My dad the CIA agent (Q&A Scott Johnson Perth Writers Festival)

At some stage most children think their dad is a superhero, a nifty cross between Superman and James Bond. He can drive really fast, has lots of gadgets you can’t work out, answers all your questions, and can even hurl you high up into the air with a single thrust and catch you … every time. What more proof do you need? But what happens if one day he sits you down and tells you that he is indeed James Bond? Okay, okay not THE James Bond but a CIA agent nonetheless. How would you react?


Thanks to Scott Johnson


At just 14 years of age Scott Johnson’s father wanted to tell him ‘an exciting secret’, one that he’d have to keep hidden for the rest of his life … he was a CIA agent. Scott’s latest book, The Wolf and The Watchman: a CIA childhood, details what happened next.


Scott Johnson The Wolf and the Watchman © 2013 The Ponder Room


The memoir provides an intriguing look inside the lifestyle of a high level CIA agent. This in itself is mesmerizing, particularly when it touches on overseas events we’ve heard about in the news.

Equally interesting is the impact the secret has on Scott and those around him.

‘As time went by it became more and more complicated, having to lie to friends and family,’ Scott explained at the Perth Writers Festival, ‘I had to keep reinventing myself to calibrate my responses and keep the lies straight.’

When the secret finally did come out he inevitably lost some friends, friends who either didn’t want to be a part of his ‘new’ world or who were hurt they hadn’t been confided in.

One of the fascinating aspects of Scott’s life was that, fully aware of his father’s background, he too embarked on a career of intrigue, surveillance and great risk. As a political journalist he covered the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with current affairs in Africa. His career saw him become the chief of Newsweek’s Mexico, Baghdad and Africa bureaus, and the Overseas Press Club honoured his reports on Latin America. Some of the most touching moments in the book were when he found himself sitting in the same outposts his father had frequented years earlier.

However the most compelling aspect, the part that stays with you the longest, is the exploration of father/son complexities. Throughout the book you gain deep insights into the intricacies of their relationship. Brutally honest in parts you sometimes feel as if you’re eavesdropping on something you shouldn’t. The following comment, when asked why he thought his father told him, is an example of this honesty.

‘As I got older it was harder to hide. I think dad wanted to be closer and it bothered him that there was an area of darkness between us. That and the potential for physical threat.’

Physical threats included the likelihood of him being kidnapped purely because of who his father was. Sound familiar? Sure we’ve seen endless kidnapping storylines in movies, but somehow knowing this is real life, and having met the person involved, brings goosebumps.

He was equally candid when asked if knowing the secret brought them closer together.

‘It staved off the impending separation … initially we were closer, but it was complicated … it puts you in a universe with a different set of rules.’

The writing process
When asked about his writing process Scott said he’d always been a journal writer. Added to this, during his time as a journalist he had the opportunity to interview his father. It was these conversations plus the footage from his assignments that helped put the book together. He also interviewed his mother to gain her perspective. The main challenge he thought was ‘how to structure it, how to weave it all together.’

In terms of making the choice between memoir and fiction Scott said his motivation was to ‘tell the true story, to get it out there.’  I’m so pleased he did as it adds so much more depth to his exploits.

His advice for anyone trying to write a memoir was to …

‘Get out and experience life, try things and write about them … define your own terms … find out what you are interested in and then do it on your own terms.’

The Wolf and the Watchman is a real life tale of secrets, their impact, and the frustrating convolutions of father son relationships. At times fascinating, frightening but most of all extremely touching.

It left me pondering:

1. Considering his father’s desire to keep him safe, it was intriguing that Scott chose such a dangerous career for himself. Clearly one captivating life wasn’t enough;
2. It will be interesting to see what his own son does, should he have one;
3. My interest in politics and war are fairly limited, so it’s an indication of how well the book is written, that I was kept engaged during these parts;
4. It’s food for thought for anyone who’s kept a secret from family and friends or tried to.
5. In the interests of disclosure … to anyone who came onto this post thinking they were going to read about my dad being a CIA agent, my apologies. He is mighty special and now days more like Bionic Man or the 6 Million Dollar Man, having been put back together a few times.

For an exert go to http://thewolfandthewatchman.com/excerpts  

For more information go to http://thewolfandthewatchman.com