The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War
The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War book cover

The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War

Hardcover – May 21, 2019

Price
$21.29
Format
Hardcover
Pages
272
Publisher
PublicAffairs
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1541762190
Dimensions
6.4 x 1.1 x 9.55 inches
Weight
13.4 ounces

Description

"If there was ever a single book which could sum up the dangers, heroism, inventiveness and intrepidity of the intelligence officers of the CIA it is The Moscow Rules . This final homage to one of the nation's bravest patriots will be an instant bestseller. It is the real-life spy thriller one can't put down."― Malcolm Nance, New York Times bestselling author of The Plot to Destroy Democracy "An insider's look at CIA operations in Moscow, the most challenging operational city in the world, revealing the tradecraft precepts used to keep priceless assets productive against overwhelming KGB surveillance. Written by two of the people who created these breakthrough tactics, The Moscow Rules takes you every step of the way on the snowy streets of Moscow."― Jason Matthews, New York Times-bestselling author of the Red Sparrow trilogy "Even inside the CIA, very few know the whole story of how the highest-level CIA tradecraft was developed for use in Moscow. The legendary Tony and Jonna Mendez were a vital part of creating that tradecraft, and their riveting insider account is unlike any spy story that's ever been published."― Joe Weisberg, creator/executive producer, The Americans "A gripping read. Thanks to Tony Mendez's extraordinary talent, the CIA was able to elude KGB surveillance to carry out high-risk, high-payoff operations with impunity-until tripped up by traitors within our own ranks. It's all in this book-the good, the bad, and the ugly, unflinchingly revealed. Tony and his wife and coauthor, Jonna, were two of the stars from the Office of Technical Service, CIA's version of James Bond's 'Q,' and key to so many of the agency's successes-and nowhere more so than in Moscow during the Cold War."― Jack Downing, former chief of station, Moscow, and the CIA's former deputy director for operations "Intriguing true stories of the techniques of CIA spying on the dangerous front line of the Cold War."― Dame Stella Rimington, former director of MI5 "A gripping, interesting and relevant read... reads like a spy novel yet tells a true tale of the darkest days of the espionage war largely fought between the CIA and the KGB."― Cipher Brief Antonio (Tony) Mendez served in the CIA for twenty-five years and is a highly decorated CIA officer, one of the top fifty officers in its first fifty years. He received the Intelligence Star for Valor for the ARGO operation, the story of which was told in the 2013 movie of the same name. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling Argo, The Master of Disguise , and Spy Dust . Jonna Mendez is a former Chief of Disguise with over twenty-five years of experience as a CIA officer working in Moscow and other sensitive areas. She participated in a number of training exercises, along with Tony, which ultimately led to the codification of the rules. She co-wrote Spy Dust with her husband about their shared experience in Moscow during the twilight of the Cold War. Often cited for their expertise in the field, Jonna and Tony are both much sought-after speakers and consultants. Matt Baglio is the bestselling author who previously worked with Tony on Argo , and is also the author of The Rite .

Features & Highlights

  • From the spymaster and inspiration for the movie Argo, discover the "real-life spy thriller" of the brilliant but under-supported CIA operatives who developed breakthrough spy tactics that helped turn the tide of the Cold War (Malcolm Nance).
  • Antonio Mendez and his future wife Jonna were CIA operatives working to spy on Moscow in the late 1970s, at one of the most dangerous moments in the Cold War. Soviets kept files on all foreigners, studied their patterns, and tapped their phones. Intelligence work was effectively impossible. The Soviet threat loomed larger than ever.
  • The Moscow Rules
  • tells the story of the intelligence breakthroughs that turned the odds in America's favor. As experts in disguise, Antonio and Jonna were instrumental in developing a series of tactics -- Hollywood-inspired identity swaps, ingenious evasion techniques, and an armory of James Bond-style gadgets -- that allowed CIA officers to outmaneuver the KGB.As Russia again rises in opposition to America, this remarkable story is a tribute to those who risked everything for their country, and to the ingenuity that allowed them to succeed.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(703)
★★★★
25%
(293)
★★★
15%
(176)
★★
7%
(82)
-7%
(-82)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

Dull

Who knew spy craft was this dull? The book is a oddly routine description of some techniques and incidents of CIA and KGB spy maneuvers in the 70-90s. I didn't realize it would be so mundane. A lot of description about costumes, gadgets (nothing really exciting by today's standards) , name dropping, drama is catalogued. Not much else interesting happens. In the hands of a better writer, maybe better at building suspense, some incidents might have been more interesting.

I also do not trust the accuracy of the author. The first thing I noticed was the bald-faced lie describing a video (now available on YouTube) of an incident at an embassy in Russia. The author described the incident as a Russian security guard tackling a US diplomate and repeatedly "raining down" punches on him as the guard had his opponent on the ground. I saw the video. No such thing happened. No punches were thrown. I counted none. The guard did tackle and restrain the American but he did not "rain down punches" or even did he appear to have the leverage to throw a single punch since he used his body to pin his opponent. It was clear from the video. This does not give me confidence the rest of the stories are accurate. That was the very first event described by this author. As former CIA director Pompeo said, "We lied, we cheated, we stole." Caveat emptor.
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Real life tradecraft for fans of both history and thriller fiction

4.5/5 - Briskly paced and engagingly written, Tony and Jonna Mendez's "The Moscow Rules" recounts the early days of the CIA station in Moscow. Literally decades behind their Soviet adversaries in intelligence gathering and counter espionage, the American agents were hemmed in by an implacable enemy who dogged them at every turn. How could they possibly escape the watchful eyes of the KGB - in the very heart of the Soviet capital - to contact agents and spies who wanted to help the West?

The answer? Ingenious tactics and capabilities developed on the fly that saw case officers using disguises and devices that would have been at home in any James Bond movie or episode of "Mission Impossible". The CIA teamed with Hollywood makeup artists and renowned stage magicians to create illusions for use in the field, and developed cameras, transmitters, monitors and film that pushed the limits of the day's technology. Probing for blind spots, they created techniques that allowed them to escape surveillance and, ultimately, penetrate the defenses of the Soviet Union.

"The Moscow Rules" introduces us to a cast of characters - some of whom we know, and others who toiled in obscurity - that would change the very course of modern history. The authors write crisply, and effectively convey the staggering obstacles the CIA overcame with a combination of smarts, original thinking, clever design, and outright courage. Anyone interested in either real or fictional tradecraft will find this book interesting and entertaining.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Well written and an interesting overview of HUMINT in Moscow

Well written and the two authors were actually part of the era and efforts they describe. Well worth a read and highly recommended
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

“Moscow Rules” The Best Nonfiction of The Year? Quite Possibly

‘Moscow Rules‘ by Tony Mendez and Jonna Mendez is out today and I have to say I couldn’t be happier. The book is a thrill ride for spy nerds such as myself who simply wish to read and learn about everything spy related. The book offers an intimate look of how the CIA ran agents and collected information behind the lines of one of the most secretive cities in the world – Moscow. Every page of this book spills secrets.

Tony Mendez was a spy and an American hero, who with a group of his colleagues developed tactics to help CIA agents operate undetected in Moscow. At the height of the Cold War the U.S. was on the losing end, with intelligence gathering operations barely functioning in Moscow as a result of the FSB (the Russian equivalent of the CIA) keeping tabs on all foreigners who were in Moscow. Tony, Jonna, and other brave men and women studied the FSB patterns, perfecting the Spycraft and ultimately turning the tide in favor of the U.S.

‘Moscow Rules’ takes the reader on a journey offering a deeper look into the extreme lengths spies went through to obtain intel on the Russians. In the business of smoke and mirrors, such tactics ensured the safety of the agents. But most importantly, these tactics prevented a clash between the two countries.

More so today than ever before when Russian is taking an aggressive approach to undermine our democracy, books such as ‘Moscow Rule’ are imperative to our society. We mush remember that even today there are heroic men and women who operate in the shadow behind the enemy line.

It’s a splendid read. It’s informative and engaging. Moscow Rules is by far my favorite nonfiction of the year thus far.

I received a free electronic copy from NetGalley and Public Books Affairs for my honest review.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Informative

Got the audio book first. Very informative. Had to get the hard copy after listening to the audio.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Draws you in

Written by a highly decorated CIA officer who eluded the KGB while pulling off high risk operations. It is well written and draws you in to a world that many only speculate about it. This book is hard to put down.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

it is really a not too compeling story.

kind of dull.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Great book

Well written from people who were there. Liked the descriptions of disguises and how they’re done. Very intriguing
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

An insider's look

A fascinating read.

This is not a spy novel. It is a historical, factual presentation of actual operations against the Soviet Union by the CIA. It is a history of case officers and others operating from the Moscow station, some whom were larger than life. Intelligence became paramount, the pinwheel in avoiding a 'hot' war.

During the Cold War, tensions and mistrust were at their peak. Intelligence gathering was nearly impossible. The KGB was everywhere in Moscow,it deemed. Ingenuity was the order of the day.

Intelligence gathering during the Cold War (some of which I know from my own experience) took several forms: human intelligence by the CIA, which was the recruiting of Soviets as spies, deadly important, and signal intelligence, which was the intercept of Soviet communications and the reading of encrypted text. There were other means also. The most dangerous, of course, was human intelligence, which this book presents factually.

The case officers and others are real, not just surface personalities.

The book is also historical in that it covers the start-up of the CIA after WWII. There were growing pains (and incompetence) because of a lack of understanding at the highest levels, which in the early days limited effectiveness. At one point, intelligence gathering at the Moscow station was stopped. Nonetheless, intelligence prevailed. Reviewed by the author of The Children's Story, About Good and Evil.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Must read

Surprised on what level of history has been released. Short quick read.
1 people found this helpful