Lessons From The Edge: A Memoir

Some know her as the previous ambassador to Ukraine, but in her new memoir, Marie Yovanovitch candidly unveils her life story, one that begins with her as a young child of immigrant parents who narrowly escaped the brutal Soviet regime and the Nazi invasion during WWII. She describes what leads to her application as a Foreign Service Agent for the United States of America and delineates her first assignment abroad in Mogadishu, Somalia. She later serves in the United Kingdom, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Ukraine. Her trials on the home front, though, are arguably the most difficult ones of her journey due to the consequential and personal nature of them.

This is a fascinating narrative about bravery, determination, and true American grit. It’s deeply compelling and offers readers the opportunity to see Yovanovitch through a different, more comprehensive lens, one through which she exemplifies fortitude and patriotism. Her sense of morality and righteousness persevere in the presence of corruption and multiple attempts to strip them from her, bit by bit. She persists with unwavering integrity and admirable diplomacy. This is a must-read for all those who savor democracy and appreciate what it takes to remain a free and sovereign nation.