Abroad for her Country by Jean Wilkowski

In ten words or less: First woman ambassador recounts her long career in diplomatic corps.

Review: Jean Wilkowski from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, became the first woman ambassador in U.S. history when she went to Zambia in 1972. She had joined the state department after teaching at a Catholic school. She was assigned to Trinidad, Colombia, Italy, France, Chile, and Honduras. Many times she was the only woman on staff, except for wives and secretaries. She was an ambassador before Shirley Temple Black.
Her life is fascinating--a trailblazer in most aspects of her job. Many of the training programs did not even have accommodations for a woman--at one point she sat in the kitchen with staff because women weren't allowed in the dining room.
There are plenty of anecdotes, both about her personal life as a single woman in the diplomatic corps, and as a member of the department of state. She wondered why Henry Kissinger, whom she apparently rubbed the wrong way, need to fly a bulletproof limo to Africa, just to ferry him the relatively short distance from the airport to the embassy.
A great biography, which just misses being a breakout book.

Why bother? Fascinating story of a woman pioneer in public service. Job well done, Ambassador.