Outpost: Life on the Frontlines of American Diplomacy; A Memoir

Hill (dean, Josef Korbel Sch. of International Studies, Univ. of Denver), the son of a diplomat and a Peace Corps veteran himself, became a career diplomat who served in key hot spots around the globe and was U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia, Poland, South Korea, and Iraq, as well as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. His memoir fills a gap in diplomatic coverage of events of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Hill provides not only insight into behind-the-scenes negotiating, the bureaucracy in Washington, and key players on the world stage, but also presents an insider's view of the Balkan crisis and the current situations in Korea and Iraq. A straightforward writer and powerful storyteller, he conveys complex situations in understandable ways. With no-nonsense views on American foreign policy, the author is strongly critical of wars of choice. This engaging account includes perceptions of past presidents, vice presidents, secretaries of state, and various world leaders, in addition to illuminating portrayals of key diplomats such as Lawrence Eagleburger and Richard Holbrooke.