{"product_id":"the-american-mission-9780425275382","title":"The American Mission","description":"\u003cb\u003eOne of NPR's Best Books of 2014 \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAs 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMatthew Palmer \u003c\/b\u003eis 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 \u003ci\u003eThe American Mission\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"G.P. Putnam's Sons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50324606845202,"sku":"9780425275382","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_8e375c48-3c7d-4b1e-a585-fbaeadef6892.jpg?v=1727668642","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-american-mission-9780425275382","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}