Pattern of Circles: An Ambassador's Story

by John Dolibois

Pattern of Circles is a success story, for its author and his country.  John E. Dolibois was born December 4, 1918, in Luxembourg.  His mother died weeks later, and he was raised by an older sister until she left for Akron, Ohio, with her American husband.  In 1931 John came to Akron with his father and thus began a fascinating life journey. He graduated from Miami University in 1942, in time for service as an Armored Force officer and then in Military Intelligence.  In this latter station he assisted in the interrogation of the Nazi war criminals prior to the Nuremberg trials.  His descriptions of Goering, Doenitz, Ribbentrop, et al. are perceptive, penetrating, and flavored with earthy humor.  These chapters are set against the backdrop of war, the Holocaust, and attendant horrors. In 1981, after retirement from Miami University as Vice President for University Relations, Dolibois was called by President Ronald Reagan to become U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg.  His appointment came fifty years to the day from his arrival in Akron.  His four years as ambassador are an appropriate chapter of life given to the service of his adopted country.

Genres: History

333 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1989

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever pick up a memoir knowing nothing about the individual. That's what I did here. I wanted to read a book set in Luxembourg and Dolibois was an Ambassador there. He was also an American immigrant who went from nothing to a quality life by hard work and studying. Thanks to scouting, he learned about college and learned how to apply for scholarships. After the Bombing of Pearl Harbour he joined the military where his fluency in German and French paid off as an interrogator, preparing the military for the Neuremburg Trials. He saved the Lippizaner Stallions from, well, becoming dog food and was able to be reunited with all his siblings stuck in German inhabited areas during World War II. Returning to the US, he went to work for Miami University, his alma mater in alumni relations. His love of learning eventually had him appointed as a director of the Fulbright Scholarships! Then, he went on to become ambassador to the land of his birth.

Dolibois is a story teller too! You'll love his positivity, his ability to treat even Nazis as human beings, and his love of helping others. Truly a wonderful, heartwarming read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about an interesting life...sheesh, he makes mine seem so mundane! But I did enjoy this book by the former American Ambassador to Luxembourg, especially since he grew up partly in Akron where I currently work and he went to college at Miami, majored in psych, and was involved in their extenisve Greek life system as well, just like I was also. He then worked for Miami for many years and helped expand and grow it and specifically their Alumni program too. As a lifetime Alum member, I love Miami and really could relate to many of the the places and people the author wrote about in this book about his life.
Another fascinating part of the book were the chapters about the author's days as a soldier in World War II and especially his job as a Nazi leader interrogator once the war ended. Reading about this was like history coming alive to me. Very interesting and often tough to put the book down when I really needed to get to sleep several nights!
I think I would have liked to read more about his and his wife's life once they came back from Luxembourg though, and once they started to live in the Cincinnati/Oxford area again as regular citizens. I guess I did not want him to end the story when he did, after reading so much about his life up unil then! He had me hooked!
This book was actually recommended to me by a friend in Akron who is personally close friends with the author and he made the book even more fun to read as he showed me his private photo album of a trip he and his wife took to Luxembourg as a guest of the author and his wife. The photos were beautiful and just as I had imagined it should be there. I only regret that I did not spend a semester at Miami's Luxembourg campus when I had the opportunity while in college at MU. (The author was instrumental in getting the Luxembourg campus of MU started!)
A very enjoyable read if you like Miami, Luxembourg, or WWII history in particular!

[Chris Englehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about my great uncle John Dolibois life so I am obviously not entirely impartial. However it is a great American success story. It incorporates a classic story of European immigration to the U.S. with the historical significance of a man intimately involved with the principals of the Nazi atrocities during world war two. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author lived for a time in our town, Oxford, OH and was gracious enough to come talk with our book club. This was in Nov., 2012-days before his 94th birthday. He is an amazing storyteller who has amazing stories to tell. I loved this book and feel blessed to know John Dolibois.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing & inspiring story of a man who immigrated from Luxembourg, served in WWII, interrogated the top Nazi war criminals, lived the American dream, and became Ambassador to Luxembourg.