Rating: 
Summary: I worked for Tony...
Review: I bought this book so that whenever someone asks me what I did when I worked for the CIA, I don't have to worry about the secrecy agreement I signed. I'll just give them the book.The book is not particularly well written, even with the "contributor", but that wasn't a surprise and it might not be very important. It's hard for me to say whether it's interesting to people who don't already know what's in it. One thing I will say is the book gives the false impression that Tony was a One Man Show, perhaps aided by the one other officer most mentioned in the book. While Tony was certainly very talented and made significant contributions to the field, there were MANY talented people in the fields of disguise, graphic arts and documentation. Not to diminish Tony's talents, but many of these people, particularly in the documentation area, were of superior intellect. While their field was not as flashy as Tony's, it was every bit as important. The intelligence and important contributions of other people in disguise and related fields should have been more failry represented.
Rating: 
Summary: unimpressed!
Review: i found the book to be slow and did actually not mention anything that i considered to be revealing or exciting. it is one of those books that you keep reading in hopes for it to get better and it shows a slight improvement when you read the soviet union and iran chapters, but no secrets. i could have skipped the first part of the book and would have not missed anything. in general explains the use of disguises to accomplish secret missions but does not get into the important details. it fails to transmit the danger, feeling, and suspense of the situation. sorry, not worth it!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Read
Review: I found this book to be a non stop read. Tony tells his story with awesome informative edge. In reading, I found myself wishing to be a member of the elite, such as Tony. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking true adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: I have read quite a few non-fiction accounts of cold war espionage and this book not only tells a fascinating story but also provides detailed descriptions of how, and with what tools the CIA operated against the enemy. The author has skillfully told a fascinating, insiders true story - pick it up!
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Summary: Folks...Listen to the Experts...
Review: I probably would not have even bothered reading this book except for one minor issue: I know Mr. Mendez personally. As a teenager, he and his family lived on a small Army-type facility in Okinawa from 1968-1971 called the United States Army Composite Service Group. I assure you, there was nothing "Army" about it. It was all CIA and they were conducting operations all over Southeast Asia. It wasn't until I had grown up and was a Major in the Army before I heard of his book and began corresponding with him. Since my father was also in the CIA we all shared a close bond. But what really stunned me was that no one talked about what the other guy was doing. Mr. Mendez's book absolutely captured my interest and held it. It was and is men like him that make the CIA tick. If you are at all interested in the inner workings of the agency and want to know some of the different things they did, then by all means, get this book. I hope you find it as fascinating as I did. Funny though...even at the age of 81 and being retired since 1978, my own father rarely mentions alot of the things the cold warriors did at a time when they were active in so many deadly cat-and-mouse games with ruthless adversaries. Mr. Mendez just happened to be at the right place at the right time to make his mark in history. And for that, he has my utmost respect.
Rating:
Summary: Real Cloak & Dagger Adventure
Review: I was given this book for my thirtieth birthday approximately a month ago and since receiving it, I really had a difficult time putting it down! From his hiring to training to actual field experiences, Mr. Mendez really allows the reader to know each event in great detail. Each chapter provides a new adventure! I actually found myself feeling nervous as I read his stories of exfiltrations. I cannot imagine the amount of fear a person must experience as they provide phony identification to government officials in unfriendly countries. What becomes quickly apparent is the extreme courage of Mr. Mendez and others who truly risked their lives to protect the American way of life. This book also leaves the reader with a philosophical view towards why such espionage activities are necessary. Of particular interest was the way Mr. Mendez related childhood activities to his career. I think that most people, myself included, can often relate such early experiences to current day career paths. In that respect, I feel that everyone in any profession will learn some life lessons from this book. Finally, I'd only like to say that I wish the book was longer. Who knows, maybe Mr. Mendez will honor the American public with a second book.
Rating:
Summary: Better than James Bond - REAL Missions Impossible
Review: I was intrigued by the title, and found the escapades of Tony Mendez incredible. As a fan of spy novels, this is the real deal, and I had no idea that the CIA was so advanced in their tecniques and grandiose operations - thought that was reserved for the movies. Tony Mendez is like "Q" in the James Bond films with his creative gadgetry, but more importantly his brilliantly planned Iranian operation is the stuff that movies are based on. It's a page turner, and I was on the edge of my seat following each step on his missions. I can only imagine how unnerving it must have been for Tony and his team in such operations as "Raptor." It was a real education; both informative and enlightening, and gave me a whole new appreciation of a secret organization, that unfortunately has been surrounded with much undeserved negative. Tony Mendez is a true hero and a credit to our country's history. If you like spy novels you'll love this book. Just remember - this is NOT fiction!
Rating:
Summary: Tony Mendez was a true cold war hero.
Review: I worked very closely with Tony for many years and can attest to the authenticity of this book. I was saddened to learn through the book of the death of Karen Mendez . Tony truly was an action oriented person and his operational career was certainly not representative of Authentication Officers. This book says something about America and the Agency. The fact that a guy named Mendez , undereducated , from a town so small and isolated ( I spent the summer of 1946 there myself) could be so honored speaks volumes. For those who want to know about the can do sprirt that so characterized the Agency I knew , this is a must read.
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Summary: CIA hero Tony Mendez reveals final secrets of the Cold War!
Review: In his autobiography, decorated CIA veteran Tony Mendez has written a detailed and fascinating account of spy operations during the Cold War. Other books have told us what the CIA did, but this is the first and only to expose the secrets of how they did it! Tony's unique career, and mastery of disguises, deception, forgery, and exfiltration, show us that the gadgets utilized by "James Bond" weren't alwaus fictional! Spy agencies worldwide will make THE MASTER OF DISGUISE required reading for intelligence officers; the new KGB will probably charter a plane to rush the first 100 copies straight to Moscow! H Keith Melton; author of THE ULTIMATE SPY BOOK
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Read
Review: It's amazing that Tony got it through the CIA Publications Review Board, but the wait for "Master of Disguise" was well worth it. Not bogged down in detail like Tom Clancy, Tony knows what to cover. Fascinating accounts of the true spys of the world. A must have for everyone...for those who are into spy books but also for those who want an idea of how the US Govt has approached the intel business.
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