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Lessons from the Edge: A Memoir
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | An inspiring and urgent memoir by the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine—a pioneering diplomat who spent her career advancing democracy in the post-Soviet world, and who electrified the nation by speaking truth to power during the first impeachment of President Trump. Marie Yovanovitch was at the height of her diplomatic career when it all came crashing down. In the middle of her third ambassadorship—a rarity in the world of diplomacy—she was targeted by a smear campaign and abruptly recalled from her post in Kyiv, Ukraine. In the months that followed, she endured personal tragedy while simultaneously being pulled into the blinding lights of the first impeachment inquiry of Donald Trump. It was a time of chaos and pain, for her and for the nation. Yet Yovanovitch was no stranger to instability and injustice. Born into a family that had survived Soviet and Nazi terror, she first saw the corrosive effect of corruption in Somalia while cutting her teeth as a diplomat in the male-dominated world of the 1980s State Department. She was an eyewitness to the 1993 constitutional crisis in Russia and the street fighting in Moscow. And she rose to the top of her profession in the crucible of the former USSR, where she saw how President Vladimir Putin adeptly exploited corrupt leaders in neighboring countries and undermined their developing democracies. Nowhere was Putin’s aggression clearer than in Ukraine, where Russia meddled in elections, launched cyberattacks, peddled misinformation, illegally annexed Crimea, invaded the Donbas, and attacked Ukrainian ships in the Black Sea. But when Yovanovitch was abruptly recalled from her post and Ukraine’s democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, found himself set upon by Trump, it became clear just how dangerously close to the edge America itself had strayed. Through it all, Yovanovitch tirelessly advocated for the Ukrainian people, while advancing U.S. interests and staying true to herself. When she made the courageous decision to participate in the impeachment inquiry—over the objections of the Trump administration—she earned the nation’s respect, and her dignified response to the president’s attacks won our hearts. She has reclaimed her own narrative, first with her lauded congressional testimony, and now with this powerful the dramatic saga of one woman’s role at the vanguard of American foreign policy during a time of upheaval, for herself and for our country. A Publishers Marketplace 2021 Buzz Book “A brilliant, engaging, and inspiring memoir from one of America’s wisest and most courageous diplomats—essential reading for current policymakers, aspiring public servants, and anyone who cares about America’s role in the world.” —Madeleine K. Albright “First through the breach, Ambassador Yovanovitch showed Americans what courage and patriotism looks like. More than essential reading, Lessons from the Edge is thoroughly engaging and impossible to put down, showing us how an introverted career diplomat overcame the most vicious of smear campaigns to become a foreign service legend.” —Congressman Adam Schiff “At turns moving and gripping and always inspiring … a powerful testament to a uniquely American life well-lived and a remarkable career of dedicated public service at the highest levels of government.” —Fiona Hill, New York Times best-selling author of There Is Nothing for You Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century
416 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2022
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March 23, 2022
Enlightening, insightful, occasionally heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful and triumphant, "Lessons from the Edge" is the most consequential book I've yet read on the internal machinations of foreign policy under Trump. As a former Senior Foreign Service Officer who retired about the same time as Yovanovich did, I want to break down this review into two parts: first, to talk briefly about the book itself, and then to offer some commentary on the reliability, significance, and my own emotional reaction to it.
As the character in the center of the maelstorm of the "perfect call" controversy that triggered Trump's first impeachment trial, one would expect this memoir to focus primarily on the events that led to Yovanovich's recall and subsequent testimony. The first two thirds of the book, however, focus on her biography and earlier tours in Somalia, the UK, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. Her immigrant story is interesting, and the accounts of her service in successive assignments made me nostalgic for Foreign Service work and triggered so many memories. From A-100 to "Flag Day," to the assignments process and frustration with government bureaucracy, to harrowing adventures with foreign cuisine and narrow escapes from physical harm, the narrative provides many touchstones of experience for those of us who lived it. For the outsider, the story may not come across as particularly compelling. When you reach the final third of the book, however, the purpose of the first two-thirds becomes clear, and when Yovanovich tells you at the end of Chapter 12 that she "fell down the rabbit hole," you understand exactly what she means in the following pages.
Yovanovich does a masterful job of explaining to the layman what ordinary diplomatic work looks like: the conditions in which it is conducted; the process through which policy is formulated; the manner in which it is executed; the hierarchy of authority in the inter-agency foreign policy biosphere -- in short, she establishes what "normal" looks like in the ordinary conduct of American diplomacy. That stage-setting makes the last third of the book even more jarring than it might have been had that story been told without that backdrop. Once the reader understands how business is supposed to be conducted, it quickly becomes obvious -- and deeply alarming -- at how devastating, how harmful, how WRONG the behavior of the Trump Administration and its operatives was, badly damaging our country's reputation and credibility, and almost destroying the careers and personal lives of patriots like Yovanovich who serve this country honorably, often at great sacrifice, and often with little fanfare.
As a diplomat who served in the Foreign Service during entirety of the Trump Administration, Yovanovich's assessments of the tenures of Secretaries Tillerson and Pompeo are spot on, and I was deeply reassured hearing from an officer far senior to me that my own views, formed with far less exposure to Seventh Floor principals, are shared by those like Yovanovich who had far more visibility. Her descriptions and explanations of diplomatic work are accurate; her characterization of the Foreign Service as an apolitical organization filled with proud diplomats sworn to uphold the Constitution and to execute the policies of every Administration -- regardless of who sits in the White House -- is absolutely true. In 21 years of service, I never once saw a colleague work to deliberately kneecap official USG policy. We sometimes disagreed with those policies, and when appropriate, we voiced those concerns to decision makers behind closed doors to ensure they were aware of the possible consequences of their approaches. But once those were aired, we went to work to do our damndest to make sure those policies succeeded to the extent they could be made to.
That was what made reading this account such an emotional experience for me. With some time having passed since the events Yovanovich describes, I thought I had gotten over the deep distress and pain I felt after four years of slander as a "Deep State" operative, of the constant barrage of disparagement from a White House that ridiculed our commitment and professional expertise, of obscene questioning of our patriotism. To have to read of the shameful mistreatment of one of our finest ambassadors by Trump and his lackeys -- Pompeo among them -- just ripped the scab off again. What happened, what was permitted to happen, and what little was done to hold anyone accountable is unconscionable. Yovanovich correctly -- albeit too modestly - points out that the attack on her wasn't simply personal; it was an assault on the integrity of the entire diplomatic corps. While we weren't publicly smeared and pilloried as she was, we all felt the brunt of Trump's assault. When he was elected in 2016, I advised my team to retain an even keel and take the long view; I had served presidents under both Democratic and Republican administrations, and though I didn't always agree with our foreign policy, I always worked my hardest to see it succeed. They now needed to do the same. This too shall pass, I counseled.
I gravely underestimated how grueling and emotionally damaging the experience would be for me and for many of my colleagues.
I sincerely hope this vitally important book serves to further elucidate the extent to which the Trump White House damaged the U.S. at home and abroad. Trump supporters will never change their minds on these issues, but for those who truly want to understand both the nature and extent of our corrupt dalliance with authoritarianism so as to avoid it in the future, "Lessons from the Edge" is essential reading.
As the character in the center of the maelstorm of the "perfect call" controversy that triggered Trump's first impeachment trial, one would expect this memoir to focus primarily on the events that led to Yovanovich's recall and subsequent testimony. The first two thirds of the book, however, focus on her biography and earlier tours in Somalia, the UK, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. Her immigrant story is interesting, and the accounts of her service in successive assignments made me nostalgic for Foreign Service work and triggered so many memories. From A-100 to "Flag Day," to the assignments process and frustration with government bureaucracy, to harrowing adventures with foreign cuisine and narrow escapes from physical harm, the narrative provides many touchstones of experience for those of us who lived it. For the outsider, the story may not come across as particularly compelling. When you reach the final third of the book, however, the purpose of the first two-thirds becomes clear, and when Yovanovich tells you at the end of Chapter 12 that she "fell down the rabbit hole," you understand exactly what she means in the following pages.
Yovanovich does a masterful job of explaining to the layman what ordinary diplomatic work looks like: the conditions in which it is conducted; the process through which policy is formulated; the manner in which it is executed; the hierarchy of authority in the inter-agency foreign policy biosphere -- in short, she establishes what "normal" looks like in the ordinary conduct of American diplomacy. That stage-setting makes the last third of the book even more jarring than it might have been had that story been told without that backdrop. Once the reader understands how business is supposed to be conducted, it quickly becomes obvious -- and deeply alarming -- at how devastating, how harmful, how WRONG the behavior of the Trump Administration and its operatives was, badly damaging our country's reputation and credibility, and almost destroying the careers and personal lives of patriots like Yovanovich who serve this country honorably, often at great sacrifice, and often with little fanfare.
As a diplomat who served in the Foreign Service during entirety of the Trump Administration, Yovanovich's assessments of the tenures of Secretaries Tillerson and Pompeo are spot on, and I was deeply reassured hearing from an officer far senior to me that my own views, formed with far less exposure to Seventh Floor principals, are shared by those like Yovanovich who had far more visibility. Her descriptions and explanations of diplomatic work are accurate; her characterization of the Foreign Service as an apolitical organization filled with proud diplomats sworn to uphold the Constitution and to execute the policies of every Administration -- regardless of who sits in the White House -- is absolutely true. In 21 years of service, I never once saw a colleague work to deliberately kneecap official USG policy. We sometimes disagreed with those policies, and when appropriate, we voiced those concerns to decision makers behind closed doors to ensure they were aware of the possible consequences of their approaches. But once those were aired, we went to work to do our damndest to make sure those policies succeeded to the extent they could be made to.
That was what made reading this account such an emotional experience for me. With some time having passed since the events Yovanovich describes, I thought I had gotten over the deep distress and pain I felt after four years of slander as a "Deep State" operative, of the constant barrage of disparagement from a White House that ridiculed our commitment and professional expertise, of obscene questioning of our patriotism. To have to read of the shameful mistreatment of one of our finest ambassadors by Trump and his lackeys -- Pompeo among them -- just ripped the scab off again. What happened, what was permitted to happen, and what little was done to hold anyone accountable is unconscionable. Yovanovich correctly -- albeit too modestly - points out that the attack on her wasn't simply personal; it was an assault on the integrity of the entire diplomatic corps. While we weren't publicly smeared and pilloried as she was, we all felt the brunt of Trump's assault. When he was elected in 2016, I advised my team to retain an even keel and take the long view; I had served presidents under both Democratic and Republican administrations, and though I didn't always agree with our foreign policy, I always worked my hardest to see it succeed. They now needed to do the same. This too shall pass, I counseled.
I gravely underestimated how grueling and emotionally damaging the experience would be for me and for many of my colleagues.
I sincerely hope this vitally important book serves to further elucidate the extent to which the Trump White House damaged the U.S. at home and abroad. Trump supporters will never change their minds on these issues, but for those who truly want to understand both the nature and extent of our corrupt dalliance with authoritarianism so as to avoid it in the future, "Lessons from the Edge" is essential reading.
July 9, 2022
I first saw Marie Yovanovitch on televised news and was curious. She appeared to me as someone I could admire for their courage and her book confirms my initial impression of a person of integrity.
She writes about Russia:
Russia has an abundance of natural resources that by rights belong to the Russian people, "but insiders and crooks were able to game the system and scoop up sovereign assets for well below their worth. In so doing, they cheated the Russian people out of a better future."
In America, most everyone belongs to "some type of civil society group," such as scout troops, book clubs, Parent Teacher organizations, business associations etc. We consider these groups as providing an opportunity to socialize and also share our views and work collectively for the betterment of our communities. We take the ability to meet freely and publicly proclaim what we stand for through peaceful protests for granted.
"In the Soviet Union, in contrast any effort by individuals to join together independent of the government was brutally stamped out, leaving citizens in the new countries without the experience or the skills to advocate - and if necessary agitate - for their interests."
Conflict with Ukraine:
"Putin didn't want to own Ukraine, but he didn't want Ukraine to be fully independent either." Without Russia's influence, he feared that Ukraine would move closer to the European Union and seek to join Nato. Currently, we have seen that fear come to fruition.
Yovanovitch is proud of how the Ukrainian people stand up for themselves: "Ukranian patriots went to war with whatever they could find, frequently just a grandfather's World War II era rifle. Their courage was awe inspiring."
Finally, democracy is something we can't afford to take for granted:
"Our democracy is a privilege, one that we need to protect, to defend, and work to strengthen every day."
She writes about Russia:
Russia has an abundance of natural resources that by rights belong to the Russian people, "but insiders and crooks were able to game the system and scoop up sovereign assets for well below their worth. In so doing, they cheated the Russian people out of a better future."
In America, most everyone belongs to "some type of civil society group," such as scout troops, book clubs, Parent Teacher organizations, business associations etc. We consider these groups as providing an opportunity to socialize and also share our views and work collectively for the betterment of our communities. We take the ability to meet freely and publicly proclaim what we stand for through peaceful protests for granted.
"In the Soviet Union, in contrast any effort by individuals to join together independent of the government was brutally stamped out, leaving citizens in the new countries without the experience or the skills to advocate - and if necessary agitate - for their interests."
Conflict with Ukraine:
"Putin didn't want to own Ukraine, but he didn't want Ukraine to be fully independent either." Without Russia's influence, he feared that Ukraine would move closer to the European Union and seek to join Nato. Currently, we have seen that fear come to fruition.
Yovanovitch is proud of how the Ukrainian people stand up for themselves: "Ukranian patriots went to war with whatever they could find, frequently just a grandfather's World War II era rifle. Their courage was awe inspiring."
Finally, democracy is something we can't afford to take for granted:
"Our democracy is a privilege, one that we need to protect, to defend, and work to strengthen every day."
May 17, 2022
Marie Yovanovitch is the daughter of Eastern European immigrants who came to the United States after living for many years in Canada. They found peace and happiness in Canada after World War II, but because Mr. Yovanovitch was offered a teaching position in Connecticut, they moved south to the States.
Ms. Yovanovitch’s memoir reflects the experiences shared by many immigrants. Her parents’ hopes and dreams for a better future for themselves and their children were accomplished through hard work and determination.
Written with humility, integrity, thoughtfulness, and considerable knowledge, Marie Yovanovitch sheds light on the challenging and vital work accomplished by the dedicated and non-partisan Foreign Service officers who work all over the world in America’s embassies. Marie’s position as Ambassador to Ukraine revealed her patriotism, courage, and strength of character during a tumultuous, politically charged period in America’s history. It is an especially interesting part of the book. The book’s epilogue is not to be missed.
I learned so much about the work of the Foreign Service, America’s diplomatic corps, and State Department! Their tireless efforts to represent our country deserve our thanks and respect. Lessons From the Edge should be required reading for students of government, American History, and current events. It is well written, riveting, and insightful.
Ms. Yovanovitch’s memoir reflects the experiences shared by many immigrants. Her parents’ hopes and dreams for a better future for themselves and their children were accomplished through hard work and determination.
Written with humility, integrity, thoughtfulness, and considerable knowledge, Marie Yovanovitch sheds light on the challenging and vital work accomplished by the dedicated and non-partisan Foreign Service officers who work all over the world in America’s embassies. Marie’s position as Ambassador to Ukraine revealed her patriotism, courage, and strength of character during a tumultuous, politically charged period in America’s history. It is an especially interesting part of the book. The book’s epilogue is not to be missed.
I learned so much about the work of the Foreign Service, America’s diplomatic corps, and State Department! Their tireless efforts to represent our country deserve our thanks and respect. Lessons From the Edge should be required reading for students of government, American History, and current events. It is well written, riveting, and insightful.
November 15, 2022
Always keen to expand my knowledge of world politics, I gladly picked up this memoir by former US Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, which highlights a powerful career, even in the face of significant adversity. Yovanovitch explores her life working in the foreign service, from a low-level lackey at an embassy in Africa through to her ultimate job as Ambassador in Ukraine when Trump was ruining America for the first time. A wonderful read with many anecdotes perfect for the reader who loves to dig a little deeper into issues and see how things work behind the scenes. Yonvanovitch may have received a great deal of slack for her pushback against Trump, but she can also be seen as a hero for many who refused to let the man ruin the country.
Marie Yovanovitch grew up with two very strong-willed parents, having seen a great deal during their young lives. The Yovanovitches had Russaian and German roots within them, having done the best they could n authoritarian regimes. Yovanovitch grew up idolising her parents’ passion and found herself learning from their stories and life lessons, as she eyed a life where she, too, could play a role in international politics.
After attending school and preparing for the workforce, Yovanovitch found herself drawn to the foreign service, which would open so many doors for her as well as provide an education like no other. Yovanovitch recounts the hard training she undertook before she was placed in the US Embassy in Somalia, which would prove to be the first of many postings where her eyes were opened to the way things actually worked. The grittiness that Yovanovitch expressed cannot be lost on the reader, as she sought to change the world one day at a time.
After some junior-level assignments back in the US, Yovanovitch was given the chance to work briefly in the newly-democratised Russia, which proved to be quite eye opening for her. A country that had spent so long under the auspices of authoritarian Soviet rule, Russia was not quite sure how to digest the freedoms that democracy brought to the table. Yovanovitch sought to use these experiences to enrich her understanding of international politics and the world around her, which would prove essential when she had other postings in the region. The theme of authoritarianism to democracy and the wobbly back can be found in much of the latter portion of the tome, which is sure to be noted by the attentive reader.
Yovanovitch speaks of the times she struggled to climb the ladder within the foreign service, in hopes of landing an ambassadorship of her own. When she was noticed and offered a spot, it would be some of the hardest and most valuable work she could imagine. Working in old Soviet republics helped Yovanovitch sharpen her teeth to see just how intense the struggle was for those who sought to toss off the yoke of authoritarianism, but also the amount of corruption that surrounded her. Yovanovitch helped stem the tide repeatedly, but also came to see that Russia and its new leader, Putin, were seeking to move more towards a stronger dictatorial regime, even without the communist undertones.
Yovanovitch found herself butting heads with many who did not feel she could do the job, but also pushed parts of the old Soviet satellite states back into controlled environments. She vowed never to let that happen on her watch as America’s representative in the region. This helped propel her to the crown jewel position in her tenure, the US Ambassador to Ukraine, at a time when Russia was trying to annex parts of the country for itself. It would also prove to be a time when sentiments in the US were changing an an ignorant quasi-despot found himself seated in the White House.
Yovanovitch offers up many sentiments about how she saw Trump and his new administration, not one of which were positive. While she tried to remain neutral, it can sometimes be difficult when one sees their country being dismantled or turning into an authoritarian regime, a term Yovanovitch does not use lightly, but also one she can use effective as she had lived through this leadership style in her past postings. Trump wrote his own rule book and spat on those who did not follow it, making his sentiments known both domestically and on an international front. When Putin came calling, Trump could not cozy up fast enough, which also included trying to go on political witch hunts to remove anything standing in his way. This I where Yovanovitch could not take the pressure and had to act, subtlety at times. It would cost her a great deal, but left Yovanovitch wanting to tell her story so that others could see the horrors that befell her for trying to speak for America first and POTUS last. The last few chapters are perhaps the most intense and worth a slow and intricate analysis by the reader, as Yovanovitch sought to tell her side of the story, even as the Trump Administration attempted to muzzle her.
While I knew only a sliver of what happened in the latter part of Yovanovitch’s time in Ukraine, I was happy to have been able to take this story to heart and educate myself. Yovanovitch has a powerful way of writing that keeps the reader in the middle of things. The chronology helps pace the book along and keeps the reader in the middle fo what is taking place. Yovanovitch pulls no punches and keeps the reader entertained while also educating them from the opening pages unti lthe very last sentence. There is something to be said for such a strong-willed woman and the rollercoaster she wet through while serving her country. I found many of the stories insightful and it helped me get a better idea of the shape in which America finds itself nowadays I can only hope that I will find more books of this caliber that pull me into the middle of US and international politics, particularly as we ramp up for what is sure to be a hellish 2024 presidential election campaign.
Kudos, Madam Yovanovitch, for a stunning portrayal of America and the move towards authoritarianism. You are a hero to many, even when you want to be modest.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Marie Yovanovitch grew up with two very strong-willed parents, having seen a great deal during their young lives. The Yovanovitches had Russaian and German roots within them, having done the best they could n authoritarian regimes. Yovanovitch grew up idolising her parents’ passion and found herself learning from their stories and life lessons, as she eyed a life where she, too, could play a role in international politics.
After attending school and preparing for the workforce, Yovanovitch found herself drawn to the foreign service, which would open so many doors for her as well as provide an education like no other. Yovanovitch recounts the hard training she undertook before she was placed in the US Embassy in Somalia, which would prove to be the first of many postings where her eyes were opened to the way things actually worked. The grittiness that Yovanovitch expressed cannot be lost on the reader, as she sought to change the world one day at a time.
After some junior-level assignments back in the US, Yovanovitch was given the chance to work briefly in the newly-democratised Russia, which proved to be quite eye opening for her. A country that had spent so long under the auspices of authoritarian Soviet rule, Russia was not quite sure how to digest the freedoms that democracy brought to the table. Yovanovitch sought to use these experiences to enrich her understanding of international politics and the world around her, which would prove essential when she had other postings in the region. The theme of authoritarianism to democracy and the wobbly back can be found in much of the latter portion of the tome, which is sure to be noted by the attentive reader.
Yovanovitch speaks of the times she struggled to climb the ladder within the foreign service, in hopes of landing an ambassadorship of her own. When she was noticed and offered a spot, it would be some of the hardest and most valuable work she could imagine. Working in old Soviet republics helped Yovanovitch sharpen her teeth to see just how intense the struggle was for those who sought to toss off the yoke of authoritarianism, but also the amount of corruption that surrounded her. Yovanovitch helped stem the tide repeatedly, but also came to see that Russia and its new leader, Putin, were seeking to move more towards a stronger dictatorial regime, even without the communist undertones.
Yovanovitch found herself butting heads with many who did not feel she could do the job, but also pushed parts of the old Soviet satellite states back into controlled environments. She vowed never to let that happen on her watch as America’s representative in the region. This helped propel her to the crown jewel position in her tenure, the US Ambassador to Ukraine, at a time when Russia was trying to annex parts of the country for itself. It would also prove to be a time when sentiments in the US were changing an an ignorant quasi-despot found himself seated in the White House.
Yovanovitch offers up many sentiments about how she saw Trump and his new administration, not one of which were positive. While she tried to remain neutral, it can sometimes be difficult when one sees their country being dismantled or turning into an authoritarian regime, a term Yovanovitch does not use lightly, but also one she can use effective as she had lived through this leadership style in her past postings. Trump wrote his own rule book and spat on those who did not follow it, making his sentiments known both domestically and on an international front. When Putin came calling, Trump could not cozy up fast enough, which also included trying to go on political witch hunts to remove anything standing in his way. This I where Yovanovitch could not take the pressure and had to act, subtlety at times. It would cost her a great deal, but left Yovanovitch wanting to tell her story so that others could see the horrors that befell her for trying to speak for America first and POTUS last. The last few chapters are perhaps the most intense and worth a slow and intricate analysis by the reader, as Yovanovitch sought to tell her side of the story, even as the Trump Administration attempted to muzzle her.
While I knew only a sliver of what happened in the latter part of Yovanovitch’s time in Ukraine, I was happy to have been able to take this story to heart and educate myself. Yovanovitch has a powerful way of writing that keeps the reader in the middle of things. The chronology helps pace the book along and keeps the reader in the middle fo what is taking place. Yovanovitch pulls no punches and keeps the reader entertained while also educating them from the opening pages unti lthe very last sentence. There is something to be said for such a strong-willed woman and the rollercoaster she wet through while serving her country. I found many of the stories insightful and it helped me get a better idea of the shape in which America finds itself nowadays I can only hope that I will find more books of this caliber that pull me into the middle of US and international politics, particularly as we ramp up for what is sure to be a hellish 2024 presidential election campaign.
Kudos, Madam Yovanovitch, for a stunning portrayal of America and the move towards authoritarianism. You are a hero to many, even when you want to be modest.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
April 18, 2022
This book was amazing.
Admittedly, my political knowledge has many limits. My interest can wane if things get too technical, or go off in directions I don't expect. But, I remembered "that woman" from the impeachment hearings, and I remember the controversy surrounding her recall. So...I was curious. Doubly so given the current atrocity in Ukraine...once again. I was not disappointed.
This book gives a great deal of background into the politics of Ukraine and the U. S. intersection with it through time. I learned much about how the foreign service works (or doesn't), the role of diplomats, the layers of bureaucracy that drive all those buses, the role oligarchs play in many countries, and the ways countries dance with each other around it all, sometimes gaining and sometimes losing as they twirl.
Yovanovitch spends the first two-thirds of the book on her history working within the foreign service in a variety of capacities and in a variety of countries, giving the reader a more global view of how this all works. We learn about the purposes, the outcomes, the risks, and the international influences that are always at play. The final third is focused on Ukraine and what unraveled during Trump's tenure in the big house.
It was fascinating. It was enlightening. It was frightening. It was enraging. And her epilogue made me picture her sitting with a crystal ball, foretelling exactly what we are now living. I have to wonder, if she or others like her, had received better attention, would we now be living what we are living...on the brink? Her view of Russia...it's focus, intent, values and abilities is being repeated in my nightly news. Give "that woman" a medal for calling a spade a spade...all the way through the book.
I appreciate her monumental efforts, in both her decades of service, but also her willingness to speak her truth. What a shame our world has devolved to the point where someone like this can be so defamed, for someone else's purposes. She speaks eloquently of the need for nonpartisan efforts aimed at protecting our constitution and all it stands for. Hear, hear, Ms. Yovanovitch.
Admittedly, my political knowledge has many limits. My interest can wane if things get too technical, or go off in directions I don't expect. But, I remembered "that woman" from the impeachment hearings, and I remember the controversy surrounding her recall. So...I was curious. Doubly so given the current atrocity in Ukraine...once again. I was not disappointed.
This book gives a great deal of background into the politics of Ukraine and the U. S. intersection with it through time. I learned much about how the foreign service works (or doesn't), the role of diplomats, the layers of bureaucracy that drive all those buses, the role oligarchs play in many countries, and the ways countries dance with each other around it all, sometimes gaining and sometimes losing as they twirl.
Yovanovitch spends the first two-thirds of the book on her history working within the foreign service in a variety of capacities and in a variety of countries, giving the reader a more global view of how this all works. We learn about the purposes, the outcomes, the risks, and the international influences that are always at play. The final third is focused on Ukraine and what unraveled during Trump's tenure in the big house.
It was fascinating. It was enlightening. It was frightening. It was enraging. And her epilogue made me picture her sitting with a crystal ball, foretelling exactly what we are now living. I have to wonder, if she or others like her, had received better attention, would we now be living what we are living...on the brink? Her view of Russia...it's focus, intent, values and abilities is being repeated in my nightly news. Give "that woman" a medal for calling a spade a spade...all the way through the book.
I appreciate her monumental efforts, in both her decades of service, but also her willingness to speak her truth. What a shame our world has devolved to the point where someone like this can be so defamed, for someone else's purposes. She speaks eloquently of the need for nonpartisan efforts aimed at protecting our constitution and all it stands for. Hear, hear, Ms. Yovanovitch.
March 19, 2022
One of the best books I’ve listened to ever. Amazing, moving, & poignant: should be read by everyone who loves American Democracy. Marie Yavonivitch is a real hero. It’s people like her make America great.🇺🇸
July 15, 2022
3.4⭐ Rounded down.
The best of the Trump related memoirs I've read, along with Adam Schiff's "Midnight in Washington." It follows the pattern of many of these books: child of hard working immigrants finds merit driven success in U.S. public service then is caught up in Trump scandal.
After decades of distinguished service as a diplomat Marie Yovanovitch ran afoul of the Trump mob while serving as the Ambassador to Ukraine. Rudi Giuliani was working with corrupt
Ukrainian officials to create dirt on Joe Biden prior to the 2020 election and Yovanovitch was in the way. Her removal from office and the campaign to trash her reputation were the opening moves that led to Trump's first impeachment in 2019.
Roughly one third of the book deals with Trump while the rest details her early life and diplomatic career. The image Yovanovitch presents is that of a loyal patriot, unflaggingly working to advance American interests (which she generally defines as promoting democratic, rule-of-law governments and benevolent capitalism).
The book is well written with some humour, although I found it a bit repetitive in parts as she hammered home her points. The background she provides, especially on Russia and Ukraine, is interesting and useful in the context of her own story. She describes in detail the challenges of working in a State Department that was "Pale, Male and Yale."
Like all the recent political memoirs I've read, Yovanovitch takes the opportunity to settle scores with her enemies, going back as far as a former high school principal who threatened her father's teaching job over a critical article she'd proposed for the student newspaper. When dealing with Trump and his henchmen she pulls no punches but in other cases she slides the shiv in so smoothly you blink twice before you realize she's done it. Diplomatic training, no doubt.
Most startling to me was Yovanovitch's ( understandable) conclusion that her mother's fatal stroke was related to Trump's campaign against her. "It wasn't Mama's time to depart from this life and there was no doubt in my mind as to why she had left us prematurely. She had watched her eldest child being dragged through the mud and she couldn't do a thing about it other than worry. At her age there was only one place for all that worry to lead."
Yovanovitch is scrupulous in her use of quotes, which is something I appreciate. If she doesn't have a record of the exact quote and uses a best guess reconstruction, she puts it in italics. It's the sign of someone who's careful about the truth and, in my eyes, lends credence to her account as a whole.
I mostly liked the book and ended up mostly liking the book's author, although I always take political memoirs with a grain of salt. The portrait Yovanovitch paints is of an introverted, self doubting, rules following person. Having watched her testimony before the U.S. Congress however, I have no doubt as to the steel in her spine. -30-
The best of the Trump related memoirs I've read, along with Adam Schiff's "Midnight in Washington." It follows the pattern of many of these books: child of hard working immigrants finds merit driven success in U.S. public service then is caught up in Trump scandal.
After decades of distinguished service as a diplomat Marie Yovanovitch ran afoul of the Trump mob while serving as the Ambassador to Ukraine. Rudi Giuliani was working with corrupt
Ukrainian officials to create dirt on Joe Biden prior to the 2020 election and Yovanovitch was in the way. Her removal from office and the campaign to trash her reputation were the opening moves that led to Trump's first impeachment in 2019.
Roughly one third of the book deals with Trump while the rest details her early life and diplomatic career. The image Yovanovitch presents is that of a loyal patriot, unflaggingly working to advance American interests (which she generally defines as promoting democratic, rule-of-law governments and benevolent capitalism).
The book is well written with some humour, although I found it a bit repetitive in parts as she hammered home her points. The background she provides, especially on Russia and Ukraine, is interesting and useful in the context of her own story. She describes in detail the challenges of working in a State Department that was "Pale, Male and Yale."
Like all the recent political memoirs I've read, Yovanovitch takes the opportunity to settle scores with her enemies, going back as far as a former high school principal who threatened her father's teaching job over a critical article she'd proposed for the student newspaper. When dealing with Trump and his henchmen she pulls no punches but in other cases she slides the shiv in so smoothly you blink twice before you realize she's done it. Diplomatic training, no doubt.
Most startling to me was Yovanovitch's ( understandable) conclusion that her mother's fatal stroke was related to Trump's campaign against her. "It wasn't Mama's time to depart from this life and there was no doubt in my mind as to why she had left us prematurely. She had watched her eldest child being dragged through the mud and she couldn't do a thing about it other than worry. At her age there was only one place for all that worry to lead."
Yovanovitch is scrupulous in her use of quotes, which is something I appreciate. If she doesn't have a record of the exact quote and uses a best guess reconstruction, she puts it in italics. It's the sign of someone who's careful about the truth and, in my eyes, lends credence to her account as a whole.
I mostly liked the book and ended up mostly liking the book's author, although I always take political memoirs with a grain of salt. The portrait Yovanovitch paints is of an introverted, self doubting, rules following person. Having watched her testimony before the U.S. Congress however, I have no doubt as to the steel in her spine. -30-
March 25, 2022
I was compelled to pick this book because of the current war in Ukraine and a desire to learn about the preceding history that led us to this point. What I didn't realize I would also get was history lessons from all over Eastern Europe (and Somalia) too.
Marie Yovanovitch takes us through her immigrant upbringing and to her posts in Somalia, London, Moscow, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and of course, Ukraine. She hits on historical events that I'd heard about when I was younger and those that I didn't know enough about. She also peels back the curtain on life as a diplomat and helped me understand the State Department's role in our government.
It is because of the better understanding I took from this book of the histories and US diplomacy that I rated this book so high. I "read" this book through Audible, which she narrates herself.
Marie Yovanovitch takes us through her immigrant upbringing and to her posts in Somalia, London, Moscow, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and of course, Ukraine. She hits on historical events that I'd heard about when I was younger and those that I didn't know enough about. She also peels back the curtain on life as a diplomat and helped me understand the State Department's role in our government.
It is because of the better understanding I took from this book of the histories and US diplomacy that I rated this book so high. I "read" this book through Audible, which she narrates herself.
March 29, 2022
It had to be hard reading threats in the form of a tweet from a man who ended Marie Yovanovitch's career. Like everyone else, I became aware of and impressed by Ambassador Yovanovitch during the hearings for the first impeachment of President Trump. The right-wing media tarred her as corrupt, and Trump’s Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said nothing as his own employee’s reputation was destroyed. You not only get a smear campaign against her because she would not help him investigate then Vice President Joe Biden, which was never true to begin with, but I also was moved by her description of the unsung heroes of the Foreign Service. I learned so much about the countries their cultures and how Ambassadors serve. Here is a woman who chose foreign service and rose to the top despite discrimination against woman at that time. This book captures the positive influence her mother and father had on her growing up and how that sense of personal and professional integrity carried through the entirety of her career. My anger flared when Ms. Yovanovitch came to chapters regarding how she was persecuted, slandered and fired for only having the highest of ethical standards. I respect and admire the courage it took to share the true version of how dishonest, self-serving people can destabilize society and how a few ethical persons of integrity can balance the scales to set things right again. I highly recommend reading this book especially all those MAGA disciples who think Donald Trump can do no wrong. I knew her memoir would be interesting. This is skilled woman and superb diplomat and the insanity she faced that ruined her career.
March 19, 2022
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch is, and was many things. She has served as ambassador under three U.S. presidents: George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She's also been awarded the Senior Foreign Service Performance Award six times, and the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the Secretary’s Diplomacy in Human Rights Award. Despite this impressive life's work, she was abruptly called back to Washington in 2019 after then President Donald Trump referred to her as bad news during a phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Thus begins the strange saga that Yovanovitch finds herself in. A world where tweets carry more weight than actual truth. This is not a light read, but is an important addition to the growing world of political memoirs.
October 1, 2023
Took notes and everything so that I could write a nice long review here, but ultimately decided on a quick(ish) summary instead.
THE REALLY SHORT VERSION: Depending (sadly) on your political leanings, pretty much everyone has already formed an opinion on Marie Yovanovitch - either the best of what this country has to offer, or a subversive, America-hating anti-Christ. Because, yup, that's where we are now as a country.*
But as for the book itself; the first two thirds are an interesting but fairly straightforward telling of the life of a Foreign Service officer, (although I must add that I ended up skimming over her sections on serving as ambassador to Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, since - let's be honest - that's not why anyone is reading this book). However, the story really picks up again as soon as she arrives in Ukraine (her second tour there) as ambassador in 2016 - and as they say, the rest is history.
Obviously, in Yovanovitch's own telling, she comes off as the victim here, while Trump, Giuliani and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (among others) come off as the main villains - although Pompeo in particular coming off as a spineless sycophant who repeatedly refused to back up his officers, instead putting personal loyalty to Trump - as opposed to the actual office of the President - ahead of his "the buck stops here" duties as head of the State Dept.**
As to Ukraine itself; unfortunately Yovanovitch's story ends shortly after Trump's (first) impeachment trial, and so doesn't really cover the recent war with Russia - on which I would very much like to hear her views. That said, it was interesting if deeply depressing to remember that Ukraine has in fact been fighting a comparatively low-level war with Russia ever since its 2014 annexation of Crimea; and it was particularly heartbreaking to read that back in 2016-18 "every few days a Ukrainian soldier died defending his or her country" - as while that is certainly tragic in itself, it's nothing compared to the over 100-200 that were being killed in combat daily during the height of the fighting in 2022.
___________________________________
* Of course, to anyone who's read any of my reviews even remotely touching on political topics, my views here are pretty clear. On top of which I should point out that I had a brief, late-life career as a State Dept. officer - came in under Obama, resigned/retired under Trump - and so political affiliation aside, I naturally come down heavily on the side of the dedicated and professional Foreign Service careerists over any short-term political (and by definition highly-partisan) appointee.
** As with any he said/she said disagreement (literally in this case), I thought it only fair to check out Pompeo's own version of events, and so read the relevant section of his own memoir, Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love. However, to my surprise he comes off as almost as much of an asshole in his own telling as he does in Yovanovitch's, uncritically backing up Trump, bashing the "corrupt Biden family," and calling Yovanovitch - who, it's worth noting, also served just fine under Ronald Reagan and both Bush presidents - "part of the deep state Resistance" and "the quintessential example of a leftist, progressive, activitst Foreign Service officer who behaved in ways that would have made our Founders cry."
Schmuck.
THE REALLY SHORT VERSION: Depending (sadly) on your political leanings, pretty much everyone has already formed an opinion on Marie Yovanovitch - either the best of what this country has to offer, or a subversive, America-hating anti-Christ. Because, yup, that's where we are now as a country.*
But as for the book itself; the first two thirds are an interesting but fairly straightforward telling of the life of a Foreign Service officer, (although I must add that I ended up skimming over her sections on serving as ambassador to Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, since - let's be honest - that's not why anyone is reading this book). However, the story really picks up again as soon as she arrives in Ukraine (her second tour there) as ambassador in 2016 - and as they say, the rest is history.
Obviously, in Yovanovitch's own telling, she comes off as the victim here, while Trump, Giuliani and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (among others) come off as the main villains - although Pompeo in particular coming off as a spineless sycophant who repeatedly refused to back up his officers, instead putting personal loyalty to Trump - as opposed to the actual office of the President - ahead of his "the buck stops here" duties as head of the State Dept.**
As to Ukraine itself; unfortunately Yovanovitch's story ends shortly after Trump's (first) impeachment trial, and so doesn't really cover the recent war with Russia - on which I would very much like to hear her views. That said, it was interesting if deeply depressing to remember that Ukraine has in fact been fighting a comparatively low-level war with Russia ever since its 2014 annexation of Crimea; and it was particularly heartbreaking to read that back in 2016-18 "every few days a Ukrainian soldier died defending his or her country" - as while that is certainly tragic in itself, it's nothing compared to the over 100-200 that were being killed in combat daily during the height of the fighting in 2022.
___________________________________
* Of course, to anyone who's read any of my reviews even remotely touching on political topics, my views here are pretty clear. On top of which I should point out that I had a brief, late-life career as a State Dept. officer - came in under Obama, resigned/retired under Trump - and so political affiliation aside, I naturally come down heavily on the side of the dedicated and professional Foreign Service careerists over any short-term political (and by definition highly-partisan) appointee.
** As with any he said/she said disagreement (literally in this case), I thought it only fair to check out Pompeo's own version of events, and so read the relevant section of his own memoir, Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love. However, to my surprise he comes off as almost as much of an asshole in his own telling as he does in Yovanovitch's, uncritically backing up Trump, bashing the "corrupt Biden family," and calling Yovanovitch - who, it's worth noting, also served just fine under Ronald Reagan and both Bush presidents - "part of the deep state Resistance" and "the quintessential example of a leftist, progressive, activitst Foreign Service officer who behaved in ways that would have made our Founders cry."
Schmuck.
March 27, 2022
What an amazing book. The author opens her heart to the reader and shared so much of both her personal and professional life. She explains in plain words what she did, what happened at her various postings and focused on the whole Trump-world saga. Very well written and enlightening. Anyone who was interested in the Ukraine/“perfect phone call” fiasco must read this book. Anyone who is interested in joining the Foreign Service must read this book. Anyone who is interested in foreign affairs and especially what’s happening in Ukraine today must read this book.
November 5, 2022
This was an excellent and important read.
The first half of the book is her memoir of her childhood and career in the foreign service, which not only tells her life story, but also establishes her credibility as a nonpartisan diplomat and pro-democracy policy wonk. She praises all of the administrations she worked for, regardless of party, and it is impossible to tell how she used to vote. It is also clear she cares about the success of American interests and fostering democratic processes abroad. Based on her stories and her reactions to events, it clear that Yovanovitch is the kind of civil servant that you hope the State Department is filled with—idealistic, tenacious, smart, humble, and mission-driven. I also love, frankly, reading about the work that the foreign service does. Even though I decided that the foreign service path was NOT for me, I really admire the work diplomats do, despite only really knowing the a little bit about the impact their work has (the epilogue points to the success of our relationship with Germany and Japan since the Second World War, which is in large part thanks to diplomats and diplomatic programs, which is a reminder to us all of the importance of diplomacy). I also think that it would be impossible for Yovanovitch to be guilty of all of the things she was accused of by the Trump administration and dubious media folks while also writing the first half of the book. You can’t successfully fabricate your emotions, opinions, experiences, and work and have the foreign policy establishment not call you on it. The first half of it shows her genuine interest in American diplomatic integrity.
That being said, if you are not a policy work or are not interested in the foreign service, I imagine the first half will be a slog to get through… it is dense and full of DOS-related detail that I think most people will not find enthralling lol. You might like the chapter on England though (I personally loved the chapter on Armenia and was fascinated by the chapter on Somalia).
The second half of her book is her experience being targeted in Ukraine by influential and corrupt operators who used vulnerable access points in the Trump administration to get their way AND get Yovanovitch removed from her post. Basically, she followed State Department protocols as well as her mission not to cave into pressure to ignore the rampant corruption in Ukraine. It is still UNFATHOMABLE to me that a non-governmental employee of the president had enough power and influence over the Oval Office to have a life-long and dignified public servant removed from her position, let alone someone with as long a career, a sterling a reputation, and a high a position as Ambassador. I think if you had told most Americans that someone in Giuliani’s position had that much influence over the government and diplomacy in say 2013, I think Americans regardless of party would have been appalled and outraged. I think collectively our bar for what is appropriate behavior from our elected officials in the last decade has been lowered, to America’s detriment.
The book also reminded me about how vulnerable the Trump administration made us to negative foreign influence. Trump loves a "strong man" and flattery (and everyone knows it), and it’s very clear that dictators who want to weaken American democracy and Americans’ faith in each other have also figured out how to use it to their own advantage. The book pointed to the time when Trump publicly sided with Putin (a strong man who flatters Trump) over whether Russia was involved in interference in the 2016 election instead of his own intelligence community. That single instance eroded Americans’ faith in our own institutions, which is PRECISELY what dictators like Putin want. The weaker Americans’ faith in institutions like elections, the judiciary, and the civil service, the more power people like Putin have because it demonstrates that democracy doesn’t work as well as we say it does. Trump’s vulnerabilities make America weaker and autocrats stronger.
One final point the book discusses and I have meditated on is how the call with Zelenskyy in 2019 that led to Trump’s first impeachment shows the weakness in the long-held notion that the government should be run as a business (and, by extension, by a business man). Businessmen’s primary goal is profit and self-interest; that should not the primary goal of the President. The primary goal of the President should be the security, liberty (especially democratic liberty), and prosperity of the American people and the encouragement of American values of democracy, freedom, and integrity. Trump’s request that Zelenskyy investigate Biden as a condition to American aid reminds that Trump first and foremost cares about Trump. Not democracy, freedom, and integrity. To be clear, Trump’s prioritization of his own interest over anything and anyone else is 100 percent appropriate as the CEO of a company. But that ethos has NO place in the White House.
Overall, this was an excellent, thought-provoking book. I recommend it for people who are interested in foreign policy and the future of American democracy/the role of America in the greater world.
Also, I hope we as Americans prioritize integrity over hero worship in 2024. I’m worried.
The first half of the book is her memoir of her childhood and career in the foreign service, which not only tells her life story, but also establishes her credibility as a nonpartisan diplomat and pro-democracy policy wonk. She praises all of the administrations she worked for, regardless of party, and it is impossible to tell how she used to vote. It is also clear she cares about the success of American interests and fostering democratic processes abroad. Based on her stories and her reactions to events, it clear that Yovanovitch is the kind of civil servant that you hope the State Department is filled with—idealistic, tenacious, smart, humble, and mission-driven. I also love, frankly, reading about the work that the foreign service does. Even though I decided that the foreign service path was NOT for me, I really admire the work diplomats do, despite only really knowing the a little bit about the impact their work has (the epilogue points to the success of our relationship with Germany and Japan since the Second World War, which is in large part thanks to diplomats and diplomatic programs, which is a reminder to us all of the importance of diplomacy). I also think that it would be impossible for Yovanovitch to be guilty of all of the things she was accused of by the Trump administration and dubious media folks while also writing the first half of the book. You can’t successfully fabricate your emotions, opinions, experiences, and work and have the foreign policy establishment not call you on it. The first half of it shows her genuine interest in American diplomatic integrity.
That being said, if you are not a policy work or are not interested in the foreign service, I imagine the first half will be a slog to get through… it is dense and full of DOS-related detail that I think most people will not find enthralling lol. You might like the chapter on England though (I personally loved the chapter on Armenia and was fascinated by the chapter on Somalia).
The second half of her book is her experience being targeted in Ukraine by influential and corrupt operators who used vulnerable access points in the Trump administration to get their way AND get Yovanovitch removed from her post. Basically, she followed State Department protocols as well as her mission not to cave into pressure to ignore the rampant corruption in Ukraine. It is still UNFATHOMABLE to me that a non-governmental employee of the president had enough power and influence over the Oval Office to have a life-long and dignified public servant removed from her position, let alone someone with as long a career, a sterling a reputation, and a high a position as Ambassador. I think if you had told most Americans that someone in Giuliani’s position had that much influence over the government and diplomacy in say 2013, I think Americans regardless of party would have been appalled and outraged. I think collectively our bar for what is appropriate behavior from our elected officials in the last decade has been lowered, to America’s detriment.
The book also reminded me about how vulnerable the Trump administration made us to negative foreign influence. Trump loves a "strong man" and flattery (and everyone knows it), and it’s very clear that dictators who want to weaken American democracy and Americans’ faith in each other have also figured out how to use it to their own advantage. The book pointed to the time when Trump publicly sided with Putin (a strong man who flatters Trump) over whether Russia was involved in interference in the 2016 election instead of his own intelligence community. That single instance eroded Americans’ faith in our own institutions, which is PRECISELY what dictators like Putin want. The weaker Americans’ faith in institutions like elections, the judiciary, and the civil service, the more power people like Putin have because it demonstrates that democracy doesn’t work as well as we say it does. Trump’s vulnerabilities make America weaker and autocrats stronger.
One final point the book discusses and I have meditated on is how the call with Zelenskyy in 2019 that led to Trump’s first impeachment shows the weakness in the long-held notion that the government should be run as a business (and, by extension, by a business man). Businessmen’s primary goal is profit and self-interest; that should not the primary goal of the President. The primary goal of the President should be the security, liberty (especially democratic liberty), and prosperity of the American people and the encouragement of American values of democracy, freedom, and integrity. Trump’s request that Zelenskyy investigate Biden as a condition to American aid reminds that Trump first and foremost cares about Trump. Not democracy, freedom, and integrity. To be clear, Trump’s prioritization of his own interest over anything and anyone else is 100 percent appropriate as the CEO of a company. But that ethos has NO place in the White House.
Overall, this was an excellent, thought-provoking book. I recommend it for people who are interested in foreign policy and the future of American democracy/the role of America in the greater world.
Also, I hope we as Americans prioritize integrity over hero worship in 2024. I’m worried.
March 22, 2022
This is a political memoir of an award-winning US diplomat and former ambassador to Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. She was removed from her post in Ukraine after a smear campaign by ex-President Trump's personal lawyer Giuliani.
Yovanovitch fought back and is best known for her two definitive testimonies before the US Congress, the second at Trump's first impeachment hearing. Her testimony covered Trump's threat to block aid to Ukraine if that government did not do him a personal 'favor' and prosecute his political rival, now President, Joe Biden, for alleged corruption. These chapters are the most engaging, and emphasize the tremendous personal stress she was under, including dealing with her mother's sudden death during the first hearing.
The chapters on Ukraine, given the current Russian war there, provide very informative background on that country. The corrupting influence of powerful oligarchs and politicians was, and is, all pervading, throughout all the countries of the former USSR. The last chapter, on ways to engage with Russia, are also very informative. Yovanovitch succeeds in portraying the need for diplomacy in US dealings abroad and for the important role of the Foreign Service. She also highlights the toll such service takes on women Foreign Service officers. But foremost, this is a memoir about the cost that political corruption takes. It is bitterly ironic that the transition of the Ukrainian election that brought Zelenskiy to power was more peaceful than the 2021 US transition.
Yovanovitch is a woman who takes personal integrity seriously. While her portrayal of America and American values is rosier than mine, her sense of integrity is solely needed in the world today.
Yovanovitch fought back and is best known for her two definitive testimonies before the US Congress, the second at Trump's first impeachment hearing. Her testimony covered Trump's threat to block aid to Ukraine if that government did not do him a personal 'favor' and prosecute his political rival, now President, Joe Biden, for alleged corruption. These chapters are the most engaging, and emphasize the tremendous personal stress she was under, including dealing with her mother's sudden death during the first hearing.
The chapters on Ukraine, given the current Russian war there, provide very informative background on that country. The corrupting influence of powerful oligarchs and politicians was, and is, all pervading, throughout all the countries of the former USSR. The last chapter, on ways to engage with Russia, are also very informative. Yovanovitch succeeds in portraying the need for diplomacy in US dealings abroad and for the important role of the Foreign Service. She also highlights the toll such service takes on women Foreign Service officers. But foremost, this is a memoir about the cost that political corruption takes. It is bitterly ironic that the transition of the Ukrainian election that brought Zelenskiy to power was more peaceful than the 2021 US transition.
Yovanovitch is a woman who takes personal integrity seriously. While her portrayal of America and American values is rosier than mine, her sense of integrity is solely needed in the world today.
June 5, 2022
Do I think this is a perfect book? No. However, I am incapable of thinking of a reason not to give it 5 stars just for sheer readability. I am incredibly hesitant to read autobiography/memoir - especially about political (or, in this case, politically adjacent) figures - but I am so glad I took a chance on this. It is almost un-put-downable. I don't know how someone who keeps close track of international affairs would feel about this book, but that isn't me. Yovanovitch had postings throughout her time at the State Department in places like (not necessarily in this order) Mogadishu, Russia, London, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and - of course - Ukraine, twice. She is incredible at giving you a quick snapshot of the background of her current country, the current issues of her mission, and giving you a sense of what happened there after she left. The last fourth or so focuses on the circumstances surrounding her removal from her ambassadorship in Ukraine and the first Trump impeachment. No matter what she was discussing, it was hard to stop listening. Her epilogue, which focuses first on the role of America on the international stage and dire warnings about not paying enough credence to the threat of Russia (and how important Ukraine is) feels almost eerie in light of the fact that it was written prior to Russia's invasion. I read this in part to better understand the situation in those countries prior to the invasion, and I got what I came for and more.
April 7, 2022
If you want to understand the situation in Ukraine and the impact of oligarchs, you could do no better than to read this book. Marie Yovanovitch, a 33 year veteran of the US Foreign Service and former Ambassador to Ukraine, tells the tale of her service in Ukraine and its aftermath under the Trump administration’s confused and inconsistent policies in that nation. She also gives it context in light of her entire career as an FSO.
Yovanovitch is an excellent writer with an extraordinary story to tell. Well worth reading.
Yovanovitch is an excellent writer with an extraordinary story to tell. Well worth reading.
March 31, 2022
It’s unbelievable what Ms. Yovanovitch went through, all the time displaying grace and composure. I have alot of respect for her.
This is a great read and covers her perspective on her career as well as Trump’s malfeasance. I listened to the audiobook (narrated by the author) and recommend it.
This is a great read and covers her perspective on her career as well as Trump’s malfeasance. I listened to the audiobook (narrated by the author) and recommend it.
March 8, 2023
Could be long-winded and full of government speak, but dang makes me proud to be a fellow FSO. And that she witnessed my swearing -in! What an inspiration for integrity and honest work. And I loved how much she loved her mom!
June 14, 2022
Amazing book, amazing woman, amazing civil servant and patriot. Shows her vulnerabilities and her strength, much like Katharine Graham in A Personal History.
April 9, 2022
A smooth and compellingly written story of the acclaimed and awarded foreign service officer and 3-time ambassador Maria Yavonavich including the harrowing journey of her parents’ families toward freedom and the complexity of their Russian identity.
The inside stories of Yavanovich’s postings around the world as a foreign service officer were fascinating and grounded by her earnest and dedication to representing the US and supporting the challenging diplomatic work of supporting her host countries work towards democracy.
Yavanovich’s experience of being a target in the Trump administration’s scheme to create a conspiracy theory about Joe Biden was heartbreaking and confusion. Yavanovich’s conviction towards her values, commitments to the US and to her integrity are breath taking.
As Russian continues to engage in war and war crimes in an effort to occupy or destroy Ukraine, the security exposure that Trump perpetuated with building an executing this conspiracy theory is even more painful. I think it will take time to understand more fully how detrimental these actions were.
The inside stories of Yavanovich’s postings around the world as a foreign service officer were fascinating and grounded by her earnest and dedication to representing the US and supporting the challenging diplomatic work of supporting her host countries work towards democracy.
Yavanovich’s experience of being a target in the Trump administration’s scheme to create a conspiracy theory about Joe Biden was heartbreaking and confusion. Yavanovich’s conviction towards her values, commitments to the US and to her integrity are breath taking.
As Russian continues to engage in war and war crimes in an effort to occupy or destroy Ukraine, the security exposure that Trump perpetuated with building an executing this conspiracy theory is even more painful. I think it will take time to understand more fully how detrimental these actions were.
March 30, 2022
For the most part interesting and insightful. And it’s understandable her hatred for Trump and Pompeo, but much of the final portion of the book reads as if written by the democrat party with a little help from Rachel maddow. Would have liked better if the political propaganda was replaced with more insight on the issues surrounding the political dynamics in Ukraine. Very little said about burisma and hunter bidens activities. Vindman is all but missing also.
It is her personal story so it’s understandable that some of what I was hoping to learn about was not included. It also seems clear that even though she touts apolitical, she favors and is a fan of Hillary Clinton and schiff and the party faithful.
Really hoping for an unbiased journalists account of Ukraine over the last 10-15 years especially the events leading up to and including the Trump impeachment. Without that it seems as if it was all political maneuvering.
It is her personal story so it’s understandable that some of what I was hoping to learn about was not included. It also seems clear that even though she touts apolitical, she favors and is a fan of Hillary Clinton and schiff and the party faithful.
Really hoping for an unbiased journalists account of Ukraine over the last 10-15 years especially the events leading up to and including the Trump impeachment. Without that it seems as if it was all political maneuvering.
September 17, 2022
This is the unflinching account of a respected U.S. Ambassador who was used as a pawn by the Trump administration to further their own political agenda. This highly educated and morally responsible woman was the victim of an international smear campaign to deflect attention from the former President’s impeachment proceedings by portraying her as the mastermind behind a fictitious plot to bilk the Ukrainian government by subverting their criminal justice system.
Ms. Yovanovich proved her mettle by remaining loyal to the State Department that refused to support her against the President’s machinations, choosing instead to hang her out to dry to protect their own necks and positions. Her testimony before the Impeachment committee was impressive as far as the courage and honesty she exhibited.
A terrifying, yet ultimately uplifting account of one person standing against corruption at the highest levels of government.
Ms. Yovanovich proved her mettle by remaining loyal to the State Department that refused to support her against the President’s machinations, choosing instead to hang her out to dry to protect their own necks and positions. Her testimony before the Impeachment committee was impressive as far as the courage and honesty she exhibited.
A terrifying, yet ultimately uplifting account of one person standing against corruption at the highest levels of government.
March 26, 2022
A Phenomenal Book With Extraordinary Insights
Yovanovitch has been on the front-seat and sometimes the stage of one historical event after another. Her family history gave her insights, and her courage to move ahead, to speak truth to power at home and abroad are at one inspiring and heartbreaking. This is a woman who must be heard, not because she is infallible, but because she is moved by all the right impulses of integrity, compassion and courage are a light in these dark times. Read this book.
Yovanovitch has been on the front-seat and sometimes the stage of one historical event after another. Her family history gave her insights, and her courage to move ahead, to speak truth to power at home and abroad are at one inspiring and heartbreaking. This is a woman who must be heard, not because she is infallible, but because she is moved by all the right impulses of integrity, compassion and courage are a light in these dark times. Read this book.
October 23, 2022
Wow! A great read! Her insight into how we do foreign policy, Ukraine and being attacked by Trump via tweet
makes this an amazing book. An inspiring and educational story that provides great background to the Russia/Ukraine conflict.
makes this an amazing book. An inspiring and educational story that provides great background to the Russia/Ukraine conflict.
April 6, 2023
I confess to having read several of the recent books lambasting President Donald Trump and his administration for their various sins, misdeeds, errors, crimes, and general disregard for American values. Most of these books are written by journalists who could not believe what they were seeing on a daily basis or by former Trump insiders seeking to preserve their own reputation after mortgaging their credibility by defending the Trump Administration.
Marie Yovanovitch, former United States ambassador to Ukraine and retired career member of the United States Foreign Service (essentially our 'ambassador corps') has written her book about her experience with the Trump Administration, and it is rare: an analysis of the chaos Team Trump unleashed upon the world from a relatively non-partisan source. I say 'non-partisan' advisedly, because Yovanovitch is a true American diplomat. The vast majority of the book tells Yovanovitch's fascinating life growing up and while in the United States Foreign Service, and it is clear that by character and by training Yovanovitch is the kind of person who represents current U.S. policy and understands that different Administrations have different priorities.
Yovanovitch may be a somewhat dry storyteller, but her story is anything but dry. Much of her life has been spent in remote parts of the world - Somalia, humble posts in Eastern Europe, and so on - and peppered with occasional stretches in more 'glamorous' settings like London (one fun anecdote - Yovanovitch was invited to attend a function where the Queen of England would be attending, and when Yovanovitch asked for help on what she should wear, she was told, 'if you have a tiara, wear it.'). Yovanovitch built her career representing American interests in some of the most corrupt nations on Earth, and she knows the benefits to American interests if corruption is stamped out.
And so it is that Yovanovitch was uniquely trained to spot a rat when Rudy Giuliani began nosing around Ukraine while Yovanovitch was our ambassador. Ukraine at the time was incredibly corrupt but also extremely important to America. It was also a county in transition, struggling to stand on its own feet and kick the bums out, so to speak. But then Giuliani and the rest of the Trump team did their thing, getting in bed with the corrupt actors who were willing to help Trump in his quest to beat Joe Biden. Yovanovitch was there as the wheels of corruption turned and quickly became collateral damage as her incorruptibility made things difficult.
Her story builds to her powerful testimony before Congress as part of the first Trump impeachment.
This is an important and fascinating story, if somewhat blandly told. But if you get past Yovanovitch's ambassadorial prose, you'll see a great American who spent her life advancing our national interest abroad. It is a shame that Trump's team was so willing to throw her under the bus for such immoral purposes, but that is how they roll. Yovanovitch is a fine American.
Definitely recommended.
Marie Yovanovitch, former United States ambassador to Ukraine and retired career member of the United States Foreign Service (essentially our 'ambassador corps') has written her book about her experience with the Trump Administration, and it is rare: an analysis of the chaos Team Trump unleashed upon the world from a relatively non-partisan source. I say 'non-partisan' advisedly, because Yovanovitch is a true American diplomat. The vast majority of the book tells Yovanovitch's fascinating life growing up and while in the United States Foreign Service, and it is clear that by character and by training Yovanovitch is the kind of person who represents current U.S. policy and understands that different Administrations have different priorities.
Yovanovitch may be a somewhat dry storyteller, but her story is anything but dry. Much of her life has been spent in remote parts of the world - Somalia, humble posts in Eastern Europe, and so on - and peppered with occasional stretches in more 'glamorous' settings like London (one fun anecdote - Yovanovitch was invited to attend a function where the Queen of England would be attending, and when Yovanovitch asked for help on what she should wear, she was told, 'if you have a tiara, wear it.'). Yovanovitch built her career representing American interests in some of the most corrupt nations on Earth, and she knows the benefits to American interests if corruption is stamped out.
And so it is that Yovanovitch was uniquely trained to spot a rat when Rudy Giuliani began nosing around Ukraine while Yovanovitch was our ambassador. Ukraine at the time was incredibly corrupt but also extremely important to America. It was also a county in transition, struggling to stand on its own feet and kick the bums out, so to speak. But then Giuliani and the rest of the Trump team did their thing, getting in bed with the corrupt actors who were willing to help Trump in his quest to beat Joe Biden. Yovanovitch was there as the wheels of corruption turned and quickly became collateral damage as her incorruptibility made things difficult.
Her story builds to her powerful testimony before Congress as part of the first Trump impeachment.
This is an important and fascinating story, if somewhat blandly told. But if you get past Yovanovitch's ambassadorial prose, you'll see a great American who spent her life advancing our national interest abroad. It is a shame that Trump's team was so willing to throw her under the bus for such immoral purposes, but that is how they roll. Yovanovitch is a fine American.
Definitely recommended.
October 15, 2022
A very personal account of her career in Foreign Service then being bullied with false accusations. Masha tells an honest account of her experience and her faith in democracy. She explains the rule of law so important in a democracy.
I appreciated her openness and vulnerability with needing a psychiatrist to help her resolve her self doubts and that unresolved issues contribute to PTSD. The emotional roller coaster of losing her mother at the same time she was subpoenaed during the first impeachment trial.
I love her heroism, her commitment to serving the United States and modeling a true American diplomat.
I appreciated her openness and vulnerability with needing a psychiatrist to help her resolve her self doubts and that unresolved issues contribute to PTSD. The emotional roller coaster of losing her mother at the same time she was subpoenaed during the first impeachment trial.
I love her heroism, her commitment to serving the United States and modeling a true American diplomat.
December 19, 2022
This was the audio book version. And Marie does the narrating. While she is a great speaker, a 17 hour audio book in her careful non inflective speech is a bit dry. The book however was itself fascinating. It isn’t just her story, but a history of US diplomacy as seen through her eyes from the 80s through today. It’s an interesting insight into the lives of US foreign service which are really our front line of diplomacy in our country.
September 12, 2023
Incredible book by one more brave and smart member of the Princeton class of 80! Must have been something in the water!!!!
Read
July 18, 2022Good overview of a working diplomat’s life that has a warm glow and pulls punches until Trump destroys the author’s diplomatic career. Then the gloves come off. Also a good overview of what happens when you’re just doing your job and end up in the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of your own.
May 9, 2022
This was a fantastic book. It reminded me of why I wanted to go into the foreign service as a teen. Then, I realized that I'm too lazy and hate to fly. But, this book is an excellent read, even if you never dreamed of the foreign service as a career.
This woman is absolutely fearless. As a 20-something brand new to the foreign service, she choose Somalia as her first posting. Somalia. After a brief background on her family and how she ended up in foreign service, Ambassador Yovanovitch discusses her many postings (Somalia, London, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine) and the foreign policy issues that were important to those postings. Some people might not enjoy that section of the book, but I thought it was fascinating, informative and so, so, so smart. More than that, though, it demonstrates the purposes of the State Department and the foreign service, and how it operates to promote the best interests of the US and the host country, and it demonstrates how diplomacy has worked and should work. Then, the book hits the years we've all heard about, the years under Donald Trump, the complete decimation of the State Department, and the use of foreign policy only to serve his personal interests. She worked under six different presidents from Reagan to Trump (four Republicans and two Democrats), and her job under each was to promote the policy of that administration, regardless of her own beliefs. She believed it and she lived it. She began under Trump with that same mission. She had no idea the forces that would be used against her because she stood in the way of a corrupt prosecutor in Ukraine. She was used as a pawn by Giuliani to show Ukraine that the administration would do what Ukraine wanted if Ukraine would make up the dirt on Hunter Biden. When she was called to testify about Trump's "perfect phone call," she did not understand why her testimony was important given that she had left Ukraine before the call. Her attorneys (who represented her for free) informed her that she was the overt act in support of the conspiracy--legally, to be a conspiracy, there must be an overt act to move it forward, or it is just talk. Giuliani getting her fired was the overt act to show the Ukrainians he and his "client" were all in.
I found it proof of her bipartisanship that she was very concerned about being caught between the Trump administration and the Democratic committee. She was not on either side. She wanted to tell the truth, not help the Dems. The behind the scenes look at her deposition and her public testimony was fascinating.
Also, little known, after her deposition, her mother became very ill, and died right before her public testimony. Ambassador Yovanovich was under enormous stress during this time, she'd been unjustly fired from a job she loved, her reputation had been smeared by right wing media, and her mother was dying. But, she bore it all with grace and did her country proud.
This woman is absolutely fearless. As a 20-something brand new to the foreign service, she choose Somalia as her first posting. Somalia. After a brief background on her family and how she ended up in foreign service, Ambassador Yovanovitch discusses her many postings (Somalia, London, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine) and the foreign policy issues that were important to those postings. Some people might not enjoy that section of the book, but I thought it was fascinating, informative and so, so, so smart. More than that, though, it demonstrates the purposes of the State Department and the foreign service, and how it operates to promote the best interests of the US and the host country, and it demonstrates how diplomacy has worked and should work. Then, the book hits the years we've all heard about, the years under Donald Trump, the complete decimation of the State Department, and the use of foreign policy only to serve his personal interests. She worked under six different presidents from Reagan to Trump (four Republicans and two Democrats), and her job under each was to promote the policy of that administration, regardless of her own beliefs. She believed it and she lived it. She began under Trump with that same mission. She had no idea the forces that would be used against her because she stood in the way of a corrupt prosecutor in Ukraine. She was used as a pawn by Giuliani to show Ukraine that the administration would do what Ukraine wanted if Ukraine would make up the dirt on Hunter Biden. When she was called to testify about Trump's "perfect phone call," she did not understand why her testimony was important given that she had left Ukraine before the call. Her attorneys (who represented her for free) informed her that she was the overt act in support of the conspiracy--legally, to be a conspiracy, there must be an overt act to move it forward, or it is just talk. Giuliani getting her fired was the overt act to show the Ukrainians he and his "client" were all in.
I found it proof of her bipartisanship that she was very concerned about being caught between the Trump administration and the Democratic committee. She was not on either side. She wanted to tell the truth, not help the Dems. The behind the scenes look at her deposition and her public testimony was fascinating.
Also, little known, after her deposition, her mother became very ill, and died right before her public testimony. Ambassador Yovanovich was under enormous stress during this time, she'd been unjustly fired from a job she loved, her reputation had been smeared by right wing media, and her mother was dying. But, she bore it all with grace and did her country proud.
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