My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For

Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For is a great insight into what life in the CIA looks like. Something we don't get to see very often. Michele is definitely a woman who stands up the impossible.

I loved how Michele gives credit to God for leading her steps. Michele and her husband were able to help Iraqi Christians to get away from Isis. They probably wouldn't have been as successful ifs they didn't have their previous training.

Thanks to Tyndale for a copy of this book.

I would have read this book straight through if I did not have all the  interruptions daily life brings on! As you read this, you realize that Michele did have a "calling", and it was NOT to be a ballerina as she had dreamed about as a young child! She lays out the foundation of where she and her husband came from, and takes us through 10 years of their lives that were SO not what she ever expected life to be as a young married couple!! As they depend on the ONE who created them for "such a time as this"... we sit on the edge of our seats with wonder, as they accomplish what needs to be done. She mentions that along with the term "fight or flight" when faced with fear, "FREEZE.".... is what many of us do... not so with her as she depends on strength that surpasses our understanding....I highly recommend this book..for young and old.. Most of us will never have to face the fears that they did, but we can all apply it to circumstances in our own lives, and be inspired!

Wow... What a ride: from small town cheerleader/homecoming queen to a highly trained operative with a particular set of skills, Breaking Cover by Michele Rigby Assad does not disappoint! Don’t make the same mistake so many others have (from seasoned CIA pros to high value terrorist assets) and underestimate the first-time author’s formidable capabilities. From the first page to the last, Michele employs her trade craft in the most genuine and surprising ways. In sharing her motivations and thought process throughout her journey, she provides a remarkable glimpse into the life of one of the CIA’s most unique tools in the war on terror. Breaking Cover offers more than car chases and high stakes interrogations. It offers a deeply personal unaffected account of one woman’s journey of self discovery and understanding in some of the most unlikely and stressful places and situations imaginable. As a modern-day Virginia Hall/Harriet Tubman and a real-life Annie Walker/Brenda Lee Johnson, Michele Rigby Assad’s story would make a fascinating screenplay. Do yourself a favor and read the book before the movie comes out. Riveting, inspirational, and deeply personal, you will enjoy the story she has to tell.

I've had a lifelong fascination with undercover and "secret" agencies and societies, and Breaking Cover did not disappoint when it came to getting a little peek into the CIA. Michele managed to distill complicated topics into manageable chunks that I could understand, which given that most of the story takes place in the middle of a war zone, is a hell of an accomplishment. But beyond her breakdown of the CIA, Breaking Cover is filled with life nuggets about how to take no shit and follow your gut. Though Christian themes flow throughout the book, one does not need to be religious in order to get something out of the book. I'd reccomend it for everyone, but young girls and anyone who feels lost in their lives (especially career) will find a message of hope in Michele's words.

There is very little operational detail here. Quite a lot about moving to “country redacted” and other places. Out of respect for the author and her service to the USA, I listened to the last 3 hours which goes on about religion and and the author’s faith. Not my thing.
As for the narrator of the audiobook, it was read waaay tooo sloooow. I listened at 1.25 just to make sound it like normal speech.

This book is a can’t put down thrilling memoir. Be ready to be inspired & challenged by this young lady. Breaking Cover is a story of beautiful faith and seeing how God can use each of us in a powerful way. A story of how stepping out of your comfort zone can change your life and the lives of many,

I can’t put this book down! Michele has written an amazing account of a journey that I can’t even begin to imagine! You will not regret this purchase and I know that it has given me pause to really think about what goes on in the world ! Michele is definitely a heroine!

The life of a CIA operative tests personal strength, mental stamina, and above all - faith. Michele Rigby-Assad was able to push past all the odds, putting it all at risk for the sake of her country, in a real-life tale of faith uncovered. This book is as riveting as it is inspiring, and is a testament to what 'hero' means. Thank you, Michele!

I was expecting to really enjoy this book, but it disappointed. The selection and training details related to CIA agents were very interesting, but the descriptions of her deployments had me wanting more. Additionally, Assad is a Christian and tries to incorporate her beliefs into her story telling with limited success. It really felt forced rather than a fluid part of the story she was sharing. The final portion of the book was the best part and details Assad’s work in helping Christians escape from Iraq to Slovakia.

While this complimentary book was provided for review by Tyndale Press, no other compensation was given. All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.

Im sorry but this was poorly written, boring and to be honest it was really scary to hear a CIA operative talk about Jesus and all her religious nonsense. Especially since the very reason she was abroad was because of religious extremism. Its a CIA book for stay at home religious soccer moms who haven't traveled much. Im sorry its just not good.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The Assad's path to becoming CIA operatives was interesting. They gave a lot for their country, serving in undesirable countries. I don't usually think of CIA agents as Christians. This gave the story an interesting twist.

Michele Rigsby Assad didn’t grow up with plans to join the CIA or have an interest in the middle east. In fact, she never considered even going to the middle east until she met the man who would be her husband. Her husband, Joseph, is an Egyptian national who came to the United States after his family was persecuted for their faith and he couldn’t enter a university because of being a Christian. At a career fair while attending Georgetown, she decides to go to a CIA career fair. What happens as a result of that meeting puts a plan into motion that sends them over to extremely conservative Arab countries that aren’t women friendly. But the challenges she faces continually prepare her for the next stage of her life. Not only does she work as a clandestine operative, but after leaving the agency, she finds work as a security consultant that ultimately leads to helping persecuted Christians out of Iraq.

This book was very exciting and fast paced. The story is told progressively and educational at the same time. The concept of the CIA is fascinating, so when you have the chance the hear a firsthand account, it is always worth reading about. Further, it was very educational to understand more about middle eastern culture and how both the United States is perceived as well as foreign woman. This is going to be one of my top nonfiction picks for the year!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Hollywood portrays CIA agents as full of action, intense swagger, and having a dedicated skill set. CIA agent Michele Rigby Assad provides a truer portrait in her memoir, Breaking Cover. Her frank, engaging story emphasizes how much time is spent gathering reliable intel and creating a trustworthy network. Car chases and fiery shootouts aren't mentioned, although trying to survive searing desert heat and daily bombings lend a gritty authenticity. Assad outlines the process of becoming an agent as well as highlights some of her tours in the Middle East. While her tours might not be the stuff of Hollywood, she relates plenty of intense episodes of needing to be the best of her abilities. The fact that she and her husband both worked as agents and are dedicated Christians heightened the overall interest of her time spent in counterterrorism.
The second half of her book brings in the subtitle: My Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For. Having left the CIA, Michele and her Egyptian immigrant husband Joseph became international security consultants. The larger part of this section involves their work with relocating displaced Iraqi Christians (featured as an ABC 20/20 special). Assad's passion and faith especially comes through as she fought to find a safe refuge for a people under persecution.
Overall, the memoir comes across as genuine and inspiring, and while it's understandable there might have been restrictions on how much detail she could divulge of her CIA experience, it would have added more to her memoir to have further experiences about being married agents, definitely a unique perspective.

Disclaimer: Tyndale House Publishers provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Breaking Cover - My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me About What's Worth Fighting For" (2018 publication; 270 pages) is a memoir from Michele Rigby Assad. The author reminds us that "as a former employee, I obtained CIA clearance of the manuscript to ensure that no equities, such as sources or methods, would be harmed through the publication of this material". We then go back in time to the author's upbringing, and she confesses that "I never dreamed of becoming a spy. My dreams were for a much more pedestrian future: a comfortable home in the suburbs, a good, solid career, a couple of kids, and a white picket fence." Well, things didn't turn out quite that way!

You'll have to read for yourself how the author ends up joining the CIA. "Words like espionage have such negative connotations, but I saw them as being acceptable if applied in a particular way. For me, the ends justify the means IF what is being done is in the best interest of those involved in the transaction." Because of her studies (Arabic language and culture) and her marital status (married to an immigrant from Egypt, who joins the CIA along with her). she and her husband of course end up doing multiple tours in the Middle East, including Iraq in 2006-07, when things there were at their absolute worst and most dangerous. One of her biggest challenges is how to overcome the deeply seeded bias against women that exists in much of the Middle East.

The chapters about those Middle East tours and what it's like to actually be there on the ground are by far the book's most interesting. However, about two-thirds into the book, after serving 10 years in the CIA, the couple decides to move on to other things. They end up becoming "security consultants" (okay so far), and along the way also become directly involved in the migration of Iraqi Christians out of Iraq into Slovakia. Very worthy cause, for sure, but it doesn't make for very compelling reading I'm afraid. In the end, this book is a rather quick read, and worthy to check out if you are curious about what life in the CIA is like.

Awesome book. I enjoyed hearing all the stories and the struggles of someone who has worked in the CIA and is also a Christian. In the end I felt that I could be real life freinds with the author because she is so focused on what is truly valuable in life.

I understand that the author could not report anything in detail due to ongoing security issues and a classified information ban, but this seemed to merely skim all around the edges of a subject leaving you wanting more than she was giving. I know she has a strong Christian faith but there were just too many references to God sending her messages. Didn't really feel like I learned much from this about the CIA. Should maybe be classified as a Christian book.