To the Secretary: Leaked Embassy Cables and America’s Foreign Policy Disconnect

An insider’s look into the day-to-day work of US diplomats, To the Secretary offers an unparalleled window into American foreign policy as it plays out around the world. In a tour of the most fascinating and overlooked State Department cables leaked by hackers in November 2010, Mary Thompson-Jones depicts the work of ambassadors and foreign service officers through their first-hand narratives dealing with crises, corruption, anti-Americanism and difficult world leaders. From the story of Bulgaria’s Aleksi The Tractor Petrov to disappearing ballot ink in Ukraine, she reveals the depth and breadth of embassy life. Honest and critical, To the Secretary describes the gulf between decision makers in Washington and diplomats in the field-and what that means.