“An ambitious, innovative and remarkably wide-ranging survey by a historian of formidable breadth.”

BBC History Magazine

 “Thought-provoking and usefully targeted to the questions of today.”

Times Literary Supplement

“[A] spirited defense of traditional diplomacy . . . a history of the profession, but with an alternative focus, looking at modern diplomacy’s non-Western traditions and its roots in the medieval West. It provides fascinating details along the way about the development of embassies, envoys, and give-and-take or 19th century statesmanship. It almost made me want to rejoin the trade—except in a time capsule.”

Eamon Delaney | Irish Times

“Using illuminating, sometimes fascinating examples and an easy-going style, he describes the development of embassies and the self-taught skills of their envoys all the way up to the zenith of statesmanship, the nineteenth century . . . beyond merely demonstrating the forces that have shaped international relations today, Professor Black delivers a clarion call for today’s diplomats to not forsake their traditional skills and functions in favor of easy sound bites.”

Diplomat

“Black’s analysis is scholarly and perceptive. It refreshes in its diversity. It reminds us that diplomacy was active and eventful before developments in 15th century Italy led us to the regular practice of resident diplomacy.”

Asian Affairs

“Jeremy Black’s book provides a highly effective tour d’horizon of the practice of diplomacy to date, as well as indicating its future longevity.”

International Affairs

 “Jeremy Black brings together a wide ranging body of knowledge to produce a powerful defense of the traditional academic discipline of diplomatic history. In so doing he also demonstrates the continuing importance and relevance of diplomacy in the changing conditions of the modern world.”

John Clark, University of Buckingham