The Taking of K-129

Author Josh Dean will join us virtually to discuss his book The Taking of K-129. Hear the incredible true story of how the CIA used Howard Hughes to steal a nuclear-armed Russian submarine and attempt the most daring covert operation in US history.

The book recounts this true tale of espionage and engineering set at the height of the Cold War—a mix between The Hunt for Red October and Argo—about how the CIA, the U.S. Navy, and America’s most eccentric mogul spent six years and nearly a billion dollars to steal the nuclear-armed Soviet submarine K-129 after it had sunk to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean; all while the Russians were watching.

Josh Dean is a journalist, author, and podcast host based in Brooklyn, New York. Over the years he has written for dozens of national magazines, including Rolling Stone, New York, and Esquire. He is a correspondent for Outside, and is a regular contributor to Bloomberg Businessweek, GQ, and Popular Science, among others. He was one of the founding editors of PLAY, The New York Times Sports Magazine and is almost certainly the only person in history to play in both the Elephant Polo World Championships and the Quidditch World Cup.