Yes, While Finally Learning “Eckho Movskii” Is Just Radio -- "Hard Choices", A Memoir by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Hard Choices, H. R. Clinton (2014, Simon and Schuster) in more than 600 pages including the index of the book, covers much of the foreign policy of the Obama administration, enough in its narrative and illustration to crowd out some of the past the former Secretary’s famed career at Yale and thereafter, and some other things she might speak of in another book someday.  This political book, by a well – known U.S. official is for everyone interested in finding out how an efficient and effective U.S. State Department is run based upon Obama policies and the efforts of very capable people starting at the top.  The text examines a number of evident themes in current events today, including the status and development of the Third World as some know it, the role of government in fighting corporatism without being anti – business, the continued important of the “smart power” of the U.S. State Department in a radical if not ever – changing political landscape, and its functioning in a major way in a world where America is not overly – liked nor overly – admired.  The narrative also examines the themes of being a major executive person and a lady at that, and 

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handling personal and professional matters many times with disagreeable (essentially) despots, family and personal life, overall career goals and the way modern politics has a capacity to change not the DNA of our system, but at least somewhat the role politics and policy play everywhere for the U.S., not just at home.  Choices themselves, be they on the executive level or deeply personal, above all do not make themselves and in many cases and despite the urgency and imperatives of modern life at the head of the masses, require a decisive and sharp administrative intellect for anyone and in all events given the importance of the issues presented in the book, extremely weighty and difficult in all their factors and facets, implications and meanings, motivations and ideological and more foundations.

After an introduction, the author briefly explains the overall importance of her 2008 presidential campaign for everyone, not just for the status of achieving people everywhere or as precedent for things to come, or in examining various protocols or other details one might remember.  Maybe the most difficult job the author of this esteemed autobiography had at the time, even before her State Department appointment was the tearless and joyless concession to the man who became the 44^th U.S. president.  Thereafter, another gut – wrenching challenge had to be met on whether or not the author would serve as the 67^th U.S. Secretary of State (2009 – 2013) in an administration having many people contributing to the Clinton 2008 primary election defeats.  The text also speaks of Secretary Clinton’s reliance on the expertise of Richard Holbrooke (d. 2010), Robert Gates, Senator George Mitchell and others for expertise and good counsel, taking the edge off things some etimes and other times adding what luck was possible under the circumstances.  The text goes into detail and explains in cogent language the two major foreign policies of the Obama administration affecting the U.S. internationally at this point outside the Western hemisphere and apart from Europe – the “pivot” with respect to P.R.C. and the Asian continent in general and the “reset” in politics and policy with the Russian Federation that calls for an avoidance of clashes, starting with public language, of the defenses of both U.S. and Russia.  The text does not offer any significant narrative on why the Russian Federation’s leadership does not like the “reset”, though this might be because this would fill an entire volume given it calls upon the responsibilities of the Russians internationally, something that might be difficult to accept for the brusque and brazen image they portray to all.  Part V of the text is a heart rending and complicated narrative pursuit of recalling and examining policies toward Africa, the Middle East and the arab spring especially in Egypt and Libya.  The book also has a number of photos that are greatly captivating of which the very photogenic Clinton family; and associates and friends.  There are sections on the recent polices concerning Iran and Syria, though there does not appear to be in the text an overriding attention to the seemingly independent and divisive ground or grass roots politics and policy in these countries against Israel, and even against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.  The book ends in Part VI and an epilogue that are less labor – intensive in their reading compared to Part V that at its worst illustrates the paradoxes and grand ironies of the areas of concern.  The final chapters of the narrative examine resolvable and consensus issues like world climate change and energy and how this is linked to jobs, productivity and full employment (all this without proposing an economics growth model.)  Other final topics include policy toward Haiti and its recent earthquake, human rights especially in Eastern Europe and P.R.C. and other places as well including Southeast Asia.  There is even a very readable chapter on diplomacy in the age of (information) technology.  Overall a very informative read on current events, extremely well – written and a page – turner at the same time.  How’d she do it?