America's Youngest Ambassador: The Cold War Story of Samantha Smith’s Lasting Message of Peace

by Lena Nelson

In 1982, amid the nuclear paranoia that engulfed the US and the Soviet Union, Samantha Smith, a fifth grader from Manchester, Maine, wrote a letter to the Kremlin asking the Soviet leader if he was going to start a war. When Pravda, the biggest Soviet newspaper, published her letter—and Samantha received an unprecedented invitation to visit the Soviet Union —her family embarked on a historic journey that helped transform the hearts and minds of two nations on a collision course.

Today, a nuclear war seems like a possibility once again. The story of a young American girl’s letter to the Soviet leader and her innocent curiosity about the other side of the Iron Curtain holds an important lesson for every American: to never stop questioning the status quo, and to recognize that the responsibility for the preservation of peace is not only the purveyance of the government. America’s Youngest Ambassador provides insights into a forgotten era and has an important message for young people who strive to be more involved in facilitating change, both locally and worldwide.

Juxtaposing Samantha’s narrative with that of her own childhood in the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Lena Nelson explores the consequences of government propaganda on both sides of the ocean and reveals how Samantha Smith’s journey in the summer of 1983 helped melt the hearts of the Soviets and thaw the ice of the Cold War. Drawing on interviews conducted in both the US and Russia with key players in the events of those days, among them Samantha’s mother Jane, Nelson blends storytelling, anecdotes, and analysis of Soviet-American relations to tell the story of this unprecedented moment in history.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

208 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2023

Reviews

[Nadia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had no idea who was Samantha Smith. It was a pleasure getting to know her part in promoting peace between two countries. She was a remarkable young girl. I think the story telling of her life was done okay. There were parts that were a bit boring and others I wanted to know more about. Such as her classmates interactions . Overall, it was a sad but important lesson of a book.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where do I begin? Kind of wanted to give this a 3/5. So this is a 4-/5. A lot of the books I review are a strong 3+/5, but this is 4-/5 for a number of reasons.

I got really into Samantha Smith back in 2020, but there was no book on her. So in that sense, this book came a little bit too late. I originally bought this book in 2024 and gave it as a Christmas gift to my self.

Now due to the fact that no book existed at the time I got into Samantha Smith's story I bought her book from the 80s "Journey to the Soviet union" where Samantha talks about her trip and the book is full of pictures from the trip.

Reading this book, is almost a retread of all of that book, with added contexts. And half way through the book I went and pulled my copy of Journey to the soviet union out of my book shelf to look through. Now one of the things this book does well is provides multiple sources. Such as Samantha Smith interviewing Democratic presidential candidates for Disney during the 1984 election. I also found a special about her trip and her return home. So basically, if I didn't want to read this book, I could of just watched this special. It shows all the same interviews in the book, shows footage of Artek, the Soviet summer camp she went to visit, and the home town parade she was a part of when she got back.

Overall, I would say this book is more of a companion piece of to everything else, but with a little bit more of an inside view. The writing it's self isn't as interesting as it could of been. The book is slightly boring at parts.

This book is also a mix of Samantha Smith's story and the author's memoirs, her journey as a Samantha Smith fan and her story of being a young child in the USSR.

Samantha Smith's story it's self is a a mix of emotions. This young girl who almost by accident became an ambassador for America, which lead to more and more opportunities. She helped to ease tensions, inspired a lot of people, inspired peace...and then to die so suddenly and as the author states, the "What ifs"? Because if Samantha hadn't written that letter, then she wouldn't of become famous, if she hadn't become famous then she wouldn't of gotten an acting job, if she didn't get that acting job, she wouldn't of been in London, if she hadn't been in London she wouldn't of been on that plane and wouldn't of died.

I also found it interesting that Samantha Smith was apparently kind of obsessed with the year 2001.
She stated she had a clear vision for 2001, her vision for the future....9/11 and the war in the middle east? How ironic.

Overall, a good book. I enjoyed it. RIP Samantha Smith. I watched the film Russkies from 1987 as I was reading this book. It was a fairly good movie. Not great, kind of an E.T ripoff but instead of well....E.T, an alien, it's an "evil" Russian.

And I am going to watch Lime street, so I can appreciate Samantha's acting.
RIP Samantha Smith. I was born in 1987, so obviously before my time, but as a historical figure who helped to end the cold war, so the 90's was so awesome and carefree [at least in the U.S.] and just overall a great person, I do appreciate her and her story and what she did.
And I liked and appreciate some of the new facts I was not aware of, the added details to her story.
Wish I could say more.

Update/Note: I literally signed off, went to watch the first episode of Lime street, and the first 1 minute into the pilot episode, a plane crashes!!!! Then we see a news paper that reads "young prince dies in fiery crash" how ironic.

[Meaghan Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible and inspiring story! In 1982, Samantha Smith, a 10 year old girl from Maine, wrote a letter to Yuri Andropov, the leader of the Soviet Union, asking him if he was going to war with America. This letter quickly made headlines around the world and shortly after Samantha received a personal reply from Andropov himself, assuring her that the Soviets wanted peace and inviting her and her parents to visit the USSR during the summer of 1983. Samantha spent two weeks touring the Soviet Union as Andropov's guest, where she and her parents were treated like a visiting state delegation. She even spent several days at Artek, a Soviet Pioneer summer camp, surrounded by Soviet children, many of whom had never met a foreigner before. During her time in the USSR, Samantha promoted a message of peace and saw that the Soviets were just like her and the Americans she knew and wanted peace.

After she returned to the US, Samantha continued to serve as a Goodwill Ambassador, promoting messages of peace and acceptance around the United States and Japan. Sadly, just two years later, she and her father were killed in a plane crash. Her death was mourned around the world, especially in the Soviet Union where she was considered a champion of peace. Her mother created the Samantha Smith Foundation in her honor and promoted peace exchanges between the US and USSR until the fall of the Soviet Union.

The book's author, Lena Nelson, was a girl, a few years younger than Samantha, in the USSR at the time of Samantha's famous visit. She and her grandmother followed the story closely and Lena considered Samantha a hero. Her unique perspective of Samantha's visit from Soviet eyes adds to the story, showing how both sides of the Cold War conflict viewed Samantha and her message.

Samantha's story, while little known today, is inspiring. Her courage to ask world leaders and politicians the serious questions and her hope for peace show that anyone can make a difference, no matter their age. Her parents encouragement and bravery is commendable. They didn't shy away from the press and knew this once in a lifetime opportunity would not only help answer Samantha's questions but would spread a message of peace and hope around the world. I think every child should learn about Samantha's story.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was very excited when I got approved for an ARC of this book. I just saw a story on the news about Samantha Smith shortly before this popped up on my feed, so I knew I had to check it out. Samantha Smith was a remarkable and inspiring young woman. Her story is so fascinating and I'm glad that it is being told so well.

[Marvin Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great slice of history. I thought I knew the story well, and his book added many details I didn’t know or had forgotten. I think what makes the book work the best is weaving the author’s story into the narrative. Telling the story from the other side of the Iron Curtain.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

A fascinating look at the 1980's era of the Cold War through the lens of both the subject, young American girl Samantha Smith, and the author, Lena Nelson, who was a young Soviet girl when Samantha embarked on her journey to try and create peace. Nelson makes this personal by sharing her own memories and feelings, as well as bringing some high level political analysis of what was happening in the world when two little girls were questioning the status quo. Its both heartbreaking and heartwarming to read about someone who deserves to be more than just a footnote in history.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena Nelson brings Samantha Smith, her charm, and her desire for peace to life in a powerful and poignant biography. Smith, whose 1982 letter to Yuri Andropov led to her trip to the Soviet Union, student exchanges between the two countries, and renewed peace talks in the late Cold War period. Nelson’s personal connection to Smith, plus her conversations with Samantha Smith’s mother Jane, add another level to this biography, and the personal ties make the book compelling and heartwarming. Nelson’s perspective from the other side of the Iron Curtain and her history with Smith make this book unique and valuable to the historical discourse around the Cold War. Samantha Smith’s story is inspiring, and Nelson’s book is incredibly readable, making this book great for readers of all levels. Nelson’s use of interviews and primary documents from Smith’s trip to the Soviet Union and her brief celebrity career add another personal element to the biography, and Nelson’s prose is clear, creative, and lifelike. She creates a wonderful and complimentary image of Samantha Smith, and Nelson’s admiration of Smith (both when she was a child and now as an adult) allows readers to feel kinship with the two women.

Thanks to NetGalley, Globe Pequot, and Down East Books for the advance copy.