Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History

Having already saw the film Argo last year, I was quite interested to read this book. While the movie was a great piece of film making and certainly deserved the accolades it received, this book tells the more factual version of the story.In the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution, anti-Americanism ran high. This was because the United States was friendly with the Shah, who ruled Iran autocratically for decades before being ousted from power in the revolution. In November 1979, Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took dozens of hostages. Six diplomats managed to escape. They eventually found themselves under the care of the Canadian embassy and especially the ambassador, Ken Taylor. However, they appeared to be stuck in Iran with no safe way to leave.Thus enters Antonio "Tony" Mendez, an agent of the Central Intelligence Agency. Him and others at the CIA realized that something had to be done to help these six individuals. Eventually, they started to concoct several schemes, involving false identities, they could be used to exfiltrate them. The one Mendez was adamant about was a plan for the six to pose as Canadian film makers that were sent to Iran as a scouting party for a fictitious science fiction film called "Argo."Great care was taken to make the story as believable as possible. Mendez had friends in Hollywood that helped put the scheme together such as a fake script and even a fake studio office staffed by people ready to answer phone calls. Also, the Canadian government was very generous in assisting the CIA in its operation such as providing Canadian passports and other documents to make it appear that the six American diplomats were really Canadian citizens.Mendez and another CIA guy traveled to Iran in January 1980 to pull off the operation. It was up to Mendez to convince the six that this was their best bet to getting out of Iran safely. Despite a few nervous moments, they made their way to the airport and on a commercial flight to Europe.While the CIA and the Department of State would have preferred to keep the whole thing secret, even attempting to prevent the six from returning to the United States until the hostage crisis was over, the story eventually leaked out. However, all the credit went to Canada and Ken Taylor with very few knowing about the extent of the CIA's involvement. Americans were extremely, and rightfully, grateful for what Canada did and Taylor was hailed as a hero. The full story would not begin to be revealed until 1997 when the CIA authorized Mendez to be open about it.I found this to be an excellent book describing the operation and the ordeal of the six diplomats. If you saw the movie and enjoyed it, I would recommend reading this book to understand the full and factual version of the events. And even if you never saw the movie, I would still recommend this book for those interested in a great story about the CIA operation.

This is a great story, in part because it really happened...no embellishments as far as I can tell. Then one must wonder why so much fictionalized drama was added to the film adaptation of the same name. Given what really happened, the film's dramatic elements weren't really needed as there was plenty of drama already. The history in the beginning never went overboard and puts the reader in a perfect position to understand why things in Iran happened as they did. While no one reading this could ever come even close to condoning the actions of the hostage takers and the government that supported them, their motives, twisted and wrong as those might be, are understood. In my opinion, that lends credibility to anyone's opinion, so anyone who reads this and says something against the Hostage Crisis, I would respect, and agree, with their point of view. Of course, my favorite part was when the mission itself got underway. Being from Germany myself, I especially enjoyed the references to the local locations that Tony Mendez visited while he was there. I also really enjoyed the anecdotal stories that Mendez included from other missions, such as "Raptar" and his "souvenir gift" for the CIA and "Nestor" and his Cuban cigar. Those were great little nuggets scattered throughout this fascinating tale. I still stand behind my review of  Argo  (entitled "Not Quite Accurate"), but Former President Jimmy Carter said it best when he stated that it was a "great drama" and added that it deserved to win an Oscar for best Picture while noting that although "90 percent of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian, the film gives almost full credit to the American CIA. With that exception, the movie's very good." Carter finished this statement by saying that "the main hero, in my opinion, was Ken Taylor, who was the Canadian ambassador who orchestrated the entire process." In my opinion, Former President Jimmy Carter is right. I'm not sure if it's out there, but I would love to read Ken Taylor's account of this entire saga. I imagine it'd be just as good, if not a bit better, than this. I did like how the book showed how "ahead of the game" and "on the ball" Canada was with things like the passports and the process that ultimately allowed the CIA to obtain the fake driver's licenses for the six escapees made me laugh out loud (in a good way...go Canada!) Ultimately, I'd recommend both the book and the film as both are great. Then again, this is just a great story to begin with, so I'm sure that helped a lot. And finally, I leave you with one final piece of great news: this audio book is not abridged as far as I can tell...YEA! Enjoy. Oh, and thank you, Canada!

It is strange to read of things, now history that have happened in my lifetime. Found this bit of history compelling reading though. The attention to detail in planning and executing this mission is breathtaking and although I knew the outcome, found the actual extraction of the house guests riveting reading. It only got four stars because there is a little bit to much self appreciation (in my view) from Mendez. I look forward to seeing the film

Although not exciting till towards the end , this is a detailed account of an amazing rescue situation in a hostile country. A bit slow and documentry style writing to start, but gradually hots up to the climax of the rescue, putting the reader on "The edge of your Seat". Now a film, recommend you read the book, you will enjoy a bit of recent history not widely known until now.

A real "from the horse's mouth" account of a major CIA operation, although the style is fairly pedestrian. Somehow the tension never builds, but in a way that makes it more believable. Here is a small team going about their business in a measured way, and that is how the account comes across. I guess knowing the outcome doesn't help!

Having heard the reviews of the film of the same name, I was disappointed in the ponderous rate of storytelling. Whilst I understand that some aspects of the operation are still classified, too much was left to the reader's imagination. There were far too many holes left unexplained that needed imaginative filling-in on my part.

This was a fantastic book, I was hooked from the minute I picked it up until the second it ended. This book had everything in it that you expect from a hollywood style spy film, the best parts however were the fact that it was all true and the author even included the mundane everydayness of the spy world. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an insiders guide to the spy world!