American spy : my secret history in the CIA, Watergate, and beyond

A legendary CIA operative and central figure in the Watergate scandal at last tells his story.

World War II covert agent E. Howard Hunt joined the CIA soon after its inception, becoming one of its most valuable operatives until his retirement in 1970.

He blazed a trail for the agency in Latin America, helping to orchestrate the successful 1954 coup in Guatemala as well as the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, which ended in disaster after an ill-fated decision by President John F.

Kennedy. During the Nixon administration, he worked with the White House Special Investigations Unit (aka the "plumbers").

In the aftermath of the Pentagon Papers leak, he masterminded the burglary of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office in 1971, and, with G.

Gordon Liddy, he organized the break-in at the Democratic National Committee's Watergate headquarters in 1972.

Hunt was ultimately convicted of burglary, conspiracy, and wiretapping and served 33 months in prison.

Now in his late eighties, Hunt looks back over his storied career, revealing what really happened and debunking the many rumors that have swirled around him. Writing with his characteristic salty wit, he brings to life his exploits in the CIA, offering surprising revelations about the agency's Latin American operations and its masterly manipulation of politics and the media in the U.S.

He details the "black bag jobs" of the White House plumbers, explains why he agreed to participate in the Watergate burglary even though he thought it was a bad idea and sheds new light on the aftermath of the break-in.

He sets the record straight on rumors about his first wife's death and accusations that have linked him to the JFK assassination and the George Wallace shooting. And finally, he offers an insider's advice on how the CIA must now reshape itself to regain its edge and help win the war on terrorism.

E. Howard Hunt (Miami, FL) is author of more than 70 suspense novels.

Greg Aunapu (Miami, FL) has reported for "Time", "People", and a variety of other national news media.