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Stories From A Diplomat's Jewel Box
Harper
October 2009
On Sale: October 1, 2009
176 pages
ISBN: 0060899182
EAN: 9780060899189
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction Memoir
Before long, and without intending it, I
found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic
arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known
for saying "Read my lips." I began urging colleagues and
reporters to "Read my pins." It would
never have happened if not for Saddam Hussein. When U.S.
ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright
criticized the dictator, his poet in residence responded by
calling her "an unparalleled serpent." Shortly thereafter,
while preparing to meet with Iraqi officials, Albright
pondered: What to wear? She decided to make a
diplomatic statement by choosing a snake pin. Although her
method of communication was new, her message was as old as
the American Revolution—Don't Tread on Me. From
that day forward, pins became part of Albright's diplomatic
signature. International leaders were pleased to see her
with a shimmering sun on her jacket or a cheerful ladybug;
less so with a crab or a menacing wasp. Albright used pins
to emphasize the importance of a negotiation, signify high
hopes, protest the absence of progress, and show pride in
representing America, among other purposes. Part
illustrated memoir, part social history, Read My Pins
provides an intimate look at Albright's life through the
brooches she wore. Her collection is both international and
democratic—dime-store pins share pride of place with
designer creations and family heirlooms. Included are the
antique eagle purchased to celebrate Albright's appointment
as secretary of state, the zebra pin she wore when meeting
Nelson Mandela, and the Valentine's Day heart forged by
Albright's five-year-old daughter. Read My Pins
features more than 200 photographs, along with compelling
and often humorous stories about jewelry, global politics,
and the life of one of America's most accomplished and
fascinating diplomats.
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