Ambassador William Luers takes us on a fascinating journey from Springfield, Illinois, to Naples, Moscow, Washington DC, Venezuela, and Czechoslovakia, and then to his presidency at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, adventures in Cuba, and thereafter.

From touring the Soviet Union with playwright Edward Albee in the 1960s to bringing such famous writers and artists as John Updike, Arthur Miller, William Styron, Peter Matthiessen, Francine du Plessix Gray, Richard Diebenkorn, and Frank Stella to Venezuela and Prague during his ambassadorships in Venezuela and Czechoslovakia, Bill Luers’ practice of cultural diplomacy became known as his ability to wield “soft power” that strengthened US relationships wherever he served.

After more than thirty years with the State Department, Luers brought his art expertise to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art as its president, where he secured the Annenberg Collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by such masters as Van Gogh, Picasso, and Cézanne.

Editorial Review:

"Bill Luers is one of America's great diplomats. In this engaging story, he not only recounts working with famous world leaders, but also demonstrates how the arts can add to our soft power."
— Joseph S. Nye Jr., Professor Emeritus at Harvard University and author of Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics