Terence O'Brien was a born diplomat - urbane, clever, adaptable and hardworking, with a talent for strategy and negotiation. Although born in England, he was a loyal and dedicated New Zealander and spent most of his life working to improve the country's position internationally. In his 50-year foreign affairs career he lived and worked in Asia, Europe and the South Pacific, and was involved in some of New Zealand's most important diplomatic achievements of the 20th century, including establishing New Zealand's first embassy in China, securing trade agreements with the United Kingdom after it joined the EEC, dealing with the fallout from New Zealand's nuclear-free policy, directing New Zealand diplomacy during the Fiji coups, and gaining a seat on the UN Security Council during the turbulent early 1990s.

This memoir is bursting with anecdotes from behind the scenes, and offers insight into the ways in which New Zealand has used its 'insignificance' on the world stage to achieve results which outweigh its size and importance.