Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box

My wife enjoyed this book. She loved the fact that Madeleine Albright's sense of humour and sense of occasion was transported through her gorgeous collection of pins and also that Heads of State from around the world could determine how a meeting was going to work out by looking at the pin she was wearing on her lapel. She also shared wonderful memories through her jewellery.

Wonderful book detailing all the pins/brooches that Madeleine Albright wore to her meetings with other heads of state. It is a refreshing read given all the untoward events happening in our government right now.

Combining positive words and beautiful pictures regarding politics is an achievement in itself. Madeline Albright is a very down-to-earth person who tells her story in a way that is like listening to a good friend. The evolution of the pins she wears, how she would decide which to wear in different situations, and how the collection grew are an easy and enjoyable read.

You can read some of it, pick it up later for a few more pages and enjoy each picture and story in an easy relaxed way.

The display of all the actual pins is a fascinating viewing. There is everything from famous jewelers, good costume pieces, hand-made creations, antiques, and a clay from her daughter when she was 5-years-old. It is worth going to see the traveling exhibit.

And you will like Madeline no matter what you think of politics.

I purchased the book because I saw the exhibit at the Phoenix, AZ art museum for my sister. I know that she is enjoying it very much. Other than that I know nothing, and I do not make recommendations.

I believe that jewelry, especially pins, make a dramatic statement. I use to wear many seasonal pins whenever I worked in a classroom or office. Albright's collection and her selections range from literal to symbolic. Her stories about the relevance of her pins as well as the historic or political background of jewelry or themes were entertaining. This book is good for history buffs, jewelry aficionados, or someone who wants to find another way of making a statement.

I bought this book for a former employer who loves and collects pins/brooches. She LOVED this book! It is a large, glossy, clear book with many pages of photos of Madeline Albright's pins and unusual and charming stories of when and where she wore certain pins. There was some political history, memoirs, and of course, large photos of beautiful jewelry. Highly recommend!

The book has great photos of Madeline's extensive brooch collections and detailed stories about Madeline's experience of wearing her collection, both for private and professional occasions. I loved the book, it tells a great story of Madeline's career and also the very expressive nature of jewellery, and how much it can say through its conceptual and sometimes blatant imagery and design.

Not only is the author an accomplished career women, her pins are delightful and have come to be her signature. She tells how she came to buy them, when she wore them, the difficulties she's had with them causing holes in her clothing and falling off during important occasions. There are colored pictures of most of the pins and they are going to be on display at the Clinton presidential museum in Little Rock this spring. This would be a good book to share with daughters and/or mothers as well as friends.

The photographs alone make this book worth the purchase. They are big, beautiful, full color closeups of an amazing collection of pins/brooches. Some are costume, some are gemstone and precious metal, most all are interesting. Any fan of either vintage or modern jewelry should purchase this book!

This hard cover book is quite enjoyable to peruse and read. Makes a great coffee table book. It shows how Madeline Albright used her personal pin collection to reflect her approach to diplomacy. The photography is superb. It gives a whole different approach to how we can approach our own personal jewelry wardrobe. Instead of just accessorizing, we can use our collections to make a statement of mood or personal view.

Great book.

The photographs alone make this book worth the purchase. They are big, beautiful, full color closeups of an amazing collection of pins/brooches. Some are costume, some are gemstone and precious metal, most all are interesting. Any fan of either vintage or modern jewelry should purchase this book!

This hard cover book is quite enjoyable to peruse and read. Makes a great coffee table book. It shows how Madeline Albright used her personal pin collection to reflect her approach to diplomacy. The photography is superb. It gives a whole different approach to how we can approach our own personal jewelry wardrobe. Instead of just accessorizing, we can use our collections to make a statement of mood or personal view.

Great book.

We thoroughly enjoyed reading Madeleine Albright's book and just after finishing it we traveled to the Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to see the pins for ourselves. They are magnificent in both quality and the stories they tell.

As a jewelry maven and poltical junkie, I adored this book! The pictures are beautiful and the stories that go with them are fascinating. Madam Secretary Albright's plain-spoken manner and self-deprecating sense of humor shine through, and I enjoyed seeing pictures of her wearing the pins in the company of various world leaders, as well as the close-up stand alone pictures of the pins. A great gift for Christmas for any jewelry-loving lady.

A beautifully illustrated book, Read My Pins contains Miss Albright's many stories through her years in public service, and the innovative ways she found to use her vast pin collection to set the tone for meetings and events. As a female in often all-male situations, she discovered that her wardrobe of pins enabled her to creatively support and enhance her messages and positions. She often includes the stories of how she came to own specific pins, fascinating stories in themselves. I gave this book as a gift, and could barely part with it!

Fascinating insight into part of the world of Madeleine Albright, one of the best Secretary of States the USA has had in recent memory.
The consummate diplomat who had the capacity to work with some of the worlds' most difficult leaders and end up with them
respecting this obviously dynamic woman who embodies the spirit of democracy and freedom.
The use of the pins was a diplomatic stroke of genius on many occasions as their subtlety enabled her to often get a powerful message across
with little verbal interaction. Photographs are of excellent quality enabling the reader to view the fine and intricate detail of many of the brooches.
It would be fascinating to know the exact number within her current collection. Definitely a different book to have in your collection.