User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Enlightening, insightful, occasionally heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful and triumphant, "Lessons from the Edge" is the most consequential book I've yet read on the internal machinations of foreign policy under Trump. As a former Senior Foreign Service Officer who retired about the same time as Yovanovich did, I want to break down this review into two parts: first, to talk briefly about the book itself, and then to offer some commentary on the reliability, significance, and my own emotional reaction to it.
As the character in the center of the maelstorm of the "perfect call" controversy that triggered Trump's first impeachment trial, one would expect this memoir to focus primarily on the events that led to Yovanovich's recall and subsequent testimony. The first two thirds of the book, however, focus on her biography and earlier tours in Somalia, the UK, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. Her immigrant story is interesting, and the accounts of her service in successive assignments made me nostalgic for Foreign Service work and triggered so many memories. From A-100 to "Flag Day," to the assignments process and frustration with government bureaucracy, to harrowing adventures with foreign cuisine and narrow escapes from physical harm, the narrative provides many touchstones of experience for those of us who lived it. For the outsider, the story may not come across as particularly compelling. When you reach the final third of the book, however, the purpose of the first two-thirds becomes clear, and when Yovanovich tells you at the end of Chapter 12 that she "fell down the rabbit hole," you understand exactly what she means in the following pages.
Yovanovich does a masterful job of explaining to the layman what ordinary diplomatic work looks like: the conditions in which it is conducted; the process through which policy is formulated; the manner in which it is executed; the hierarchy of authority in the inter-agency foreign policy biosphere -- in short, she establishes what "normal" looks like in the ordinary conduct of American diplomacy. That stage-setting makes the last third of the book even more jarring than it might have been had that story been told without that backdrop. Once the reader understands how business is supposed to be conducted, it quickly becomes obvious -- and deeply alarming -- at how devastating, how harmful, how WRONG the behavior of the Trump Administration and its operatives was, badly damaging our country's reputation and credibility, and almost destroying the careers and personal lives of patriots like Yovanovich who serve this country honorably, often at great sacrifice, and often with little fanfare.
As a diplomat who served in the Foreign Service during entirety of the Trump Administration, Yovanovich's assessments of the tenures of Secretaries Tillerson and Pompeo are spot on, and I was deeply reassured hearing from an officer far senior to me that my own views, formed with far less exposure to Seventh Floor principals, are shared by those like Yovanovich who had far more visibility. Her descriptions and explanations of diplomatic work are accurate; her characterization of the Foreign Service as an apolitical organization filled with proud diplomats sworn to uphold the Constitution and to execute the policies of every Administration -- regardless of who sits in the White House -- is absolutely true. In 21 years of service, I never once saw a colleague work to deliberately kneecap official USG policy. We sometimes disagreed with those policies, and when appropriate, we voiced those concerns to decision makers behind closed doors to ensure they were aware of the possible consequences of their approaches. But once those were aired, we went to work to do our damndest to make sure those policies succeeded to the extent they could be made to.
That was what made reading this account such an emotional experience for me. With some time having passed since the events Yovanovich describes, I thought I had gotten over the deep distress and pain I felt after four years of slander as a "Deep State" operative, of the constant barrage of disparagement from a White House that ridiculed our commitment and professional expertise, of obscene questioning of our patriotism. To have to read of the shameful mistreatment of one of our finest ambassadors by Trump and his lackeys -- Pompeo among them -- just ripped the scab off again. What happened, what was permitted to happen, and what little was done to hold anyone accountable is unconscionable. Yovanovich correctly -- albeit too modestly - points out that the attack on her wasn't simply personal; it was an assault on the integrity of the entire diplomatic corps. While we weren't publicly smeared and pilloried as she was, we all felt the brunt of Trump's assault. When he was elected in 2016, I advised my team to retain an even keel and take the long view; I had served presidents under both Democratic and Republican administrations, and though I didn't always agree with our foreign policy, I always worked my hardest to see it succeed. They now needed to do the same. This too shall pass, I counseled.
I gravely underestimated how grueling and emotionally damaging the experience would be for me and for many of my colleagues.
I sincerely hope this vitally important book serves to further elucidate the extent to which the Trump White House damaged the U.S. at home and abroad. Trump supporters will never change their minds on these issues, but for those who truly want to understand both the nature and extent of our corrupt dalliance with authoritarianism so as to avoid it in the future, "Lessons from the Edge" is essential reading.
Rating: really liked it
I first saw Marie Yovanovitch on televised news and was curious. She appeared to me as someone I could admire for their courage and her book confirms my initial impression of a person of integrity.
She writes about Russia:
Russia has an abundance of natural resources that by rights belong to the Russian people, "but insiders and crooks were able to game the system and scoop up sovereign assets for well below their worth. In so doing, they cheated the Russian people out of a better future."
In America, most everyone belongs to "some type of civil society group," such as scout troops, book clubs, Parent Teacher organizations, business associations etc. We consider these groups as providing an opportunity to socialize and also share our views and work collectively for the betterment of our communities. We take the ability to meet freely and publicly proclaim what we stand for through peaceful protests for granted.
"In the Soviet Union, in contrast any effort by individuals to join together independent of the government was brutally stamped out, leaving citizens in the new countries without the experience or the skills to advocate - and if necessary agitate - for their interests."
Conflict with Ukraine:
"Putin didn't want to own Ukraine, but he didn't want Ukraine to be fully independent either." Without Russia's influence, he feared that Ukraine would move closer to the European Union and seek to join Nato. Currently, we have seen that fear come to fruition.
Yovanovitch is proud of how the Ukrainian people stand up for themselves: "Ukranian patriots went to war with whatever they could find, frequently just a grandfather's World War II era rifle. Their courage was awe inspiring."
Finally, democracy is something we can't afford to take for granted:
"Our democracy is a privilege, one that we need to protect, to defend, and work to strengthen every day."
Rating: really liked it
Marie Yovanovitch is the daughter of Eastern European immigrants who came to the United States after living for many years in Canada. They found peace and happiness in Canada after World War II, but because Mr. Yovanovitch was offered a teaching position in Connecticut, they moved south to the States.
Ms. Yovanovitch’s memoir reflects the experiences shared by many immigrants. Her parents’ hopes and dreams for a better future for themselves and their children were accomplished through hard work and determination.
Written with humility, integrity, thoughtfulness, and considerable knowledge, Marie Yovanovitch sheds light on the challenging and vital work accomplished by the dedicated and non-partisan Foreign Service officers who work all over the world in America’s embassies. Marie’s position as Ambassador to Ukraine revealed her patriotism, courage, and strength of character during a tumultuous, politically charged period in America’s history. It is an especially interesting part of the book. The book’s epilogue is not to be missed.
I learned so much about the work of the Foreign Service, America’s diplomatic corps, and State Department! Their tireless efforts to represent our country deserve our thanks and respect. Lessons From the Edge should be required reading for students of government, American History, and current events. It is well written, riveting, and insightful.
Rating: really liked it
This book was amazing.
Admittedly, my political knowledge has many limits. My interest can wane if things get too technical, or go off in directions I don't expect. But, I remembered "that woman" from the impeachment hearings, and I remember the controversy surrounding her recall. So...I was curious. Doubly so given the current atrocity in Ukraine...once again. I was not disappointed.
This book gives a great deal of background into the politics of Ukraine and the U. S. intersection with it through time. I learned much about how the foreign service works (or doesn't), the role of diplomats, the layers of bureaucracy that drive all those buses, the role oligarchs play in many countries, and the ways countries dance with each other around it all, sometimes gaining and sometimes losing as they twirl.
Yovanovitch spends the first two-thirds of the book on her history working within the foreign service in a variety of capacities and in a variety of countries, giving the reader a more global view of how this all works. We learn about the purposes, the outcomes, the risks, and the international influences that are always at play. The final third is focused on Ukraine and what unraveled during Trump's tenure in the big house.
It was fascinating. It was enlightening. It was frightening. It was enraging. And her epilogue made me picture her sitting with a crystal ball, foretelling exactly what we are now living. I have to wonder, if she or others like her, had received better attention, would we now be living what we are living...on the brink? Her view of Russia...it's focus, intent, values and abilities is being repeated in my nightly news. Give "that woman" a medal for calling a spade a spade...all the way through the book.
I appreciate her monumental efforts, in both her decades of service, but also her willingness to speak her truth. What a shame our world has devolved to the point where someone like this can be so defamed, for someone else's purposes. She speaks eloquently of the need for nonpartisan efforts aimed at protecting our constitution and all it stands for. Hear, hear, Ms. Yovanovitch.
Rating: really liked it
One of the best books I’ve listened to ever. Amazing, moving, & poignant: should be read by everyone who loves American Democracy. Marie Yavonivitch is a real hero. It’s people like her make America great.🇺🇸
Rating: really liked it
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch is, and was many things. She has served as ambassador under three U.S. presidents: George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She's also been awarded the Senior Foreign Service Performance Award six times, and the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the Secretary’s Diplomacy in Human Rights Award. Despite this impressive life's work, she was abruptly called back to Washington in 2019 after then President Donald Trump referred to her as bad news during a phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Thus begins the strange saga that Yovanovitch finds herself in. A world where tweets carry more weight than actual truth. This is not a light read, but is an important addition to the growing world of political memoirs.
Rating: really liked it
3.4⭐ Rounded down.
The best of the Trump related memoirs I've read, along with Adam Schiff's "Midnight in Washington." It follows the pattern of many of these books: child of hard working immigrants finds merit driven success in U.S. public service then is caught up in Trump scandal.
After decades of distinguished service as a diplomat Marie Yovanovitch ran afoul of the Trump mob while serving as the Ambassador to Ukraine. Rudi Giuliani was working with corrupt
Ukrainian officials to create dirt on Joe Biden prior to the 2020 election and Yovanovitch was in the way. Her removal from office and the campaign to trash her reputation were the opening moves that led to Trump's first impeachment in 2019.
Roughly one third of the book deals with Trump while the rest details her early life and diplomatic career. The image Yovanovitch presents is that of a loyal patriot, unflaggingly working to advance American interests (which she generally defines as promoting democratic, rule-of-law governments and benevolent capitalism).
The book is well written with some humour, although I found it a bit repetitive in parts as she hammered home her points. The background she provides, especially on Russia and Ukraine, is interesting and useful in the context of her own story. She describes in detail the challenges of working in a State Department that was "Pale, Male and Yale."
Like all the recent political memoirs I've read, Yovanovitch takes the opportunity to settle scores with her enemies, going back as far as a former high school principal who threatened her father's teaching job over a critical article she'd proposed for the student newspaper. When dealing with Trump and his henchmen she pulls no punches but in other cases she slides the shiv in so smoothly you blink twice before you realize she's done it. Diplomatic training, no doubt.
Most startling to me was Yovanovitch's ( understandable) conclusion that her mother's fatal stroke was related to Trump's campaign against her. "It wasn't Mama's time to depart from this life and there was no doubt in my mind as to why she had left us prematurely. She had watched her eldest child being dragged through the mud and she couldn't do a thing about it other than worry. At her age there was only one place for all that worry to lead."
Yovanovitch is scrupulous in her use of quotes, which is something I appreciate. If she doesn't have a record of the exact quote and uses a best guess reconstruction, she puts it in italics. It's the sign of someone who's careful about the truth and, in my eyes, lends credence to her account as a whole.
I mostly liked the book and ended up mostly liking the book's author, although I always take political memoirs with a grain of salt. The portrait Yovanovitch paints is of an introverted, self doubting, rules following person. Having watched her testimony before the U.S. Congress however, I have no doubt as to the steel in her spine. -30-
Rating: really liked it
It had to be hard reading threats in the form of a tweet from a man who ended Marie Yovanovitch's career. Like everyone else, I became aware of and impressed by Ambassador Yovanovitch during the hearings for the first impeachment of President Trump. The right-wing media tarred her as corrupt, and Trump’s Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said nothing as his own employee’s reputation was destroyed. You not only get a smear campaign against her because she would not help him investigate then Vice President Joe Biden, which was never true to begin with, but I also was moved by her description of the unsung heroes of the Foreign Service. I learned so much about the countries their cultures and how Ambassadors serve. Here is a woman who chose foreign service and rose to the top despite discrimination against woman at that time. This book captures the positive influence her mother and father had on her growing up and how that sense of personal and professional integrity carried through the entirety of her career. My anger flared when Ms. Yovanovitch came to chapters regarding how she was persecuted, slandered and fired for only having the highest of ethical standards. I respect and admire the courage it took to share the true version of how dishonest, self-serving people can destabilize society and how a few ethical persons of integrity can balance the scales to set things right again. I highly recommend reading this book especially all those MAGA disciples who think Donald Trump can do no wrong. I knew her memoir would be interesting. This is skilled woman and superb diplomat and the insanity she faced that ruined her career.
Rating: really liked it
I was compelled to pick this book because of the current war in Ukraine and a desire to learn about the preceding history that led us to this point. What I didn't realize I would also get was history lessons from all over Eastern Europe (and Somalia) too.
Marie Yovanovitch takes us through her immigrant upbringing and to her posts in Somalia, London, Moscow, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and of course, Ukraine. She hits on historical events that I'd heard about when I was younger and those that I didn't know enough about. She also peels back the curtain on life as a diplomat and helped me understand the State Department's role in our government.
It is because of the better understanding I took from this book of the histories and US diplomacy that I rated this book so high. I "read" this book through Audible, which she narrates herself.
Rating: really liked it
It’s unbelievable what Ms. Yovanovitch went through, all the time displaying grace and composure. I have alot of respect for her.
This is a great read and covers her perspective on her career as well as Trump’s malfeasance. I listened to the audiobook (narrated by the author) and recommend it.
Rating: really liked it
What an amazing book. The author opens her heart to the reader and shared so much of both her personal and professional life. She explains in plain words what she did, what happened at her various postings and focused on the whole Trump-world saga. Very well written and enlightening. Anyone who was interested in the Ukraine/“perfect phone call” fiasco must read this book. Anyone who is interested in joining the Foreign Service must read this book. Anyone who is interested in foreign affairs and especially what’s happening in Ukraine today must read this book.
Rating: really liked it
Amazing book, amazing woman, amazing civil servant and patriot. Shows her vulnerabilities and her strength, much like Katharine Graham in A Personal History.
Rating: really liked it
This is a political memoir of an award-winning US diplomat and former ambassador to Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. She was removed from her post in Ukraine after a smear campaign by ex-President Trump's personal lawyer Giuliani.
Yovanovitch fought back and is best known for her two definitive testimonies before the US Congress, the second at Trump's first impeachment hearing. Her testimony covered Trump's threat to block aid to Ukraine if that government did not do him a personal 'favor' and prosecute his political rival, now President, Joe Biden, for alleged corruption. These chapters are the most engaging, and emphasize the tremendous personal stress she was under, including dealing with her mother's sudden death during the first hearing.
The chapters on Ukraine, given the current Russian war there, provide very informative background on that country. The corrupting influence of powerful oligarchs and politicians was, and is, all pervading, throughout all the countries of the former USSR. The last chapter, on ways to engage with Russia, are also very informative. Yovanovitch succeeds in portraying the need for diplomacy in US dealings abroad and for the important role of the Foreign Service. She also highlights the toll such service takes on women Foreign Service officers. But foremost, this is a memoir about the cost that political corruption takes. It is bitterly ironic that the transition of the Ukrainian election that brought Zelenskiy to power was more peaceful than the 2021 US transition.
Yovanovitch is a woman who takes personal integrity seriously. While her portrayal of America and American values is rosier than mine, her sense of integrity is solely needed in the world today.
Rating: really liked it
If you want to understand the situation in Ukraine and the impact of oligarchs, you could do no better than to read this book. Marie Yovanovitch, a 33 year veteran of the US Foreign Service and former Ambassador to Ukraine, tells the tale of her service in Ukraine and its aftermath under the Trump administration’s confused and inconsistent policies in that nation. She also gives it context in light of her entire career as an FSO.
Yovanovitch is an excellent writer with an extraordinary story to tell. Well worth reading.
Rating: really liked it
Do I think this is a perfect book? No. However, I am incapable of thinking of a reason not to give it 5 stars just for sheer readability. I am incredibly hesitant to read autobiography/memoir - especially about political (or, in this case, politically adjacent) figures - but I am so glad I took a chance on this. It is almost un-put-downable. I don't know how someone who keeps close track of international affairs would feel about this book, but that isn't me. Yovanovitch had postings throughout her time at the State Department in places like (not necessarily in this order) Mogadishu, Russia, London, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and - of course - Ukraine, twice. She is incredible at giving you a quick snapshot of the background of her current country, the current issues of her mission, and giving you a sense of what happened there after she left. The last fourth or so focuses on the circumstances surrounding her removal from her ambassadorship in Ukraine and the first Trump impeachment. No matter what she was discussing, it was hard to stop listening. Her epilogue, which focuses first on the role of America on the international stage and dire warnings about not paying enough credence to the threat of Russia (and how important Ukraine is) feels almost eerie in light of the fact that it was written prior to Russia's invasion. I read this in part to better understand the situation in those countries prior to the invasion, and I got what I came for and more.
