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BookPeople Hosts a (Real) Secret Agent Man
As the former deputy chief of the U.S Government’s counterterrorism division, he was in charge of keeping the world safe from pesky problems like nuclear war, large-scale attacks and the assassinations of high ranking officials—you know, the usual work stuff. His recently-published memoir, Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent, details his insomnia-inducing struggle to thwart the criminal plans of Libyan terrorist Abu Nidal, 1993 WTC bombing mastermind Ramzi Yousef, and various other evildoers.
Even though we’d probably be happier people NOT knowing what catastrophic events, wars, and international incidents have been narrowly averted, Burton’s memoir makes for a worthwhile read. He remains understandably tight-lipped at times, but mystery fans and conspiracy nuts will relish the chance to skulk through the shadows with a pioneer in the field of domestic spycraft. It’s not as fast-paced as the movies make it out to be – there aren’t as many trench coats, either – but we’re glad that people like Burton exist to confront “The Black World,” which he defines as “the hidden world of threats that nobody understands and very few people see.”
This real-life Jack Bauer will appear at BookPeople tonight, so if you feel like torturing yourself with spooky stories of the truest kind, here's your chance.
