Read Online The Moscow Rules The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War Antonio J Mendez Jonna Mendez 9781541762190 Books

Product details Hardcover 272 pages Publisher PublicAffairs (May 21, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 1541762193

The Moscow Rules The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War Antonio J Mendez Jonna Mendez 9781541762190 Books Reviews

• Moscow Rules refer to the set of operational principles that the CIA operated under during the Cold War in Moscow, where surveillance of Embassy staff was expected and significant. The rules form the basis for the telling of many anecdotes of the various operations performed in Moscow during the Cold War.
  The book is written from the perspective of Tony Mendez one of the CIA's technical staff that worked on gadgets and disguises for the CIA's operatives to avoid surveillance. Such as the Jack in the Box device (JIB) which was a partial torso, that could be popped up to seem to show an additional person riding in the front seat of a car. Tony tells many stories, including the agency's use of magicians and special effects people from Hollywood, to help them develop the tools for the agents.
  The only reason this book got only four stars and not five, was the way the author jumped around in time - to me, it would have made for an easier read, if he had followed a more strict chronological order in the telling of his stories.
  If you are a fan of "spy novels" then this book will make for interesting reading as it tells you the way it really is on the street - for example the amount of time the handlers have to spend running SDRs to make sure they are in the black before making contact with an agent or servicing a dead drop.
  The only “Rule” I would have changed is the first one; “Murphy is Right” to the more modern “Murphy is an optimist”.
  A really good book which shows the activities of the CIA during the Cold War.
• I mean, who doesn't love a good spy story? And these stories are the real deal.
  
  This is a really engaging look into the world of espionage as conducted by the CIA in Moscow. The chapters go into a lot of detail about how the techniques for conducting operations on the streets of Moscow were developed, including disguises, props, and gadgets. You'll get a bit of a feel for what it was like to work in the city, and what the CIA and embassy staff had to go through just on a day-to-day basis. The book also provides a look at what went on behind the scenes with some of the CIA's best contacts in Russia, and the often all to tragic eventual results.
  
  After reading this I certainly have an appreciation for what they went through (and no doubt what they are currently going through). It's got to be hard running an intelligence operation from a facility that is insecure and filled with people who are in the employ of the KGB. I'm impressed they could achieve as much as they did. Among the more interesting things to me was learning about the various people--in all their personalities and abilities--who worked in or supported operations in Moscow. It really does take all kinds to make an organization successful. I also enjoyed the descriptions of what went on during some of the training operations, when the authors and their coworkers were practicing and developing new techniques.
  
  In some respects the book is kind of all over the place. Certainly the chapter progression is not strictly chronological and jumps about a bit. Also the authors apparent need to relate each chapter to one of the "Moscow Rules" felt a little forced. I think they could have done away with that and still have a very engaging book. All in all a very good read that I found difficult to put down.
• Antonio Mendez has a few other books relating to his many years working for the CIA. His 1999 book, The Master Of Disguise My Secret Life in the CIA, covers a broader range of Mendez’s adventures. Conversely, his 2002 book Spy Dust Two Masters of Disguise Reveal the Tools and Operations that Helped Win the Cold War, (with his wife as co-author, as with this new book) is more specific, being focused on fewer events, including their romance. I think that The Moscow Rules may be the best of the three, with its focus on Moscow.
  
  The Moscow rules, of which there is a two page list, center around the ideas of trust your gut, let your demeanor influence people to relax, be very aware of time, adapt to the situation as it evolves, and blend in.
  
  But that’s JustMe.
• Obviously this cannot be a tell all book as there is a limit to what former CIA personnel can divulge by law, This was a rare glimpse at how the US-Russia relationship has evolved over the years. Full of spy stories and government mistakes, it gives the reader a rare look at how we have dealt with Russian spies, US traitors and how the US has evolved or not.
  I deduct 1.5 stars because of the brevity and, often times, dryness of the read. It was not an exciting read rather informative.