This book examines the ambassadorship of every American ambassador to the Court of St. James from the year of the Munich Agreement to Barack Obama's election victory. There are a total of sixteen chapters – some covering more than one individual – arranged across six sections. These divisions, each of which contains a helpful introduction by one of the editors, are based on wartime, three phases of the Cold War, the period between the end of the Cold War and the 11 September attacks, and the post-9/11 era. There is also a useful appendix that provides a table of ambassadors (including British ambassadors to Washington), Presidents and Prime Ministers.

Chapters largely follow a similar structure. Attention is given to the background of the ambassador and the events leading up to their appointment, as well as their time in office. The chapter on Raymond Seitz differs in that it also assesses his earlier stints in London as deputy chief of mission. Authors draw on a range of American and British sources, though the later chapters also have to contend with the diminishing availability of documentary material. While this problem is acknowledged, Alison R. Holmes in particular compensates by drawing on interviews conducted with key figures at the heart of events, not least the ambassadors themselves.

The ambassadors discussed were almost exclusively male, political appointees. Anne Armstrong (1976–77) was the only woman to hold the post, while Seitz (1991–94) was the only career diplomat. Appointing those with outside interests could also have unintended consequences, as when Ambassador Whitney's recently purchased New York Herald Tribune attacked Prime Minister Harold Macmillan for the failure of the May 1960 Paris peace summit (144). However, a common theme across many of the chapters is that, despite a lack of traditional diplomatic experience, political appointees can still make very effective ambassadors. While they benefited from the assistance of some able deputy chiefs of mission, a key reason for their success was often that they were well connected and would enjoy greater access to senior policymakers. As Seitz said of Charles H. Price II (1983–89), “Charlie could call the President and Charlie would call the President … you could put many a professional and many an officer in that situation and they wouldn't get through the switchboard” (216).

Over time, however, personal diplomacy at the highest levels posed an increasing threat to some of the embassy's core functions. By the 1960s, the role of the ambassador faced pressure from the mass media, improved communication and especially jet travel (154). This issue reached its peak under the Nixon administration, with Prime Minister Edward Heath coming to realize that if a message “came through the ambassador, it wasn't important” (176). Even so, the importance of the post still provided great potential for developing connections with British policymakers. This could result in involvement in domestic politics. For example, in 1975 Defence Secretary Roy Mason asked Ambassador Elliot Richardson for assistance in strengthening Cabinet resistance to defence cuts (193). On the other hand, the ambassador could intervene to uphold perceived US interests, as when Price very publicly challenged the opposition Labour Party's defence policy during their 1986 conference (241–42).

The book excels in highlighting the growing importance of public diplomacy. John Whitney embarked on an ambitious set of engagements in 1957 aimed at improving British perceptions of the United States in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis. From a Yorkshire textile factory to a Welsh coal mine, he covered 5,600 miles and visited twenty-two cities (140). Ideas of public diplomacy developed over time. Exchange programmes became more prominent, and their success was such that over half of Tony Blair's Cabinet had participated in some form of American international visitor exchange (266). By the early 1990s, Ambassador Catto was appearing on BBC Radio's Today, the panel discussion programme Question Time and even the talk show Wogan (262).

This is a lucid and useful collection of essays on an important group of characters, providing an excellent introduction to each of the ambassadors featured. Its biggest drawback is a result of its ambition, as the reader is sometimes left wanting further detail. More could also be said about the personal relationships of the ambassadors while in London (though some interesting snippets can be found in the endnotes). As well as charting developments in diplomacy, the collection also highlights changes in the Anglo-American relationship. While defence largely remains important throughout, for example, the issue of Northern Ireland became increasingly prominent over time. The book should therefore be relevant to those with an interest in the special relationship, as well as anyone seeking to explore twentieth-century diplomatic practice.