Ebook: Past to present: a reporter's story of war, spies, people, and politics

William Stevenson may be best known for his friendship with and books about another William Stephenson, otherwise known as Intrepid, whose spy network and secret diplomacy changed the course of history. Originally published in 1976, A Man Called Intrepid sold over 2 million copies and quickly became a New York Times bestseller. However, readers will be just as fascinated by his life's story and adventures. Stevenson chronicles the major events of his life, beginning with his daring and dangerous time as a naval pilot during WWII flying a multitude of new aircraftStringbag, Tiger Moth, Seafire, Hellcatsand learning various maneuvers in the skies over England, Canada, Scotland, and the Pacific. After the war, still yearning for adventure, he returns to Canada to write for The Toronto Daily Star, where he first meets William Stephenson (aka Intrepid) on assignment and develops a lifelong friendship. Stevenson travels the globe, visiting Hong Kong, Delhi, Kashmir, Kenya, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Thailand, and many other exotic locals, where he meets iconic figures, such as Ian Fleming, Prime Minister Nehru, Ho Chi Minh, Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Tse-tung, Zhou Enlai, Tito, Khrushchev, and the King of Thailand among others. Privy to confidential information, full of international intrigue, Stevenson is a living embodiment of Twentieth Century history.

Past to Present, with story after amazing story to tell, will leave the reader breathless.;Not posh -- Back to the lowest form of Marine life -- Foul storms ahead -- Slipping the surly bonds of earth -- Spill this secret and you kill your dad -- Finding answers -- Going solo -- A ghost who haunts a lifetime -- Here today and gone tomorrow -- Captains at the gate -- Survivors in notional proximity -- The final cut -- Facts are sacred -- For services unofficially rendered -- Nehr, Tito, and the pigeonhole express -- Truth and consequences in Korea -- From a coronation to Auschwitz and a lost pilot -- An absentminded fool puts a foot wrong in Mongolia -- Meeting Mao and the Dalai Lama -- Making enemies by dropping allies -- Enter the dragon lady -- Who is Ho? -- Odd friends and confessions -- Double-think and double lives -- An underwater escape to boyhood dreams -- Goebbles's old puppet finds a new trumpet -- I find a new life in a new world of my own -- The emperor loses his clothes -- Sputnik and the death of a great Indian aviator -- Return of the trotsky case -- Moscow's spyglass on china's atom bombs -- Afghans EraseWho get in the way -- A boyhood dream dies -- Tender traps -- End of an ace and an honest man -- The mole who gagged Soviet defectors -- The Burma Road leads to China's future -- A splendid secret love -- Dalai Lama is no more on top? -- The king and I share dragons -- A difference between elephants -- Adventures of the imagination -- The BBC and "the Nazi king" -- A piece of cake -- Two small countries surrounded by big enemies -- "A little person" goes to school at the palace -- Merry-go-round -- Epilogue: full circle.