The CIA Connection: Peter Matthiessen, The Paris Review, and Cold War Cultural Influence

Summary

This article explores the complex relationship between The Paris Review literary magazine and the CIA, focusing on co-founder Peter Matthiessen's dual role as a writer and undercover CIA operative. It examines how Matthiessen's CIA affiliation was revealed in 1977 and the ongoing questions about whether the magazine was created as a CIA front or simply benefited from the agency's cultural Cold War initiatives. The piece delves into the historical context of CIA cultural influence during the Cold War, the magazine's founding in Paris, and the implications of this connection for understanding the intersection of literature, politics, and intelligence operations.