ARGO by Antonio Mendez

In 1971, my family was evacuated to Tehran, Iran. We were living through the India-Pakistani War of 1971 and at the time and the Shah of Iran was the reigning potentate. He was friendly to American interests. Fast forward to November 4, 1979 when Islamic extremists overran and raided the US Embassy compound and held American diplomatic personnel hostage.

The book lays out the real-life story how the CIA pulled a fast one on the emergent Islamic fundamentalists in charge and set up a memorable escape for six Americans that were taken hostage. They managed to escape the compound and fled to the Canadian Embassy, where they were hidden. Tony Menendez is the CIA operative that put together the plot to convince the Iranians that CIA operatives that were coming to film a Hollywood movie with the six who were pegged as actors. After a series of very close calls, CIA agents came into the country and picked up the six and proceeded to the escape plan. You have to read Menendez’ tell-all account! It reads like a fiction story but I can assure you, every bit of it is true and a matter of history. It can be found on Amazon!