This compelling memoir of Richard N. Gardner's years as ambassador to Italy from 1977 to 1981 offers fascinating insights into the foreign policy of the Carter administration as well as into a critical turning point in Italian history and in the history of the Cold War. This tumultuous period witnessed U.S. attempts to contain Eurocommunism, the rise of the Red Brigades, the kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro, and the deployment of theater nuclear forces in Europe. Balanced, scrupulous, and compelling, Gardner's memoir will be invaluable reading for all those interested in the inner workings of U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, and European politics.