Charles McCarry was born in 1930 in Massachusetts, the son of farming parents. His varied career involved work as an editor, reporter, freelance writer, assistant to the Secretary of Labor in Washington, D.C.; and as National Geographic's editor-at-large. He has also worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). McCarry is married and has four children. Charles McCarry's experiences as a reporter and his work for the CIA are reflected in his discerning nonfiction chronicles and his suspenseful spy novels. Titles of note are "Citizen Nader," a compelling biography of government watchdog Ralph Nader; "Inner Circles: How America Changed the World: A Memoir" (1992), co-written with… Alexander Haig; his spy novels, including "Second Sight" (1991) and "Shelley's Heart" (1995), featuring CIA agent Paul Christopher; and "Lucky Bastard" (1998). McCarry's fiction has been characterized as cynical, intense and gripping.