U.N. Ambassador: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at Madeleine Albright's World - Hardcover

Maass provides a biographical sketch of his subject and a look at her life as the American Ambassador to the UN, and ends with a discussion of what the UN is, focusing in particular on the functions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. All these facets are well integrated into the presentation, making the book useful for many report topics. The full-color photographs of Albright at work are wonderful in that they appear to honestly depict her professional life. Readers get to see her in a hurry, on TV, with celebrities, tired, on the phone, etc. It's enlightening to see in the pictures what is eaten at a breakfast meeting and to get a sense of how her job is not only fast paced, but also requires a large amount of input from various people. Other photos give insight into what UN work areas look like and the variety of people Albright encounters on a regular basis. More than a biography, this realistic study presents lots of information about the UN and what a career as an ambassador entails. ---- School Library Journal

Much of this solid photo-biography of U.S. Ambassador Madeleine Albright is told in her own words. It begins with her childhood as the daughter of a Czech diplomat and then as a refugee in the U.S. However, the focus of the clear, readable text is on her current work at the UN as she deals with the specific issue of Haitian refugees. Importantly, Albright stresses her earlier experiences as a wife and mother working toward a doctorate degree as preparation for days in which she briefs staff, meets with the press, has high-level conversations in hallways of the UN, and rushes off to Washington for meetings with the secretary of state. The many color and few black-and-white photographs are enhanced by ample white space, wide margins, and a tasteful star-spangled border. ---- Booklist

Gr. 3^-5. Much of this solid photo-biography of U.S. Ambassador Madeleine Albright is told in her own words. It begins with her childhood as the daughter of a Czech diplomat and then as a refugee in the U.S. However, the focus of the clear, readable text is on her current work at the UN as she deals with the specific issue of Haitian refugees. Importantly, Albright stresses her earlier experiences as a wife and mother working toward a doctorate degree as preparation for days in which she briefs staff, meets with the press, has high-level conversations in hallways of the UN, and rushes off to Washington for meetings with the secretary of state. The many color and few black-and-white photographs are enhanced by ample white space, wide margins, and a tasteful star-spangled border. Julie Corsaro