“We grow up under the spell and influence of our parents, but we know so little of who they are, beyond their role as our parents. We all wonder, but most of us never ask. Conversations with a Masked Man is a beautifully written look into the frightening world of covert espionage, and a tenacious, heartfelt attempt by a son to infiltrate his father's secrecy and silence, and find whatever common ground exists between them.”—Cindy Kleine, filmmaker, and producer

“A poignant encounter between father and son—across the gap of generations and the moral abyss of the Cold War. John Hadden shows how the wounds of the past refuse to heal, and how acknowledging that truth can open into hard-won wisdom.” —James Carroll, author of An American Requiem

“Written with love, care, and the curiosity of a son who tries to figure out who his father was. A fascinating tale.” —Avner Cohen, author of Israel and the Bomb

“How spies work. How spies think. And how an American spy struggled to be a decent father. All of that, and more, in this eloquent book by a CIA officer’s son.” —Dan Raviv, author of Spies Against Armageddon and Every Spy a Prince

John Hadden’s Conversations with a Masked Man is by turns a paternal biography, personal memoir, family saga, CIA history, and Cold War spy thriller – all folded into a psychologically penetrating work of literature. This book will also be of interest to anyone exploring the commonalities and divergences between one’s self and one’s parents with a view to better understanding the dynamic that has made us, respectively, who we are.
—Eric Darton, author of Divided We Stand: A Biography of the World Trade Center

“We grow up under the spell and influence of our parents, but we know so little of who they are, beyond their role as our parents. We all wonder, but most of us never ask. Conversations with a Masked Man is a beautifully written look into the frightening world of covert espionage, and a tenacious, heartfelt attempt by a son to infiltrate his father's secrecy and silence, and find whatever common ground exists between them.”—Cindy Kleine, filmmaker, and producer

“A poignant encounter between father and son—across the gap of generations and the moral abyss of the Cold War. John Hadden shows how the wounds of the past refuse to heal, and how acknowledging that truth can open into hard-won wisdom.” —James Carroll, author of An American Requiem

“Written with love, care, and the curiosity of a son who tries to figure out who his father was. A fascinating tale.” —Avner Cohen, author of Israel and the Bomb

“How spies work. How spies think. And how an American spy struggled to be a decent father. All of that, and more, in this eloquent book by a CIA officer’s son.” —Dan Raviv, author of Spies Against Armageddon and Every Spy a Prince

John Hadden’s Conversations with a Masked Man is by turns a paternal biography, personal memoir, family saga, CIA history, and Cold War spy thriller – all folded into a psychologically penetrating work of literature. This book will also be of interest to anyone exploring the commonalities and divergences between one’s self and one’s parents with a view to better understanding the dynamic that has made us, respectively, who we are.
—Eric Darton, author of Divided We Stand: A Biography of the World Trade Center