Michael Hayden is a retired 4-star U.S. Air Force general who found himself on the front lines of the Congressional war with the clandestine services.

He served both as director of the National Security Agency (1999-2005) and as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (2006-09). In both cases his battles were fought on Capitol Hill with members of Congress.

He recounts those experiences in his latest book, Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror. Gen. Hayden will discuss his philosophy and current affairs in a Council program on Wednesday, October 5, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth.

The pursuit of international intelligence isn’t something Hayden left behind when he departed his government jobs. He is a principal of the Chertoff Group, the international security firm founded by former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

Hayden is outspoken, frequently making headlines with his comments on presidential candidates and the current president in connection with American security.

The respected Kirkus Reviews, in examining Playing to the Edge, wrote, “For readers of all political and ideological persuasions with even slightly open minds, Hayden is a worthy guide to a secretive realm.”

The review also teased potential readers with a note that “he spices the conversation with sharp portraits of politicians, military commanders, rulers of other nations, and sometimes himself.”

Global hot spots and notable American politicians are part of this study of dealing with terrorism in the modern world.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Hayden, in a 2009 U.S. News & World Report story, was described as one of “Washington’s biggest Pittsburgh Steelers fans.” In March, 2016, the Steelers.com website told the story of his career “from Steelers ball boy to Four Star General.”