Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence

by Wendy R. Sherman Narrated by Wendy R. Sherman

Overview

Distinguished diplomat Ambassador Wendy Sherman brings readers inside the negotiating room to show how to put diplomatic values like courage, power, and persistence to work in their own lives.

Few people have sat across from the Iranians and the North Koreans at the negotiating table. Wendy Sherman has done both. During her time as the lead US negotiator of the historic Iran nuclear deal and throughout her distinguished career, Wendy Sherman has amassed tremendous expertise in the most pressing foreign policy issues of our time. Throughout her life -- from growing up in civil-rights-era Baltimore, to stints as a social worker, campaign manager, and business owner, to advising multiple presidents -- she has relied on values that have shaped her approach to work and leadership: authenticity, effective use of power and persistence, acceptance of change, and commitment to the team.

Not for the Faint of Heart takes readers inside the world of international diplomacy and into the mind of one of our most effective negotiators -- often the only woman in the room. She shows why good work in her field is so hard to do, and how we can learn to apply core skills of diplomacy to the challenges in our own lives.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Compelling... [Sherman] offers a vivid reminder that diplomacy is about hard work, persistence and the accumulation of experience... Future decision-makers can give themselves a huge head start simply by reading this book...the definitive account of the nuclear negotiation with Iran."—Jason Rezaian, Washington Post

"A powerful, deeply personal, and absorbing book written by one of America's smartest and most dedicated diplomats. This tale of courage and persistence will inspire readers of all backgrounds, while giving them unparalleled insights into some of the most critical issues of our time."—Madeleine K. Albright, 64th U.S. Secretary of State

"Wendy doesn't just write about the value of courage, power, and persistence, she lives it. She's an example that a strong negotiator can also be a humane mentor. Her work helped prevent a war and a stop a nuclear arms race. As someone who has been privileged to be Wendy's teammate and even more grateful to remain her friend, I know every reader will learn much from her story but even more from her example." —John Kerry, 68th U.S. Secretary of State and author of Every Day Is Extra

"This is an indispensable insider's account of America's negotiations with Iran and North Korea and a timely reminder of the importance of diplomacy. Sherman and her colleagues' struggles to make peace underscore how recently expertise and careful strategy were tangible realities of foreign policy, rather than lost arts. This book is also the personal saga of a woman navigating a generation of change in American politics. At an inflection point in our national conversations about diplomacy and gender, this book is illuminating on both fronts." —Ronan Farrow, contributing writer, New Yorker, and author of War on Peace

"Wendy Sherman draws on childhood lessons of equal justice forged during the civil rights era to pioneering experiences navigating a professional world dominated by men to illustrate invaluable negotiating skills for women in all aspects of life. Interwoven with revelations about the historic Iran negotiations, hers is a compelling narrative, never needed more than today." —Andrea Mitchell, chief foreign affairs correspondent, NBC News anchor, MSNBC

"A riveting read. Sherman's candid stories about the way women relate to success, failure, and persistence is a balm for every reader who has been one of a few, or the only woman at the table. This book is a must for anyone who wants to understand what modern, winning talent looks like, and how it can bring two sides together in a world where that is becoming more and more difficult." —Claire Shipman, journalist and coauthor of The Confidence Code

Sharp and genuine, the book is as much a testament to [Ambassador Sherman's] accomplishments as it is a call to 'find common ground...[and] do good' in an increasingly polarized world. Insightful reading."—Kirkus Reviews

"Sherman shares stories of her time in the State Department negotiating the most sensitive issues of our time, bringing readers inside the world of international diplomacy and into the mind of one of our most effective diplomatic negotiators. Sherman also shares personal stories that show how our private experiences affect our professional lives, offering advice for forging common ground, and understanding the nature and use of power to help us reach our own goals... Very much worth reading."—Bustle

Kirkus Reviews

2018-06-27
A distinguished fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center tells the story of the unlikely road she traveled to become a top diplomat and chief negotiator for the State Department.Baltimore native Sherman grew up the daughter of a salesman father and homemaker mother who worked for racial equality. As much as their work inspired her, the author never imagined that it would help shape a future that would include a career in international diplomacy. Following her parents' lead, Sherman became a college student leader and community organizer and then took a master's degree in social work. She began her career managing a 24-hour crisis hotline in Georgia, where she worked with battered women and saw firsthand how the Jim Crow social order her parents had fought against in the 1960s "stood unchanged." In the 1980s, Sherman served as then-Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski's chief of staff and, later, Senate campaign manager. Her activities in partisan politics eventually led to positions as directors of the Democratic National Committee during the 1988 election and, in 1989, EMILY's List. These successful experiences brought Sherman to the attention of major political figures, such as Bill and Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, while making her aware of the fraught relationship women have with "the mantle of power." At the same time, they also paved the way for policy work on North Korea and, eventually, the contentious treaty negotiations with Iran about its nuclear program. As Sherman interweaves personal and professional anecdotes, she also offers candid observations on how she built successful work and negotiation teams, learned to let go of failed dreams—e.g., becoming deputy secretary of state—and persisted in the face of life and career challenges. Sharp and genuine, the book is as much a testament to her accomplishments as it is a call to "find common ground…[and] do good" in an increasingly polarized world.Insightful reading for aspiring diplomats.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170063369
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	09/04/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,200,214

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