Terrorism, Betrayal, and Resilience

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in return for an unbiased review of this publication.
A thoroughly decent read obviously based upon the authors experiences serving her country around the world.
The terrorists attacks contained within this book will be remembered by most and will be of particular interest to anyone who has watched The Looming Tower.
Thanks again.

Prudence Bushnell was serving as United States Ambassador to Kenya in 1998 when al-Qaeda detonated a car bomb outside the embassy, killing over 200 people. In this memoir, Bushnell examines her actions during and after the attack. She also looks at the history leading up to the attacks, weaving in her own experiences in the State Department, as she attempts to piece together how they happened and how little the U.S. has grown form the experience. The same cannot be said for Bushnell, who candidly includes passages on her own emotional growth following the bombing. This book covers a lot of ground, but Bushnell is a more than capable guide, bouncing easily between the personal and policy sections.

One of the great strengths of this book resides in the fact that Prudence Bushnell is a diplomat, not a politician. Her recollections are sharp, insightful, and, most interestingly, critical. She has no problem examining the failures of the Clinton administration in funding embassy security, nor future administrations’ similar issues. Her frustrations with airing these concerns only to be met with silence is palpable. Similar sections also highlight the problems in Washington surrounding its continued approach to terrorism

In a lesser work, these moments might feel self-serving, but Bushnell carefully backs up her analysis with facts and experience. After all, her security vulnerability predictions proved correct after the bombing attack. Moreover, many of the grievances discussed later in the book about current State Department action, particularly funding, are still evolving, making this a troubling (though necessary) read.

While the bombing always remains at least in the periphery throughout this book, it’s not always the sole focus. Bushnell had a long career with the State Department, and it’s fascinating reading about her experiences maneuvering in such a male-dominated environment, and there’s a lot to be noted here about leadership. It’s insightful and provides a glimpse of how her worldview has developed and how it served her in her career. As well, the sections on serving in Rwanda and her post-retirement private sector careers are standouts.

Bushnell highlights a lot of problems the U.S. has navigating on the world stage. Much of this is disheartening and concerning. However, without spoiler, she ends this book with one of the most inspiring and optimistic passages I’ve ever read and is the real essence of this entire work.

Having had a fascination with terrorism and what motivates a person or group to carry out such disgusting atrocities, I thought this was going to be right up my street, and I am aware that there is a lot of propaganda out there which is released to confuse the general population about such events, so I was curious to read this eye-witness account of the bombing of the American embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.

The book opens with the bombing - the aftermath, the emotions and the strength and defiance that follows but it very rapidly turns into a memoir of how Prudence Bushnell got her position. Politics was such a male-dominated occupation back in 1998 (and still is to some extent), so Bushnell writes about her strength, resilience and courage to make something of herself in a man's world. I also expected this to be a lot more thrilling and informative than it was. I actually found it pretty tedious in parts and it dragged on for ages about minute, irrelevant details. One of my pet hates is books that are misrepresented to readers, and I feel that this is exactly what has happened here. It is more accurate to class this as Prudence Bushnell's inspirational life story, and as that is not what I was looking for, I am pretty disappointed. If you enjoy stories about strong, inspiring women or are into reading about the nitty-gritty of the political sphere then you may appreciate this. It would've been better marketed as an inspirational autobiography of Bushnell.

Many thanks to Potomac Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Written. by an American. It gives a very accurate and devastating account of what went on during the bombing in 7/8 98.
A good book for all to read in order to understand the experiences that the author went through.
Thanks to both NetGalley and Polomac Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Prudence Bushnell's memoir of her time as an Ambassador and her time with the Foreign Service was enlightening. Her leadership during her time in Kenya was outstanding. The new perspective that she supplies for the 1998 bombing of the Embassies is eye opening. Her research to understand how the 1998 bombings and all that came after it was well done. This look in to how the US dealt with and at times glossed over intelligence information that could have prevented incidents of terrorism that have taken place is interesting. The fact that this started before the 9/11 attacks is often forgotten. Also forgotten is the people of the Foreign Service and State Department that along with the military put their lives on the line. Mrs. Bushnell's concepts on leadership on right on point and her "Lessons Learned" concepts are insightful and very on point. This was a very interesting and informative read.