Many tens of thousands of copies of Sarkhan were in the bookstores on publication day. Suddenly it seemed to vanish. Mr. Lederer and the late Mr. Burdick were convinced that the book had been suppressed by agencies of the government, and certainly it contains much that might make such agencies unhappy. In a highly dramatic narrative, it tells of blundering by our intelligence community in Southeast Asia, of error and incompetence-as well as heroics by Americans who understood Asia. Today, brought back to life after twelve years in limbo, ironically retitled The Deceptive American, and given a new, explanatory introduction, it is still relevant. The prescience of its message has been proved by events. The drama of its people and the drive of its narrative are undiminished.

About the Author
William J. Lederer (1912-2009) was was a former U.S. Navy captain and the co-author of The Ugly American (with Eugene Burdick), The Mirages of Marriage (with Don D. Jackson), and other books. Eugene Burdick was a political scientist and author of The Ugly American, Fail-Safe, and other books.


Book Information
ISBN 9780393332834
Author William J. Lederer
Format Paperback
Page Count 324
Imprint WW Norton & Co
Publisher WW Norton & Co