The American Mission Paperback by Matthew Palmer

Product Details

• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons (2015-04-07)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 512 pages
• ISBN-13: 9780425275382
• Item Weight: 272.16 grams
• Dimensions: 19.02 x 10.74 x 2.69 cm

One of NPR's Best Books of 2014!

After witnessing a devastating incident in Darfur, Alex Baines is stripped of his security clearance and relegated to a desk job. He’s about to resign when his former mentor—now the current Ambassador to the Congo—offers him an opportunity to start over.

But the post isn’t what Alex imagined. The US company Consolidated Mining seems to be everywhere. When a hostage situation involving a survey team arises, Alex is sent in, finding himself in the middle of the conflict with a guerilla leader and Marie Tsiolo, a native geologist on the team.

As violence escalates in the region, Alex struggles to balance the interests of the U.S. with the greater good of the people of the Congo—and somehow stay alive.

About the Author

Matthew Palmer is a twenty-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service, currently serving as the director of Multilateral Affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of Asian and Pacific Affairs.  A life member of the Council of Foreign Relations, Palmer has worked as a diplomat all over the world. While on the secretary of state’s policy planning staff, Palmer helped design and implement the Kimberly Process for certifying African diamonds as “conflict-free.” It was this experience in Africa that served as that foundation for The American Mission.