Customer Reviews

The Ambassador

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Morris West was an Australian national treasure, and one mostly forgotten in the US. I still count his books "The Shoes of the Fisherman," "The Tower of Bab el," and "The Clowns of God" among my all-time favorites. Even amidst plodding narrative, he had a way of infusing suspense into politics, religion, and moral choices. Occasionally, he was wise and profound.

"The Ambassador" is a lesser example of West's abilities. A diplomat has been sent to Vietnam to negotiate a tentative peace in the midst of political turmoil. The Viet Cong is raiding villages, the Vietnamese president is unbending, and the US has larger, selfish goals in mind. No one is without ulterior motives, and no one will walk away unscathed. The ambassador, Maxwell Amberley, is in the midst of his own personal crisis, trying to reconcile his questions, his frozen heart, and his job's requirements with his own dignity.

West becomes pedantic at times. He lumbers through the politics in long dialogues that are often illuminating, and he never fails to imbue his characters with genuine motives, as well as three-dimensional responses. Despite the book's dated nature (written in the 60s), it has some sharp insights into the political struggles of East and West, including ones that pertain to America's involvement in Afghanistan today.

This is not the best showcase of West's fictional powers, but for those who appreciated this much under-appreciated author, it still has something to say.

Muestra de manera muy interesante la realidad de las politicas internacionales y las dudas de las personas que las llevan a cabo. A pesar de estar situado en la decada del '60 es de total actualidad. Un relato muy humano.