(64) This is a narrative non-fiction account of Hillary Clinton's time as Secretary of State in Obama's first term ~ circa 2009-12. It is written by a Lebanese BBC reporter who was travelling with the press corps assigned to Clinton. Ghattas' own history of residing in Christian Beirut which was invaded by Assad's Syria in the 90's gave context to the idea of America as an all powerful self-serving superpower. Ghattas began her job thinking along the lines of most of the Arab world, especially in the aftermath of 9/11 when the 'War on Terror' seemed more like a War on Arabs and the Muslim world. Through travelling with Clinton and having a front row seat to the complexities of enacting foreign policy - she came to see - it is not so simple.

From reading 'The Secretary' it really does seem that all involved are working round the clock with the best of intentions - in particular the idea of 'smart power.' This idea of creating multinational endeavors and engaging with the populous to promote cooperation and democratic principles such that there is too much at stake to NOT have good relations with the US. I wonder how this dovetails with State departments principles over the last 4 years. Is there a foreign service infrastructure that perseveres regardless of who is in power? I hope so.

I digress. The book is a slow read though accessible. There were a lot of people and acronyms to keep track of and a lot of the book is now dated so what has transpired blurred in my mind with events Ghattas was narrating. (in particular Ahn Sung Suu Kyi's downfall, an the rise of ISIS in Syria) But overall the book is quite well-written and Hillary as a stand-in for the 'good America' and Ghattas dawning understanding as a 'good Arab' were hopeful. It definitely improved my understanding of the world we live in.

I have learned a lot from this book and Moaveni's excellent 'Guest House for Young Widows' regarding Americas relationship with Arab World and the Middle East. I am grateful to all the people that do the hard work of diplomacy around the world and the work of our State Department. Indeed, everyone is a critic. ( )

The Secretary: A Journey with Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart of American Power is a book covering Kim Ghattas' official travels with Secretary State Clinton. Kim Ghattas is a Lebanese born of a Lebanese father and a Dutch mother. She studied political science at the University Beirut. She is a BBC reporter covering the US Department of State. Previously she worked for the BBC and Financial Times in Beruit. Her work has been published by a variety of American news organizations and is a regular on NPR.

Ms Ghattas provides an unique look at the inside operations of Clinton's term as Secretary of State. Working for a foreign (although friendly news organization) and experiencing the the trauma of war in her home country and America's actions during the conflict provides an intriguing look at American foreign policy. Ghattas provides a historical background for her life and for the countries and leaders covered in the book.

The Secretary covers a new era in American diplomacy. It is an abrupt change from the previous administration's “Either you are with us or against us.” diplomacy and the might makes right mentality. Here is an attempt to make a new start. Obama gave Clinton plenty of leeway in forming her team. The awkward alliance grew from presidential primary rivalry and turned into positive accomplishments.

Asia became the first concern for the new administration Korea was shocked at the candor and openness of the new Secretary of State. Freely speaking to students at town hall meetings and forming person relationships with world leaders and her peers. Her experience as first lady gave her familiarity with leaders and governments. A very outspoken Hilary Clinton at the 1995 Conference on Women in Beijing was noticeable different when talking to the Chinese as Secretary of State.

China, Arab Spring, Iran, and the Middle East re all covered in detail along with the Libyan revolution, the embarrassing Wiki-leaks, and the opening up of Myanmar.Since the book is based on Ghattas' first hand experience, the bibliography is a bit light and used for background information. Her first hand experiences gives a detailed historical as well as a personal look into Hilary Clinton's role as Secretary of State. The reading is quick, informative and surprisingly (for non-fiction) a page turner. Regardless of your personal or political opinions of Hilary Clinton, the Obama Administration, or America's current military involvements, this book is well worth reading on several levels. ( )

Kim Ghattas, a BBC Foreign Correspondent who covered the State Department during Hillary Clinton's time as Secretary of State, grew up very aware of American foreign policy. As a child in war-torn Beirut, the decisions made by the U.S. affected her directly. She brings that perspective and an awareness of the Middle East to this book about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and it caused me to view the U.S. foreign policy through a different light. The book sometimes feels as though it is a loosely-related description of trips to foreign countries. At times, I would have liked more of a cohesive narrative and more analysis. However, the behind-the-scenes detail made it an interesting read. ( )

This is simply a fabulous book. Critics may argue that it lacks depth in foreign policy or that it does not provide a detailed biography of Clinton's time as Secretary of State. The book is first off a memoir - a highly personal lens on the 4 years of Clinton's time as Secretary. The writing is best when it is personal - when the author's Lebanese experience comes in conflict with America's actions around the world. The reporting on China and Clinton's trip to Myanmar is also excellent. It is a read when approached with the right expectations. ( )

The Secretary by Kim Ghattas is one journalist’s view of traveling with Hillary Clinton during her years as Secretary of State. Kim Ghattas is a journalist for the BBC covering the State Department. For four years she traveled with Hillary Clinton in company of other journalists. She is not originally from England, but rather is from Lebanon. Her initial views of the Secretary were guarded. She seemed to relate much of what she heard and saw to events she had lived through as a child growing up in war-torn Lebanon. As a result much of what Ghattas wrote and felt initially were colored by those perceptions. The book is a chronology of the travel to the many different countries and the interactions of Clinton with the leaders of many nations, usually the prime minister or the actual leader of the country. The book details many of the difficulties encountered both by the Secretary and her traveling cohort in the various nations. One of the constants was the fact of travel itself. Usually many nations in one trip and attempts to broker consensus on particular hot issues of the day was the day-to-day activity. This would entail long days of travel and sometimes less than ideal living circumstances. The author spends a good deal of time describing her background, which enhances understanding of her viewpoint. She also discusses the overall goal of the foreign policy of the Obama/Clinton administration, which was decidedly different from the previous administration. By the end of the book the author has become aware of the drive of the Secretary to enhance the reputation and rebuild the relationships across the world that had foundered in previous years.
Through an exhausting four years Kim Ghattas followed Hillary Clinton and grew from being wary of the new Secretary and her way of doing business to being an admirer because the Secretary had a clear goal for her time as Secretary and that was to have the United States seen as a catalyst for change in a changing world. Not that the United States is a force that can change all the wrongs in the world.
I enjoyed reading this book because it showed the clear thinking needed in a Secretary of State and the hewing to a blueprint for our foreign policy. Written by a journalist the read was fairly clear though the need for proofreading was sadly evident from the beginning. I give this book 3.5 stars. ( )