{"product_id":"9780061938498","title":"Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore long, and without intending it, I found  that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known for saying \"Read my lips.\" I began urging colleagues and reporters to \"Read my pins.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt would never have happened if not for Saddam Hussein. When U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright criticized the dictator, his poet in residence responded by calling her \"an unparalleled serpent.\" Shortly thereafter, while preparing to meet with Iraqi officials, Albright pondered: \u003cem\u003eWhat to wear?\u003c\/em\u003e She decided to make a diplomatic statement by choosing a snake pin. Although her method of communication was new, her message was as old as the American Revolution—Don't Tread on Me.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom that day forward, pins became part of Albright's diplomatic signature. International leaders were pleased to see her with a shimmering sun on her jacket or a cheerful ladybug; less so with a crab or a menacing wasp. Albright used pins to emphasize the importance of a negotiation, signify high hopes, protest the absence of progress, and show pride in representing America, among other purposes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart illustrated memoir, part social history, \u003cem\u003eRead My Pins\u003c\/em\u003e provides an intimate look at Albright's life through the brooches she wore. Her collection is both international and democratic—dime-store pins share pride of place with designer creations and family heirlooms. Included are the antique eagle purchased to celebrate Albright's appointment as secretary of state, the zebra pin she wore when meeting Nelson Mandela, and the Valentine's Day heart forged by Albright's five-year-old daughter. \u003cem\u003eRead My Pins\u003c\/em\u003e features more than 200 photographs, along with compelling and often humorous stories about jewelry, global politics, and the life of one of America's most accomplished and fascinating diplomats.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47078550503664,"sku":"9780061938498","price":14.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780061938498_p0.jpg?v=1763624007","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780061938498","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}