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 | | Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the U.S. Foreign Service by Harry W. Kopp, Charles A. Gillespie ISBN-10: 9781589012196 ISBN-10: 1-58901-219-4 ISBN-13: 9781589012196 ISBN-13: 978-1-58901-219-6 Paperback 2008-10-15 Georgetown University Press Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description The U.S. Foreign Service is sometimes derided, often underappreciated, occasionally praised, rarely examined, and almost never understood. And yet whether America's diplomacy succeeds or fails depends to a large extent on its foreign service professionals. "Career Diplomacy" is an insider's guide that examines the foreign service as an institution, a profession, and a career. Harry W. Kopp and Charles A. Gillespie, both of whom had long and distinguished careers in the foreign service, provide a full and well-rounded picture of the organization, its place in history, its strengths and weaknesses, and its role in American foreign affairs.Based on their own experiences and through interviews with over 85 current and former foreign service officials, the authors lay out what to expect in a foreign service career, from the entrance exam through midcareer and into the senior service: how to get in, get around, and get ahead. This book concludes with a stirring chapter on tomorrow's diplomats and the future of the foreign service as an institution. Readers will benefit from several appendices, which include a Department of State organization chart, core precepts of the foreign service, and internet resources. "Career Diplomacy" reveals what America's professional diplomats do and how they do it. It is a rare, first-hand look in to the life and work of this country's professional diplomats, who advance and protect U.S. national security interests around the globe. | ||
Reviews | ||
The best guide to the foreign service ever This is a great snapshot in to the world of foreign service with interviews, history and troubleshooting for the determined foreign office. I came across this book as a study aid for the foreign service. It does contain a detailed history of the foreign service, but it is more valuable as a job description and personal account. | ||
Good overview This is a good book for anyone who is interested in how the foreign service works. As with all other books I have come accross on this topic there are a lot of generalizations, and it seems to be written under the nose of "big brother" if you will. I think this is an absolute must read for anyone considering a career in the Foreign Service, but do not expect it to answer all your questions. For instance there is no further insight into assignments or career progression than is available free of charge on the State Dept. web site. There is however a little more descript explaination about the different career tracks. While I am still looking for a book that gives a little better "behind the scenes" look I definitely think this was a great buy. | ||
Excellent insight into the foreign service This book provides a fascinating insight into life in the foreign service. The view it provides is fair, not portraying the foreign service as the greatest institution ever formed but showing the advantages and disadvantages of the organization. Although the target audience seems to be people considering government employment, I think this a worthwhile read for anyone who is interested in understanding how American foreign policy is applied. | ||
A must for Foreign Service prospectives From a historical and practical standpoint, this book is very educational. Well written, it provides a look at the Foreign Service and State Dept for those interested in employment. A must for anyone preparing for the FSOT and Oral Assessments. | ||
Not a book to read for fun. "Career Diplomacy" is not a book to read just for fun. It is book to read if you are interested in becoming a foreign service officer. Career Diplomacy is a book full of facts. We are told how diplomats are hired, trained, and promoted. We are given, complete with organizational chart, the structure of the State Department. We are shown, in a table format, what foreign service officers earn and in line item format what the the State Department spends on its various programs. The reader is simply bomabared with the dry details and minutea of the inner-workings of the State Department. Weaved between these dry facts, are some genuinely interesting stories. We are told how diplomacy -- the diplomacy of a career diplomat -- saved Portugal from becoming a communist country. We are given "let-me-tell-what-happened-to-me" stories of lower ranking diplomats in Iraq. We are told how the State Department implemented an effective AIDS treatment program in Africa. More of such stories, and fewer charts and tables, would have made Career Diplomacy a more interesting book. However, doing so would have changed Career Diplomacy from its main puprose, that of an information guide for budding diplomats, into the realm of pleasure reading for the general reader. | ||