Pay, Pack, and Follow: Memoirs

Ewart-Biggs epitomized the high-ranking diplomat's wife. She was an accomplished, elegant hostess to a glittering array of guests and a devoted mother and wife who shared the political idealism of her husband, Christopher, who served as second-in-command of several British embassiesin Algeria during its volatile independence struggle and then in calmer Paris. The author's behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of diplomacy comprise the bulk of the book. She discusses, among other things, the feeling of dislocation from one's own culture that is a by-product of the peripatetic existence; the significant role played by foreign-service wives; and such esoterica as the art of placement at formal dinners. This rarefied existence came to a tragic end when Christopher, the Queen's ambassador in Dublin for only two months, was assassinated by the IRA. The last chapters recount the author's attempts to deal with her loss and reconstitute her life, which led to her becoming a peer in the House of Lords and an active worker for peace in Northern Ireland. Author tour. (April)