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Attaché Case: Backstage at the Embassy
You've seen them on the news, looking competent and concerned in their navy suits. They're in Beijing, Riyadh, Nairobi, Geneva, and of course Washington, DC. They look uneasy on camera. When they speak (which is as little as possible), it's with caution, hemmed in by protocol and the fear of causing an incident.
These are the diplomats.
With Attaché Case, Todd Pierce, who spent more than 25 years at the State Department, traces his postings around the world, and tells what goes on backstage at the embassy. There are clashes over policy, media faux pas, and a visit to a Turkish prison. In Greece, Albania, Ghana, Turkey, Myanmar, and Switzerland, there is the error-prone translation of one country for another. There is public diplomacy, illustrated by Tom of Finland.
Find out what a working-level diplomat does every day, and what happens, come evening, at receptions. (Do they really serve Ferrero Rocher chocolates?) What does the US have in common with celebrities? How does the dance between reporters and flacks work, exactly? And what on earth is a minister extraordinary and plenipotentiary?
THIS IS HOW YOUR DIPLOMACY GETS MADE.
These are the diplomats.
With Attaché Case, Todd Pierce, who spent more than 25 years at the State Department, traces his postings around the world, and tells what goes on backstage at the embassy. There are clashes over policy, media faux pas, and a visit to a Turkish prison. In Greece, Albania, Ghana, Turkey, Myanmar, and Switzerland, there is the error-prone translation of one country for another. There is public diplomacy, illustrated by Tom of Finland.
Find out what a working-level diplomat does every day, and what happens, come evening, at receptions. (Do they really serve Ferrero Rocher chocolates?) What does the US have in common with celebrities? How does the dance between reporters and flacks work, exactly? And what on earth is a minister extraordinary and plenipotentiary?
THIS IS HOW YOUR DIPLOMACY GETS MADE.
268 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2024
7 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 13, 2025
This was given to me by a friend (thanks, Rachel!) who knows the author, otherwise it likely would not have crossed my path (though I’m glad it did).
This book is like a salacious gossip session with a former diplomat. I openly cackled many times, and found a lot of the details fascinating about a job I’ve never really known much about until now.
If you enjoyed The Diplomat on Netflix, this is a fun companion read.
This book is like a salacious gossip session with a former diplomat. I openly cackled many times, and found a lot of the details fascinating about a job I’ve never really known much about until now.
If you enjoyed The Diplomat on Netflix, this is a fun companion read.
January 27, 2025
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The author's ability to weave between personal and professional anecdotes and history was effective and seamless. I learned a great deal about the inter-workings of the State Dept. and appreciated the juicy behind the scenes anecdotes. But there were also deeply meaningful relationships that the author developed in the many countries he lived in during a fascinating career. The book at times made me laugh out loud and other times made me deeply reflect on America's role and influence in the world.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews