The Education of an Idealist

‘Her highly personal and reflective memoir … is a must-read for anyone who cares about our role in a changing world’ Barack Obama

The international bestseller named one of the best books of the year by:

The New York Times • Time • The Economist • The Washington Post • Vanity Fair • Times Literary Supplement

‘What can one person do?‘ In this vibrant, galvanizing memoir, human rights advocate and Pulitzer-Prize winning writer Samantha Power offers an urgent response to this question.

As she traces her path from Irish immigrant to war correspondent and activist to eventually becoming the youngest-ever US Ambassador to the United Nations, Power writes with a unique blend of suspenseful storytelling, vivid character portraits and disarming honesty.

Her account illuminates the challenges of navigating the halls of power while trying to put one’s ideals into practice (and raise two young children along the way), and it shows how - even in the face of daunting challenges - each of us can make a difference.

Now with updated Afterword