Customer Reviews

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

The world knew that Canada helped 6 Americans escape from Iran after the American embassy in Iran was overrun, but not how it was accomplished. President Clinton finally declassified the mission and Antonio Mendez has written a book telling the story behind this story. The book is written well, in a clear fashion which explains to a reader how the embassy was stormed and why it had not been shut down. It even answers questions that might occur on how these clandestine operations are run, the problems, and the amazing minutia that is required to be covered.

If you see the movie Argo, this book will go in to some amazing and interesting details that the movie does not cover. It is good that Mendez gives some background on his craft - how agents are able to exfiltrate men and women from situations and countries where their lives are in danger.
There is also excellent insight to the mindset and the thinking of both the Iranian militants and the Americans, both the hostages and the U.S. government officials. The recounting of other similar exfiltrations lets the reader know what difficulties are faced by these operations. To compound matters in Argo, were the extreme conditions in Iran at the time. The step by step elements that went into this rescue of the 6 Americans that had been able to get out of the embassy are breathtaking. The escape in the book is not as dramatic as that which is presented in the movie, but is still an amazing feat.
There are good descriptions of Carter's failed rescue mission and the subsequent actions and events of Iran.

This is indeed a fascinating account and would be of interest to those who wish to learn more about recent history and a remarkable and disturbing time in history.

I read the book and saw the movie. Tony Mendez is a true life "James Bond". What was fascinating was how ordinary Mr. Mendez makes himself sound like -a wife and kids in the suburbs, an art studio etc. However, after reading the book, you realize how extraordinary he is. Think about how dangerous it was for an American CIA agent to go into Iran at that time or any time since then. In fact in was more dangerous than going into Moscow during the Cold War. In Moscow, you would likely be thrown out of the country but not kiled. In the the movie you see Ben Affleck take off his wedding ring before he goes. The book explains that if you were caught, you wanted your captors to think you were single. Imagine the implications. At the same time the sheer audacity of the cover story was something that you wouldn't believe could come out of a government agency. The movie over dramatizes the events that occur to make it a more interesting story; but what makes this caper so successful in reality was how boring it really was. The elaborate Hollywood backstory was necessary both in case the Iranians checked, but also to sell a sceptical White House on trying it and then to sell the hidden Americans that they could actually pull it off. Part of the message here is that disguise is more than makeup, it is the attitude to support it and the backstory was necessary to make people believe it was real. In many ways this was a true "Mission Impossible" mission in the spirit of the TV series. The intersection between Hollywood and the spy world was also amazing. While there wasn't as much action as there would be in a movie ( or in the movie Argo) the reality was every bit as dangerous and what distinguishes a true professional is pulling off without triggering any suspicion. The cooperation of the Canadians was also extraordinary. They actually held a secret session of parliament to allow the Americans to use false Canadian pasports (but only for the 6 refugee Americans, Mr. Mendez as a CiA agent had to supply his own fake Canadian passport). It is details like this that make this book so interesting for me.

After enjoying this first rate thriller,you can conclude the following.First, dealing with IRAN is a fools errand.Second we have incredible people who work at the CIA like Mr. Mendez and his staff, who risk their lives for all of us.Third- thank you Canada. Fourth i wish Mr. Mendez can share with all us the other stories of the CIA like this audacious one portrayed in this excellent book.Plenty of details and great characterizations of the people involved, that will keep you reading to the finish.

On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants took over the American embassy in Iran. The Americans inside the embassy when the takeover occurred were held hostage for 444 days. The drawn-out crisis made President Jimmy Carter look weak, and he lost the next presidential election to Ronald Reagan.

A dozen or so Americans managed to exit the embassy during the siege. Most were captured and brought back, but six ended up on the run. Eventually, they were sheltered by Canadian diplomats in their homes for weeks of boredom from nothing to do and terror at the risk of being discovered.

Antonio Mendez and others at the CIA created an outlandish scheme to explain why the six were in Iran and as cover to get them out. Even in the midst of a military crisis, Hollywood rolls on, and Hollywood execs are crazy enough to visit war-torn countries seeking places to film. Using a script for a science fiction movie project that had fallen through a few months earlier, the CIA created the elusion of a production company scouting locations in Iran.

The logistics of such an operation seem overwhelming. The book is thorough without bogging down. Without getting lost, I understood the incredible amount of coordination and attention to detail that was required. One of the parts that struck me had to do with acquiring Canadian passports. The six Americans were to pose as Canadians, and Mendez expected getting permission from Canada to create fake Canadian passports to be a major obstacle. Instead, on arriving in the office of a Canadian official, he and a colleague were astonished to discover that the Canadians had already done the background work necessary to make that happen.

Canada emerges from this book as a true friend of the United States, something that is always true but taken for granted by most Americans. The Canadian assistance provided in Iran was incredibly dangerous for the individuals and for diplomatic relations.

Some of the information in Argo is recently declassified. The text is not always politically correct - one of the Americans in hiding is described as having "a small-town librarian's wholesomeness," for example - but this is a nonfiction book that reads like fiction. The movie version is playing in theaters now. It is an excellent movie, but it has been a bit "Hollywooded" up. If you enjoyed the movie and want to learn more about what really happened, check out the book. I recommend Argo for anyone with an interest in the Middle East, American history, and spy thrillers. This is the real thing.

This is an excellent historical recount of the rescue of six American hostages during the 1979 takeover of the American Embassy in Iran. If you are willing to accept the book as just that, an historical account and not a spell-binding, seat of the pants thriller, you won't be disappointed. For me however, the book dragged along for seemingly forever while describing other CIA operations and operatives that were unrelated to the story. Literally, only the last 30 pages or so truly address operation "Argo."

Antonio Mendez has lived a fascinating life but this episode must be one of the stranger parts of it. For readers interested in spy stories, international politics or hollywood, this has something for you. Well told and filled with fascinating details of the history of US and Iran, it's weirdly (and sadly) still totally relevant. Worth reading!

Argo is a book we need as Americans to read as it will make all proud as well as entertain. I was in college at the time of the Iran hostage crisis. While in my life there was somewhat of a disconnect to the politics of the day, I remember every evening newscast held a daily count of the seemingly unending crisis. Perhaps, wisely, the U.S. turned to negotiations after a first failed attempt to rescue the over 50 citizens being held. The fact this event was a turning-point in how the U.S. and the Middle East would begin to collide is now more evident than in 1979. That isn't to say things we hardly imagined at the time were not taking place, but the days of the military going in and conquering the bad guys seemingly was over.

One dramatic rescue did actually happen, and it may have stayed a secret until the late 90's except that the media exposed it shortly after the fact. Still, the details were largely unknown by the masses, until now. I'm referring to the subject, and title, of the book: "ARGO". One of the most hair-raising unbelievable instances of counter-intelligence ever successfully implemented. The fact that six escapees from the American Embassy were extracted is just short of a miracle, but in the fashion of the type of "false flag" operation in which these people's lives were spared elevates it to an absolute one.

Tony Menendez is one amazing ex-CIA agent. He regularly risked his life in order to save others. Menendez did so without, at the time, ever being elevated to the top American hero status he deserved. Even now his book regarding his actions tell the story without self-grandiosity. A man such as Menendez is rare indeed, but they do exist and make us all proud of what our government can do when capable hands are given the support needed to accomplish the impossible. Tony Menendez volunteered and largely, created this mission with the capable help of some real Hollywood talent. Menendez knew if his mission failed not only would the six Americans sequestered in the Canadian ambassador's Iranian home be executed, he would die too. This is a man who could not afford failure and he stared it down the barrel actually begging to go into harm's way. He did so with the almost overriding doubt's of the CIA as well as the White House.

Argo is written extremely well managing to clarify the pertinent facts which, naturally, built almost unbearable tension in the few days leading up to all involved being able to board a Swissair jet to freedom. This book makes it clear that such a bombastic operation's success lies in the smallest of details. Menendez and his Hollywood cronies amazingly covered the bases creating the needed backstory to sell the Iranian government on a fake sci-fi movie location scout by a made-up Canadian film crew. In the movie based and named after this book the Hollywood producer, Lester Siegel, put it best when referring to his military experience: "we had suicide missions with more chances to succeed"! To say the outcome was a confluence of so many different occurrences, as well as individuals actions, in the "perfect storm" is no understatement. Death was always one small mistake or random event away for all involved, yes, including the Canadian ambassador.

I give this book my highest recommendation. It is the perfect example of truth being stranger than fiction. Today there are people who have breathed freedom's rare air who owe their very life to Tony Menendez. This book chronicles the magnitude of that mission simply called ARGO in wonderfully entertaining prose, do not miss it as it is a must for all Americans.

I still have not finished this book. I keep getting through about 15 pages at a time and then having to stop because I cannot take the heavy-handed attempts at florid descriptions meant to convey danger, emotions, and wonder, but come off instead like an amateur, high-school level attempt at prose. Most of this book comes across as Mendez trying to not-so-subtly present himself as the smartest, most innovative person in the room with all of his superiors either being complete idiots or full of nothing but the highest praise for his genius. It gets to the point where you stop appreciating the awesome risks and danger involved in extracting the 6 houseguests and instead becomes a slow, rambling account of how amazing Mendez was at his job. It is frustrating because I want to appreciate his efforts but instead find myself increasingly put off by the way he presents himself (and everyone else). The moments intended to be lighthearted and amusing come off as tired. The story of the 6 Americans and embassy hostages gets completely lost in the plodding self-aggrandizement that make up the lion's share of the book. Honestly, and I have never said this before in my life, watch the movie instead. It definitely takes liberties with the story but perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere of the time in a way Mendez's account completely fails to do. Granted, this man is not a professional writer, and he definitely did incredible things for this country and for individuals that he very much earned recognition for, so I tried to keep that in mind while reading Argo. BUT. Save yourself the time. Read something else.

If you didn't know this was a true story, you wouldn't believe it. It is a fantastic read. It is insightful, not only for the rescue operation chronicled within its pages, but about the history and political climate of Iran then and now, and about the CIA. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

Others summarized the plot well. Although fans of the fine film will be disappointed that the real escape was much less harrowing, this is still an enthralling story with much more real life detail and very interesting spycraft. It is well-written and consistently engaging.