Tales from political insiders often promise much in the way of revelation and instead reveal little more than ego-driven chest pounding. Indeed, one only needs to crack Bill Clinton’s Ben Hur-esque My Life to see one who looks on himself as perhaps the most gifted and effective (and verbose) leader ever. However, in DC Confidential, former British Ambassador to the USA Christopher Meyer gives a memoir of a career in which the author was often not the biggest personality in the room. The question is whether Meyer is gracious enough to get out of the way and let the reader observe the true power-brokers with whom Meyer must deal on a daily basis.

For the most part, he does. Meyer’s stories of encounters with American presidents Clinton and Bush, British Prime Ministers Thatcher, Major, and Blair, as well as other luminaries such as Al Gore, Rupert Murdoch, Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and others are often illuminating. That is not to say that Meyer is shy about sharing his own impressions; he is not. But often one is able to take Meyer’s candid shots and compare them to what one knows of the people’s public persona.

Meyer is also able to paint portraits that are not complete, but in many ways more intimate than what that person’s public profile. His portrayal of George W. Bush as a quick learner, someone who was in charge of his people, and a politician’s politician reveals a different side of Bush than is normally seen. Meyer compares Bush to other natural politicians Clinton and Blair, those who instinctively connect with the very people from whom they want to garner support. On the other hand, both Gore and Kerry are portrayed as intelligent wonks who were ineffective campaigners, a trait which likely cost both of them their respective elections.

Meyer, as ambassador to the US, also has some interesting observations on its culture and people. Usually, however, these do not cross the threshold to real insight, but rather exist clearly as observations from an outsider. As an American reader, I felt like Meyer observed astutely, but never really delved deeper into why America was the way it was. Perhaps this is the curse of the lifelong civil servant – to understand the way things are, but never to ask why. On this count, though Meyer makes several good observations that I daresay many Americans have never articulated. One in particular stands out. When Meyer is describing presidential elections, he spends some time discussing how successful candidates often present themselves as outsiders, and he points out several examples. As I was reading it, I couldn’t help but think of Obama and his current message of “Change/hope/more change.”

Meyer’s idealogical/political biases are evident throughout, seen especially in his distaste for New Labour and the “Third Way” movement in politics. Meyer is a Tory, but spent several years serving a Labour government that comes in for much criticism. At times, this is a slight burden for the book.

The books great selling point is that Meyer was in Washington on 9/11 and during the run-up to the Iraq War. His observations on this count are interesting, but not often revelatory. It will dispel some of the more readily accepted leftist myths about the desire for war in Iraq. The books is well-written and very readable, and one who has an interest in American politics of the last 10 years or so will find it interesting.