Inside a U.S. Embassy

Description:

Who works in an embassy? What do diplomats actually do? Inside a U.S. Embassy offers an up-close and personal look into the lives of the diplomats and specialists who make up the U.S. Foreign Service, taking readers inside embassies and consulates in over 50 countries, providing detailed descriptions of Foreign Service jobs and first-hand accounts of diplomacy in action.

Gain a sense of the key role played by each member of an embassy team from Paris to Kabul, from Bogota to Beijing, and places in between. Travel into the rainforests of Thailand with an environmental affairs officer, face rampaging militias with a political officer in East Timor, and join an ambassador on a midnight trip into a Macedonian refugee camp to quell a riot.

The book includes profiles of diplomats and specialists around the world serving in Foreign Service positions -- from the ambassador to the security officer, the consular officer to the IT specialist. Also included is a selection of day-in-the-life accounts from 17 different countries, each describing an actual day on the job. The story section includes 26 tales from the field that give a sense of the extraordinary: the coups, the evacuations, the civil wars, the hardships and rewards of representing America to the world.

Inside a U.S. Embassy was published by the American Foreign Service Association in 2003, and updated and revised in 2005. Over 70,000 copies have sold.

Reviews/Endorsements:

“You don’t have to be Secretary of State to enter the intriguing world of international diplomacy. What every American needs to know about the role of U.S. embassies is in this volume. Told from the unique vantage point of diplomatic practitioners, the stories recounted here shed light upon a profession little known to most Americans but deeply important to the safety, freedom and prosperity of us all. These are the stories of the men and women who serve America ‘s interests -- often under difficult and dangerous conditions -- from the great cities to the most remote corners of the globe.”
-- Madeleine Albright, Former Secretary of State

“Anyone who has been connected to American diplomacy knows how often the question is asked, ‘But what do you do in an embassy?’ Here is the answer: a heck of a lot. Our citizens and our friends around the world will learn from this lively book just how vital the Foreign Service is to our country’s well-being and to the betterment of all peoples.”
-- George P. Shultz, Former Secretary of State

"An anthology of brief essays and personal testimonies penned by experienced professionals. .... includes profiles … typical days … and amazing glimpses of the Foreign Service in action during moments of crisis. A fascinating revelation of the tireless men and women who labor to represent America abroad."
-- Midwest Book Review

"I'm fascinated by the contents. And I think that not only members of the [Senate Foreign Relations] Committee but all Americans will be deeply interested in this."
-- Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

"Inside a U.S. Embassy is a fascinating look at foreign policy in practice through the eyes of U.S. diplomats."
-- Senator Joseph Biden (D-Del.), Ranking Minority Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

"I am absolutely a fan of this book. What makes it so interesting is that it's about individuals and what they do, and it's about how they support the United States in an active way."
-- Marc Grossman, Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs

"Every day in hundreds of places around the world, thousands of your fellow Americans are at work in direct support of you and your interests. From helping Americans in trouble, to formulating American foreign policy, to talking to foreign leaders about cooperation in hundreds of different areas from trade and technology to preventing nuclear war, these people make a difference. This book tells the fascinating inside story of how it all works for you."
-- Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, Boeing Company Senior Vice President for International Relations and former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs

"Inside a U.S. Embassy is required reading for the first week of my university seminar on practical diplomacy. My students are amazed at the variety and uniqueness of Foreign Service work described in the book's first-hand accounts. I wouldn't teach the course without it."
-- Ambassador Genta Hawkins Holmes, University of California at Davis

"Inside a U.S. Embassy sits on my desk and I recommend it to all interested in the Foreign Service."
-- Ambassador Karl Inderfurth, George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, & former Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Affairs

"Readers will find an up-to-date, compelling, interesting, accurate and highly readable depiction of the Foreign Service and our vital role in service to our nation. The profiles and the stories all show the rich diversity of our people, in terms of both their varied backgrounds and the wide range of services we perform."
-- Ruth A. Davis, Distinguished Advisor for International Affairs at Howard University and former Director General of the Foreign Service