Madam Secretary by Madeleine K. Albright

I enjoyed Albright's autobiography, 'Prague Winter,' so much, I decided to read this earlier biography which focuses almost entirely on her years as Ambassador to the UN and then Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton. It is great to hear it straight from the author. Albright does a good job narrating her own book. The book is twenty-four hours and twenty-three minutes. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. I noted how helpful it was to her to have been at the United Nations before becoming Secretary of State.

She covers in-depth her period as Ambassador to the United Nations and as Secretary of State. Most of the personal information is at the beginning of the book: her diplomacy role and policy viewpoints are in the later part of the book. The book covers her early life to her divorce then her life working for the government. Some people admit to no mistakes so this is refreshing. She admits her mistakes and states what she should have done or said with no excuses. Albright is tougher on herself than on other people. In fact, I enjoy reading about an event from various people’s viewpoints, which means I read a lot of memoirs. What I like about reading a memoir is learning about an event from their viewpoint. The book is well written and meticulously researched.

I have now corrected that over-site by reading “Madam Secretary: A memoir” published in 2003. I had been examining the books she had written and realized I had not read her most important memoir of her time a Secretary of State. In April 2020 I read her most recent memoir entitled “Hell and Other Destructions” which covers the period after being Secretary of State to the current time. Then in 2018 I read her book on “Fascism A Warning”. In 2012 I read Albright’s “Prague Winter” (my favorite one so far).

Madam Secretary by Madeleine K. Albright