Man Without a Gun: One Diplomat's Secret Struggle to Free the Hostages, Fight Terrorism, and End a War

A behind-the-scenes account of some of the most important events in the Middle East, Picco's memoir, written from the perspective of a senior United Nations official, is riveting. A native of Italy, Picco joined the UN in 1973 and rose to become a top aide to Secretary-General Javier P rez de Cu llar. He played a central role in negotiating the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the end of the Iran-Iraq war and the release of hostages (including Terry Waite and Terry Anderson) from Lebanon. Although Picco provides scant historical background about the roots of the various conflicts, remaining narrowly focused on his face-to-face encounters, he vividly conveys the drama of high-stakes diplomacy and the tactics employed by many players trying to navigate a complex web of interests. Most of the book is devoted to Picco's successful efforts to win freedom for the hostages in Lebanon--a mission that entailed direct negotiations with the kidnappers in Beirut. Picco was ""escorted"" to these meetings by masked terrorists who would throw a hood over his head, toss him to the floor of a car and drive him to the secret location. At the very moment of triumph, Picco's career was cut short by a falling out with the new Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali (whom Picco depicts with delicious vitriol). This memoir of an extraordinary career reads like a combination of a thriller and a textbook on the delicate and dangerous art of diplomacy in an often explosive region. 8 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW. Author tour. (May) FYI: Online co-promotion with PBS, at www.pbs.org, coinciding with a forthcoming PBS documentary on the hostage crisis.