Argo

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

By: Antonio Mendez, Matt Baglio

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

The true account of the 1979 rescue of six American hostages from Iran

On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and captured dozens of American hostages, sparking a 444-day ordeal and a quake in global politics still reverberating today. But there's a little-known footnote to the crisis: six Americans escaped. And a midlevel agent named Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them.

Armed with foreign film visas, Mendez and an unlikely team of CIA agents and Hollywood insiders - directors, producers, actors - traveled to Tehran under the guise of scouting locations for a fake film called Argo. While pretending to find the perfect scenery and backdrops, the team succeeded in contacting the escapees and smuggling them out of Iran without a single shot being fired.

Antonio Mendez finally details the mind-bogglingly complex and dangerous operation he led more than three decades ago. A true story of secret identities and international intrigue, Argo is the gripping account of the history-making collusion between Hollywood and high-stakes espionage.

©2012 Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio (P)2012 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Fresh and engaging…A solid choice for fans of thrillers and international intrigue.”(Kirkus)

“James Bond’s Q comes to life. This gripping, true story of a white-knuckle operation by a little known part of the CIA reads like a thriller. Full of authentic detail and characters, of bravery and drama, it’s a must-read for all spy enthusiasts and CIA watchers.” (Dame Stella Rimington, former general director, MI5, British Intelligence)

“The CIA and Hollywood in cahoots, a painter turned spy, an impossible rescue mission with no guns and only one chance at success - Argo has everything. This remarkable white-knuckle spy story is torn from the pages of real life, and will have you up past your bedtime to discover its thrilling endgame.” (Eric Blehm, author of Fearless)

Loved the book and narration

What did you love best about Argo?

It was a compelling story that I was very very curious to check out after seeing the movie. I quite enjoyed the movie but as a Canadian felt that the Canadian aspect wasn't given enough credit. I left with a new respect for the actual story which I assume to be the true account. I left with a less jaded view than just watching the movie and more realistic view of the Canadian part in the whole story.With all that said as a stand alone going in cold it'd still be a great listen. I'll qualify that by saying as a younger man I plowed through a lot of spy novels (fiction). This stuff intrigues me and learning a true account was pretty cool for me.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

I really got into recounting the era when it happened. I remember the whole hostage affair but didn't really follow the nuts and bolts of what was going on. I'm a bit of a history buff so this referesher with a lot of insight into what happened and why was very interesting to me.

Which character – as performed by Dylan Baker – was your favorite?

I really grew to respect Tony Mendez, as this is really his story. I'd love to hear a few more capers like this if he got involved and the info was declassified. Whether read or listened to it's a great story

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Greatest "real life" Escape

Any additional comments?

great narration and compelling story.

Movie does not compare!

Would you consider the audio edition of Argo to be better than the print version?

The audio version was fantastic. The book was a thousand times better than the movie.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No..too long.

Good story but it doesn’t play in order

I wish I could have enjoyed but the chapters are all scrambled which is a shame

Wonderful story badly delivered.

This performer sounds like he’s reading a bedtime story to children. I read the book and looked forward to listening to this. This is important history poorly presented.

Ego!

wow! what an ego this man has. the whole story was like.. i did this.. i did that.. i was right.. i .. i .. i.. no one else's story had a chance in his book.
i wish i listened to my friend and watched the movie instead.

Not so much

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

The story as such is good ofcourse but the book is a long sit, without any pace or real suspense, going nowhere. I found myself listeing to some Hollywood chitchat for 30 minutes at a time. Very little historic perspective too. I do not recommend this book to anyone,sorry

Would you be willing to try another book from Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio ? Why or why not?

No

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Argo?

That whole hollywood bs

disapoined

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I enjoyed US. history 101 more than this book

Would you ever listen to anything by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio again?

maybe not

What didn’t you like about Dylan Baker’s performance?

To be honest he had very little to work with.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I was looking for action, not a narrative of what happened

Guess you had to be there

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Think anybody would enjoy it but it seems more of a book about tradecraft and the author's background and less about the hostages who were rescued.

What could Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I don't think they could do anything since their book was more about their prep and cant invent tension with the escape. The movie probably can take liberties and may have.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

He was flat and annoying at the same time.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Argo?

The author's early background was not necessary and at time I forgot what the main theme of the book was.

Any additional comments?

A lot of build up to the departure which seemed uneventful. . Obviously it was a great coup but there was a sense of the book being more about the author and his CIA experience. I expected to be more excited reading the book but felt unsatisfied afterwards. I have not seen the movie but am sure the tension was ramped up in the Hollywood way ....ironically the cover story was Hollywood so maybe the story needed to be told via movie rather than a book. Finally the narrator was dull flat and annoying at the same time.

Had to speed up the narration to make it through

Would you ever listen to anything by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio again?

Probably not. Too much "I." Even though Mr. Mendez worked for the CIA, much of his job was seemingly not that exciting. Sort of reminded me or having to listen to some bore at a party talking incessantly, essentially saying "Let me repeatedly tell you how awesomely wonderful I am."

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Argo?

The book could have been at least half as long and still covered the interesting parts.

Nowhere near as good as the movie

Honestly I expected the book to be much better than an already great movie. It is very disappointing. The real story doesn't even start till about 75% in. I'd recommend skipping this and reading/listening to On The Wings of Eagles instead - same sort of story, but much much better! This is the rare case where the movie is just much better than the book!