When serving the Clinton administration as Secretary of
State, Madeleine Albright became known for her use of pins and brooches as a communication
tool during her diplomatic duties. This
book, Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box was written in 2009 to accompany a touring exhibit of her pins. I read the Kindle version of the book on my iPod,
probably not the best format for viewing the pins. However, while there were some unique and
interesting contemporary and vintage pieces, most interesting to me were the
stories about how Albright came by her collection, and how she used her jewelry to communicate specific messages in
a subtle but very public way, highlighting a creative and very female approach
to diplomatic negotiations. This is a light and
easy read, with lots of pretty pictures.
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