails about certain declassified techniques. If the book was all that then it would be great. As such it’s really not that and for that reason I can’t really recommend it, even to someone who is interested in this topic.

[Elliott De · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became friends with Miguel Mendez in 2006. He is the son of the late CIA agent Tony Mendez and stepson to CIA agent Jonna Mendez. His uncle was United States Army Medal of Honor winner Roy Benavidez. Miguel’s call sign was red fox.
Over the course of our friendship I was made aware of who Miguel is and was told about his parents job and how potentially unsafe they are because of their history at the agency. I was told a small detail of agents watch over members of the family, including Miguel. I was made to feel part of a team that included 3 sisters (M, Tara, and Tara’s twin sister Taryn, as well as David). Since that time I’ve been consistently monitored by the CIA agents that watch Miguel. I was told that I would always have someone monitoring me.

Since July 2018, I’ve been trying to get ahold of someone at the CIA who can help me. I finally got ahold of jamesdl2@ucia.gov in November 2018 and emailed him for 2 months. His phone number is (703) 222-4063.

I was told on specific occasions not to return home until I received a call saying my house was clear, and on one occasion that a WASP (surveillance device) had picked up movement in my home. I was never asked or told that such a device would be watching me.
Does my house still have anything in it? Am I safe? The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) CFAA criminalizes unauthorized access to a computer or computer network, and the Wiretap Act prohibits use of a tool to intercept calls, texts or emails. Why was the CIA illegally monitoring me?

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Master of Disguise is one of many books by Tony Mendez about his life in the CIA. This one tries to summarize his entire time with the CIA. It is a fun book to read as Mendez goes through his evolution to being a master at his craft. You realize that being a spy is not just fun and games, but is deadly serious. The reason for the deception is to be kept alive. These people and you assume the United States as well, played for keeps.

Mendez writes this book to record some of the successes of the CIA which he participated in. He says it is not self-glorification, but he is the central character. So do not expect a CIA expose. Enjoy the read and enjoy the talents which Mendez shows.

For more of my thoughts, please see my book blog.

[Stephanie R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of this book passed me by, since it was about historical events that happened before I was born and which I am not very familiar with. I did enjoy the parts I understood, like how Mendez describes making fake passports and cachets (stamps) and forging documents with his art skills. Or how there's a class at the CIA about how to secretly open an envelope. I also liked reading about him helping exfiltrate people out of Russia and other dangerous countries, with the help of disguises. It also describes the Argo mission, where he exfiltrates 6 American diplomats out of Iran by pretending that they are working on a movie. I remember hearing there was a movie about this (called Argo), but I didn't see it so this was all news to me.

[Susan Olesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it as research for something I was writing. Not exactly what I was hoping, but still very interesting, and helped explain some of the history I lived through but never really was able to figure out.

Mendez, an artist by trade, winds up working as an artist for the CIA, painstakingly recreating documents for spies and operatives. As he gets better at his craft, he winds up creating methods for rapidly disguising people on the run, selling the persona enough to fool the wary KGB and Iranian nationalists. Failure, of course, is death. He'd worked in places like Laos and Vietnam, Moscow, and was part of the team that became the movie Argo.

Not the details I was after, but really fascinating nonetheless.