Walter Russell Mead
Madeleine Albright, who rose from comparative obscurity as a daughter of Czech Jewish émigrés to become the first female secretary of state and thereby the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government, has given us the memoirist's equivalent of a tease. She lets readers see something of the private and rather endearing woman behind the public façade and discreetly lets slip a few facts about her personal and emotional life, but Madame Secretary is a controlled performance, not a confessional.
— The Washington Post
The New York Times
Work harder, be tougher, have fun. That could be Madeleine Albright's mantra in work and in life. Now she has given us her memoir, although it is unlike any other by a secretary of state. She tried on the memoirs of her predecessors for size, and they just didn't fit...It will make a great Mother's Day present.—Elaine Sciolino
The New Yorker
This memoir by America’s first female Secretary of State is a deeply conventional book, full of long accounts of negotiations and reflections on the proper uses of American power. Albright is not out to settle scores (her criticisms of colleagues are mild at worst) and seems, on balance, pleased with the foreign-policy record of the Clinton Administration. This might have made a dull book, were it not for Albright’s appealing character—personally ingenuous but professionally sophisticated, earnest but hard-nosed. Her eye for details—clothing, food, travel conditions—helps bring the diplomat’s world to life, and her portraits of foreign leaders are lively and evocative. The result is a book that creates a sense of policy made by real people, not by world-bestriding titans.
Publishers Weekly
As one might expect from someone with Albright's resume, the former Secretary of State speaks clearly, makes her points succinctly and doesn't stray into speculation, fancy or whimsy. She begins with her childhood in an intellectual Czechoslovakian family and moves fairly quickly through her education, courtship, marriage and motherhood before arriving at what can be considered the guts of the story-her impressive period of service as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and, eventually, as Secretary of State. Her no-nonsense tone is a perfect match for the material, her voice at once serious and warmly maternal. There are a few times when emotion seeps into her voice: when discussing her heated run-ins with Colin Powell or when relating details of the Kenyan embassy bombings and mass graves in Bosnia. An early passage in which she tells of the poor health of her twin babies and how she didn't want to name them until she knew they would survive is particularly moving. Such moments are necessarily rare in a memoir of this nature, but they help paint a well-rounded picture of this remarkable lady. Simultaneous release with the Miramax hardcover (Forecasts, Sept. 15). (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
Albright, as Secretary of State the highest-ranking woman in the history of the United States, recounts her life as a refugee fleeing the Nazis and then the Communists; as a new immigrant to the United States at age 11; her marriage into the prominent Guggenheim family and her painful divorce; and the life-altering discovery of her Jewish heritage. She also illuminates her remarkable public persona and her friendships and battles with world leaders such as Vaclav Havel, Vladimir Putin, Slobodan Milosevic, Hillary Clinton, and Kim Jong-il. Albright narrates her book in a strong, clear, and convincing voice. Recommended for public and academic libraries and for patrons with a strong interest in politics and world affairs.-Ilka Gordon, Marcell Community Lib., Cleveland Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
From the Publisher
One of the most diverting political bios in recent memory.” — Entertainment Weekly
“Her portraits of foreign leaders are lively and evocative. . . . The result is a book that creates a sense of policy made by real people.” — The New Yorker
“Madeleine Albright has written a different kind of memoir. . . . It’s Albright unplugged.” — USA Today
“Albright is frank, assertive. . . . straight-shooting.” — The New York Times
“The fascinating story of a remarkable person who has served her country well.” — The Dallas Morning News
Entertainment Weekly
One of the most diverting political bios in recent memory.
The Dallas Morning News
The fascinating story of a remarkable person who has served her country well.
USA Today
Madeleine Albright has written a different kind of memoir. . . . It’s Albright unplugged.
The New Yorker
Her portraits of foreign leaders are lively and evocative. . . . The result is a book that creates a sense of policy made by real people.
USA Today
Madeleine Albright has written a different kind of memoir. . . . It’s Albright unplugged.
The New York Times
Albright is frank, assertive. . . . straight-shooting.
APR/MAY 04 - AudioFile
The United States’ first female secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, tells her fascinating life story--focusing on both her public and private lives. Students of foreign policy will learn much, particularly from Albright’s descriptions of diplomacy in the Middle East and other hot spots. Albright is also candid in her discussions about the various personalities that defined the Clinton administration, and she covers every topic in painstaking detail. This memoir is extremely long, and the choice of Albright as reader makes it seem even longer. Her raspy, almost grating, voice is difficult to listen to for long periods. While memoirs often benefit from the author’s own telling, this one is an exception. D.J.S. 2004 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
