American Agent – My CIA Life

Author: (USA) Dick Holm, Hong Fang, Wang Yanfei, Wang Chengjiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: This is the autobiography of a senior CIA agent from the United States. Dick Holm joined the CIA in the 1960s and steadily rose through the ranks. He served in intelligence roles in Thailand, Laos, Kuala Lumpur, Belgium, the Congo, Brazil, and Hong Kong, China. In the early 21st century, he became the head of the Paris region and played a significant role in the military operation to track down the terrorist Carlos, ultimately receiving the CIA's highest award—the Exceptional Intelligence Medal. Over 35 years in the CIA, he worked under 13 directors, witnessing the Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War, the massive changes in China, and the Afghanistan War. He experienced the highs and lows of intelligence work amid political pressure, regime changes, and shifts in domestic and foreign policies. In the book, he details how an ignorant young man became a high-level spy, revealing the little-known inner workings of the CIA and the complex, contradictory inner world of an intelligence officer. The most thrilling and tragic part of his career was the plane crash in the Congo, where he suffered severe injuries and was on the brink of death. He was rescued by local indigenous people. After enduring treatments that most people could not bear, he miraculously recovered and returned to work. In this captivating autobiography, he vividly describes the unimaginable pain he endured and his struggle for survival, leaving readers stunned and moved.