Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box [Hardcover]

Madeleine Albright (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 29, 2009

New from New York Times bestselling author and former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, Read My Pins is a story and celebration of how one woman’s jewelry collection was used to make diplomatic history. Exploring the use of the pin or brooch as a means of personal and diplomatic expression and featuring a gallery of fascinating photographs, this unique, intimate, and revealing biography offers a whole new side of Secretary Albright, one of our most beloved public servants.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Before long, and without intending it, I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known for saying "Read my lips." I began urging colleagues and reporters to "Read my pins."

It would never have happened if not for Saddam Hussein. When U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright criticized the dictator, his poet in residence responded by calling her "an unparalleled serpent." Shortly thereafter, while preparing to meet with Iraqi officials, Albright pondered: What to wear? She decided to make a diplomatic statement by choosing a snake pin. Although her method of communication was new, her message was as old as the American Revolution—Don't Tread on Me.

From that day forward, pins became part of Albright's diplomatic signature. International leaders were pleased to see her with a shimmering sun on her jacket or a cheerful ladybug; less so with a crab or a menacing wasp. Albright used pins to emphasize the importance of a negotiation, signify high hopes, protest the absence of progress, and show pride in representing America, among other purposes.

Part illustrated memoir, part social history, Read My Pins provides an intimate look at Albright's life through the brooches she wore. Her collection is both international and democratic—dime-store pins share pride of place with designer creations and family heirlooms. Included are the antique eagle purchased to celebrate Albright's appointment as secretary of state, the zebra pin she wore when meeting Nelson Mandela, and the Valentine's Day heart forged by Albright's five-year-old daughter. Read My Pins features more than 200 photographs, along with compelling and often humorous stories about jewelry, global politics, and the life of one of America's most accomplished and fascinating diplomats.

About the Author

Madeleine Albright served as America's sixty-fourth Secretary of State from 1997 to 2001. Her distinguished career also includes positions on Capitol Hill, the National Security Council, and as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. She is a resident of Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Melcher Media; 1st edition (September 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060899182
• ISBN-13: 978-0060899189
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (85 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Madeleine Albright is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Madam Secretary, The Mighty and the Almighty, Memo to the President, and Read My Pins. She was U.S. Secretary of State from 1997 to 2001. Her distinguished career of public service includes positions in the National Security Council, as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and on Capitol Hill.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Diplomacy pinned down October 17, 2009

By Jon Hunt

Format:Hardcover

Madeleine Albright, always savvy with her word, turns out to be equally savvy with her "wear"...in this case her collection of dozens of pins. It never occurred to me while watching her on tv that those pins actually meant something and in "Read My Pins" she tells us why. Whether needing a diplomatic push or simply creating a mood, Albright's pins convey power, warmth and style. She connects certain pins with historical significance and this really enhances the book. What's even more fun is finding one's favorite in her collection. Albright certainly has her own, and it's very personal for her.

The photography by John Bigelow Taylor allows the reader to see each pin up close...something impossible to do even if one were standing near the former Secretary of State. We've been through ping pong diplomacy and shuttle diplomacy but pin diplomacy is certainly the most colorful of all and this enchanting book is not to be missed.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For jewelery lovers and political junkies! October 13, 2009

By Kathryn Y. Smith

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a jewelry maven and poltical junkie, I adored this book! The pictures are beautiful and the stories that go with them are fascinating. Madam Secretary Albright's plain-spoken manner and self-deprecating sense of humor shine through, and I enjoyed seeing pictures of her wearing the pins in the company of various world leaders, as well as the close-up stand alone pictures of the pins. A great gift for Christmas for any jewelry-loving lady.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great coffee table book... October 7, 2009

By C. Abrams

Format:Hardcover

Having always admired Mme. Albright, I was intrigued and eager to read her latest book. This was not a disappointment - it is loaded with fabulous photos, not just of the pins, but of Madeleine with world leaders, as well as well-told stories from her time served, peppered with snippets on the history of the brooch and other jewelry.

Not a novel, nor a biography, but still a great collectible worthy of anyone's coffee table or library.