Many expat clubs around the world recommend “Diplomatic Baggage- The Adventures Of A Trailing Spouse” by Brigid Keenan as a must-read for diplomatic wives and accompanying partners in general.

Let us get a warning out of the way right now. If you have no patience for complainers, stay well away from this book, as it will probably infuriate you. Mrs. Keenan, a former fashion journalist and the wife of a British diplomat, whines a lot and spends much time crying, especially in the first few chapters. Some anecdotes read like a laundry list of her phobias: entertaining, flying, heights, robbers, sharks, snakes… as the author says herself, it seems like on every posting she discovered “new ways of dying to worry about”.

Her self-deprecating humour does make her sound more likeable and is sometimes genuinely funny. However, it does become a bit too systematic after a while. About halfway through the book, the many variations on “I am such a sorry excuse for a journalist” and “I am the most useless hostess you will ever meet” start to wear thin.

In spite of these quirks, there is no denying that “Diplomatic Baggage” is fun and easy to read. While I did not find it quite as laugh-out-loud hilarious as many reviewers did, several anecdotes made me smile and I loved the husband’s tongue in cheek sense of humour. I finished the book in two evenings and it kept me entertained the whole time.

Beyond its qualities as an autobiography, I found “Diplomatic Baggage” to be a valuable account of the ups-and-downs of life as an accompanying partner: loneliness. Homesickness. Boredom. Marital tensions. The sometimes daunting etiquette. Having to manage domestic help when you have never had staff before.
Throughout her book, Brigid Keenan weaves in pithy, lively descriptions of the various locations where she and her family lived. Be forewarned that she tells it like she sees it and that she is not shy about stating her political views. Some of her remarks will be seen as controversial; some others verge on patronising, especially when she writes about her staff.

Surprisingly, there is no mention of the impact of expat life on the couple’s children. The two daughters are more or less invisible for two thirds of the book, until they hit the teenage years and begin to act up. Even when the girls run away from boarding school, refuse to study for their exams and are eventually expelled, the challenges faced by Third-Culture Kids are never explicitly brought up.

In summary, there is a possibility that “Diplomatic Baggage” may turn you off, or even offend you. At the same time, it will entertain you with its accounts of postings as radically different as Belgium, India and Kazakhstan. Former and current accompanying partners will find their experiences, emotions and challenges mirrored in this book and will realise that they are not alone. Considering that supposedly “spoilt” diplomatic wives do not always get much sympathy or support, this alone may make reading this book a rewarding experience.