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Thanks to the folks at Beverly Public Library in Massachusetts for hosting a visit earlier today. I enjoyed speaking with the people who attended about Hollywood and conspiracy theory, and I especially was interested in the many insights and observations.
The CIA is a constant source of fuel for conspiracy theorizing. Its covert nature, which is certainly understandable given its mission, adds to an aura of intrigue and suspicion, especially since there have been past examples of lapses in judgment on its part. Almost every new facet of CIA history, therefore, provides an opportunity for skeptically minded people to speculate about the extent of its as-yet-unknown secret activities.
With this as background, it’s interesting to note that it has come to light that in the 1950s, the CIA hired a magician named John Mullholland to help with their field operations. According to a story n the Boston Globe (access it on their Boston.com website here), the rediscovered text of Mullholland’s advice has been declassified and released as part of new book called The Official CIA Manual of Trickery and Deception, which William Morrow publishers will release in early November.
