A fascinating, in-depth exploration of diplomacy and the real lives of the people whose careers move the cogs of international relations.

What is diplomacy? Popular media will often oversimplify diplomats, portraying them as savvy political agents of a state, cocktail-sipping spies in all but their titles. The truth, however, is far more dramatic. Diplomacy is the driving force behind every major international accord and every grand monument. Diplomats stand over every border drawn—and every nation formed in the modern age.

As the first Arab-Israeli and Druze ambassador, Dr. Reda Mansour has spent three decades in diplomatic service to the State of Israel, developing essential ties with nations worldwide during crucial points in his country’s history—and establishing them where there were none. In We Who Shape Nations, Ambassador Mansour breaks down and redefines the diplomatic mechanisms for the 21^st century, taking readers on a well-crafted tour of diplomatic endeavors through the well-seasoned eyes of a career diplomat.

From the first-ever diplomat to Cold War-era diplomacy and the age of information, through the versatile skills that make up a diplomat’s toolset and the actual, day-to-day life of embassies and ambassadors—Ambassador Mansour offers an intimate view of diplomacy and its rich values—from setting geopolitical developments in motion, to the lives of the men and women who shape the fates of entire nations.