From the Publisher
Makes the case that ‘soft power’ is too often underestimated both in foreign relations and in life.” — The Santa Monica Daily Press
“Argues that etiquette and small matters of cultural nuance play a huge role in functional politics.” — New York Times Book Review, “New & Noteworthy”
“Fascinating . . . An informative and often charming primer on a little-known—but vital—government post.” — Kirkus Reviews
“For over two decades, Capricia has been my friend and colleague, from Arkansas to Zambia. She is a problem solver and a bridge builder, and I’ve been so lucky to have her by my side through the years. Protocol is a must-read, taking us behind the curtain of the highest levels of diplomacy, teaching us lessons about the intersection of governing and humanity that we need now more than ever.” — Hillary Clinton
“An interesting and well-written account of the role of protocol in modern diplomacy. Marshall’s stories and lessons, drawn from years of experience, are entertaining and valuable in navigating everyday life.” — Henry A. Kissinger
“Protocol—the rules that govern professional, government, and social interactions—may be the very reset we need. These practices aren’t dependent on your wallet size or where you come from, your skin color or your nationality, rather protocol is something we all can get behind, . . . My thanks to Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall for this book—give it to everyone you meet for birthdays, weddings, and elections. It can only help.” — Whoopi Goldberg
“Working with Capricia during the Obama administration was nothing short of wonderful! Her guiding hand and innovative methods laid the foundation for our successful diplomacy on the world stage. Through amusing and touching anecdotes, many of which we shared together, Capricia details the superpower of protocol, a power that helped foster an environment conducive to many of President Obama’s successes.” — Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to Barack Obama and author of Finding My Voice
“Capricia Penavic Marshall was an extraordinary chief of protocol, and she has now written an extraordinary book on how international protocol actually works and how it can work for every business and person. I cannot recommend this book too highly.” — David Rubenstein, cofounder and co-executive chairman of the Carlyle Group and author of The American Story
“Capricia is the ultimate master in the art of protocol. As a first-generation American woman, she brilliantly manages the cultural nuances of consequential public- and private-sector engagements. Reading her book, I have learned a lot, I have laughed a lot, I have enjoyed every page.” — Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank
Whoopi Goldberg
Protocol—the rules that govern professional, government, and social interactions—may be the very reset we need. These practices aren’t dependent on your wallet size or where you come from, your skin color or your nationality, rather protocol is something we all can get behind, . . . My thanks to Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall for this book—give it to everyone you meet for birthdays, weddings, and elections. It can only help.
David Rubenstein
Capricia Penavic Marshall was an extraordinary chief of protocol, and she has now written an extraordinary book on how international protocol actually works and how it can work for every business and person. I cannot recommend this book too highly.
The Santa Monica Daily Press
Makes the case that ‘soft power’ is too often underestimated both in foreign relations and in life.
Hillary Clinton
For over two decades, Capricia has been my friend and colleague, from Arkansas to Zambia. She is a problem solver and a bridge builder, and I’ve been so lucky to have her by my side through the years. Protocol is a must-read, taking us behind the curtain of the highest levels of diplomacy, teaching us lessons about the intersection of governing and humanity that we need now more than ever.
Christine Lagarde
Capricia is the ultimate master in the art of protocol. As a first-generation American woman, she brilliantly manages the cultural nuances of consequential public- and private-sector engagements. Reading her book, I have learned a lot, I have laughed a lot, I have enjoyed every page.
Valerie Jarrett
Working with Capricia during the Obama administration was nothing short of wonderful! Her guiding hand and innovative methods laid the foundation for our successful diplomacy on the world stage. Through amusing and touching anecdotes, many of which we shared together, Capricia details the superpower of protocol, a power that helped foster an environment conducive to many of President Obama’s successes.
Henry A. Kissinger
An interesting and well-written account of the role of protocol in modern diplomacy. Marshall’s stories and lessons, drawn from years of experience, are entertaining and valuable in navigating everyday life.
New York Times Book Review
Argues that etiquette and small matters of cultural nuance play a huge role in functional politics.
null The Santa Monica Daily Press
Makes the case that ‘soft power’ is too often underestimated both in foreign relations and in life.
Kirkus Reviews
2020-04-12
A memoir from the U.S. chief of protocol from 2009 to 2013.
Protocol, notes Marshall, who also served as social secretary for the Clintons for eight years, is a strategic tactic in diplomacy that can be just that element that seals the deal, “the structure that houses the dignitaries as they have the crucial conversations.” As the daughter of two immigrants—a Mexican mother and a Croatian father—raised in Cleveland, the author professes a passion for ways to “bridge cultural divides and influence the outcome of [clients’] engagements.” Unsurprisingly given her career, Marshall’s first book is sharply organized. She begins with some of the highlights from her high-level work—e.g., in 2012, when Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin met for the first time as presidents at the G20 economic summit in Los Cabos, Mexico. There, Marshall had to execute a “high-wire act” to help ensure her president’s most advantageous outcome: room, décor, seating arrangement, table setting, food, and interpreter. The scene worked perfectly then, though a year later, when the same two leaders met for the G8 summit in Northern Ireland, it was a “cold, unproductive reunion” and a logistical disaster: massive open tent, weak lighting, no food, and chair placement that offered “only a three-quarter view of the other’s face.” The author demonstrates the importance of the “twin engines of protocol: bridging and persuading,” and her many behind-the-scenes anecdotes are both instructive and entertaining. The meticulous care that goes into table setting, food presentation, and appropriate gifts all convey one’s identity and eagerness to negotiate. Within the rules of etiquette, the author writes, “lies a hidden world of communication and leverage” as well as “intention and feeling.” Marshall’s story is fascinating, but especially illuminating are the concluding chapters, “Negotiating While Female” and “What Would Capricia Do?: A Handbook of Protocol and Etiquette.”
An informative and often charming primer on a little-known—but vital—government post.
