Posting a Diplomatic Bag

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Pub Date Oct 26 2017 | Archive Date Nov 01 2017

Description

This is the personal story of a diplomat’s wife which spans a thirty-five year period from the start of her husband’s career as the most junior member of an embassy’s staff ending many years later as an Ambassador.

This is told from the wife's point of view, writing with insight and humour about the funny and not so funny situations that occurred during their postings from deeply, chillingly, communist Bulgaria to dangerous, unpredictable, West Africa and places in-between. This book should make you laugh but also dispel some of the myths that a diplomat’s life is one long round of glamour and privilege. This wife learnt along the way how to survive moving every two to five years, disbanding one home only to set up another in a new country, how to raise a family, manage servants , cultures and climates and to survive the ultimate horror of the All French Dinner Party….

To any young woman who has chosen to go with her husband or partner to live overseas, this book is a ‘must’ to read.

This is the personal story of a diplomat’s wife which spans a thirty-five year period from the start of her husband’s career as the most junior member of an embassy’s staff ending many years later as...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781788030687
PRICE £4.99 (GBP)
PAGES 200

Average rating from 10 members


Featured Reviews

Jane Burner gives a fascinating insight into the rather nomadic life of a diplomat's wife. Not always glamorous, but always entertaining.. I hope that she gives us another instalment soon!
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this bool in return for an honest review.

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I didn't finish this one... found it not super interesting. The story was well-edited but didn't hold my attention.

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#NetGalley

Nice book. Hilarious and enriching experience. The author illustrates the examples in a very creative way.

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What a great book! Who knew the life of the diplomatic service wasnt all glitz and glamour. Full of interesting stories from the start this was a fabulous book and kept me hooked till the end. Would love a follow up!

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Posting a Diplomatic Bag is about a family that moves to different countries with their British diplomat husband and father. Burner, the wife of the diplomat, shares the interesting places the family lives in and the exciting, unusual, and sometimes scary experiences they encounter. Her voice comes through clearly as the harried, sometimes bored, and lonely traveling spouse who works hard to make a good home for her family wherever they are sent.

My favorite part of the book was when the family lived in Nigeria. I lived in Ghana for five years and could relate to so much of her story. That part brought back great memories for me. I agreed with Burner when she wrote about living in Nigeria being one of her most memorable times; I still feel that same way about Ghana.

Written mainly for her children to remember their postings, this book could be considered a diary/journal. It gives readers a good look at what it's like to be a diplomat's family and what they gain, and give up, while moving around the world.

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Definitely a different kind of travel writing. I normally really like books set before the Iron Curtain fell as it's possible to compare and contrast it with the Europe I "know", but I don't feel that Europe came through as solid of a character in this book. I still enjoyed this as it was a very different kind of travel and life experience. Could do with a finer edit, but a good read. Took me longer to read than normal as I didn't really get into the narrative

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A somewhat interesting look at one woman's experiences as the wife of a British diplomatic officer, from the early 1970's to the early 2000's. Follows their postings in Bulgaria, Bonn, Barbados, Nigeria, Munich, and Dakar. A lot of little adventures, many family related experiences. I wasn't surprised at the descriptions of the hardships experienced by the "natives" in some of the countries. While the author appears to feel empathy for them, her complaints of problems with her servants, the food, the road conditions, etc....rather turned me off.

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Never realised that there was so much to do being a Diplomats wife . How on earth do people cope being moved from pillar to post so often ? A good account of life and problems living in so many different locations.

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