Samantha Power, a former war correspondent and UN ambassador, shares her journey of writing her memoir, discussing the fine line between authenticity and dignity. She reflects on the traits that make effective diplomats, like empathy and active listening. Power also dives into the complexities of U.S.-China relations, the rarity of democracy in the Middle East, and the dynamics of baseball's evolution. Additionally, she tackles NATO's defense spending issues and the waning role of Congress in foreign policy, all while emphasizing the power of storytelling to inspire change.
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Diplomatic Listening
Good diplomats listen carefully to understand others' perspectives.
They recognize that individuals have their own motivations and constraints within their systems.
insights INSIGHT
Bridging the Gap
War correspondents and diplomats share the crucial skill of empathetic listening.
They must bridge the gap between the experiences they witness and their audience's understanding.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Storytelling Diplomacy
Samantha Power took risks in her public persona as a diplomat, using storytelling to humanize conflicts.
She aimed to break through the stale language of diplomacy and evoke empathy in her colleagues.
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In "Last Best Hope," George Packer delves into the four dominant narratives shaping American life: Free America, Smart America, Real America, and Just America. He examines how these narratives intersect and conflict, contributing to the nation's deep divisions. Packer's analysis provides a framework for understanding the political and cultural battles that define contemporary America. He explores the tensions between individual liberty and collective responsibility, the clash between different visions of the American identity, and the challenges of navigating a rapidly changing world. The book offers a nuanced and insightful perspective on the complexities of American society.
Why baseball matters
Susan Jacoby
Homage to Catalonia
George Orwell
In 'Homage to Catalonia', George Orwell provides a firsthand and candid account of his experiences during the Spanish Civil War. The book details his decision to enlist in the worker's militia of the POUM (Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista), his training in Barcelona, and his time on the front lines in Aragón. Orwell vividly describes the camaraderie, hardships, and political complexities of the war, including the betrayal of the anarchist and socialist factions by the Communist Party. The book also includes his personal account of being wounded and his subsequent hospitalization, as well as his observations on the political deceit and media manipulation that characterized the conflict. Orwell's narrative is marked by his commitment to honesty, his critique of political factions, and his admiration for the resilience and courage of the Spanish people[2][4][5].
Open
an autobiography
Andre Agassi
In 'Open,' Andre Agassi provides a deeply personal and honest account of his life, from his rigorous and often abusive training as a child to his rise as a tennis champion. The book details his relationships, including those with Barbara Streisand, Brooke Shields, and Steffi Graf, as well as his struggles with fame and his eventual transformation into a philanthropist. Agassi recounts his career highs and lows, including his comeback from a low point in his ranking and his final years in the sport. The memoir is praised for its raw candor and vivid descriptions of his experiences on and off the court.
The Education Of An Idealist
Samantha Power
The Education of an Idealist is a candid memoir that follows Samantha Power's life from her childhood in Ireland to her roles as a war correspondent and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The book offers insights into her personal struggles, her commitment to human rights, and her experiences navigating the complexities of international diplomacy. Power reflects on her transition from an activist outsider to a government insider, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of her career.
A PROBLEM FROM HELL
America and the Age of Genocide
Samantha Power
In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Samantha Power analyzes the United States' understanding of, response to, and inaction on genocides from the Armenian genocide to the 'ethnic cleansings' of the Kosovo War. She draws on exclusive interviews with policymakers, declassified documents, and her own reporting from modern killing fields. The book highlights the reluctance of American policymakers to condemn mass atrocities as genocide and their justifications for inaction, often based on national interests or the belief that intervention would be futile or counterproductive.
A former war correspondent and UN ambassador, Samantha Power has had her share of tough assignments. But writing a memoir about it all is also a daunting prospect. The format itself is a challenge: how do you convince the reader you’re worth spending time with? How do you paint a relatable portrait without oversharing and losing your dignity? For Samantha the answer was settling upon a purpose for her memoir and ruthlessly cutting out everything not in service of that.
Tyler and Samantha discuss that purpose and more, including what she learned as an Irish immigrant, the personality traits of good diplomats (and war correspondents), relations with China, why democracy is so rare in the Middle East, the truth about Richard Holbrooke, what factors mitigate against humanitarian intervention, her favorite memoir, how to get NATO members to spend more on defense, and whether baseball games are too long.
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