Pot Shards: Fragments of a Life Lived in CIA, the White House, and the Two Koreas

Diplomats and Diplomacy

by Donald P. Gregg

Pot Shards is a memoir, based on the author's memorable experiences. Donald P. Gregg spent thirty-one years as an operations officer in CIA and ten years in the White House under presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush. Pot Shards is his memoir. It tells of a philosophy major who graduated from college in 1951 and immediately joined CIA when told, "You'll jump out of airplanes and save the world!" With raucous humor, he describes his parachute training and arctic survival course in Idaho. His book is a window into the Cold War-era CIA, both its failings (twenty years in a Chinese jail for a close friend) and unheralded successes, including Gregg's role in saving the life of Kim Dae-jung, a Korean political dissident who later, as president, won the Nobel Peace Prize. Gregg colorfully describes his tours in Japan, Burma, Vietnam, and South Korea. His four years dealing with the Vietnam War illustrate clearly the difficulties of speaking truth to power with sharp-edged encounters with Robert McNamara, Curtis LeMay, and various generals. Gregg worked effectively against torture when encountered in both Vietnam and Korea. In the White House, Gregg was impressed by Vice President Bush's value as "the rudder on Reagan's sailboat," unseen but imperative. He recounts his travels with Bush to sixty-five countries with both humor and discernment-- Thatcher at the top, Mugabe at the bottom. Gregg served both as CIA station chief in Seoul, 1973-75, and as U.S. ambassador to Korea, 1989-93. He later made more than fifty trips to Seoul as chairman of The Korea Society. Now, as chairman of the Pacific Century Institute, the former diplomat, once feared and disliked by North Korea, has visited that secretive nation six times, as recently as February 2014. Gregg always stresses dialogue over demonization in dealing with the North Koreans. "Don Gregg is that authentic and admirable thing: a great American. He spent most of his life serving his country: in the CIA, at the White House and as a US ambassador. He has stories to tell, many of them gripping, and they are beautifully and movingly recollected here in this memoir of a splendid life." -Christopher Buckley "A personal witness to decades of largely hidden intelligence and diplomatic history, Donald Gregg recounts his unlikely and amazing career as a CIA officer, national security advisor, and US diplomat. His adventures and insider knowledge of US relations with East Asian nations over many decades make for a lively narrative, entertaining for the general reader and useful for serious scholars alike. Through it all, Ambassador Gregg expresses a natural warmth and concern for humanity that makes his story a truly personal journey." -Nicholas Dujmovic, Ph.D., CIA Staff Historian, Center for the Study of Intelligence

Genres: Biography

346 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2014

Reviews

[Loren Daily · Rating 5 out of 5]

ITM. Congratulatuons on a sucsessful career. Enjoyed reading a clear eyed perspective of North Korea. This story will make a great gift for a young person.

[Alexander Sulzberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

As part of the "sacred texts" of the No Agenda Show, uncle Don's book is a must read.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly interesting set of tales!

In the morning!

I really enjoyed this book. Have to admit I wasn't sure I would, but it turned out to be enjoyable and interesting.

The short tales of various moments of the authors life were very well told. Not bogged down by too much detail, you get a satisfying impression of each moment and move on to the next.

There was a lot of stuff I wouldn't have expected, and much of the insight provided led to my own re-examining of some issues, politically or regarding historical understanding. I greatly appreciated finding some intriguing insider information on certain historical moments we don't always hear enough about.

I am so glad to have had this book recommended to me by the insightful minds of the No Agenda Show!

This was an amazing read, had a hard time putting it down, would highly recommend this to anyone.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book.
The jumping around in timeline can be a bit odd, at points, but each section is trying to revolve around a central topic, so it works. Donald Gregg uses his life experience in the CIA, Presidential Advisor, and Ambassador to Korea to paint a refreshing look on diplomacy. Sometimes all the other person wants is a little respect, but we demonize them for political clout ruining progress.
Well worth a read.

[Aaron VanAlstine · Rating 4 out of 5]

ITM! Great book from Uncle Don. Couldn't put it down.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary life -- for a reason

Pot Shards, Fragments of a Life Lived in the CIA, the White House, and the Two Koreas, by Donald P. Gregg, is an autobiography which is impressive in scope, and hard to put down.
Like the pot shards of the title, the author has fashioned a mosaic of his life. Amazingly, despite the fact that his life is so vibrant and full, he is able to stay on course and keep the reader fascinated from the beginning to where he leaves off. He is still busy, going strong, and living a happy life with his wife and family.

The book is basically broken down into Part One: his early life, which encompasses his graduation cum laude from Williams. This reviewer believes that his family and his professor of philosophy at Williams imbued him with the depth to break away from the pack and think for himself, always. Every single time he acts, later in his life, he does the ethical thing.
Part Two: titled Intelligence, spans a massive and fascinating time during which he was in Japan. It also covers JFK and Vietnam, the Pike Committee, and the Carter White House.
During Part Three he has moved into the White House. He discusses his years with Reagan and Bush, particularly his six and a half years as Vice President Bush's national security advisor. He traveled with him to 65 different countries during this time, and expresses his high regard for Bush's diplomacy and brilliance. However, the author has no party allegiance. He simply has an amazing sense of what is right and what is wrong and how to get things done.
Part Four discusses his Diplomacy and Attendant Travels. During this period, he served as Ambassador in Seoul.
This part also offers an eye opening meeting he had with Richard Nixon, who was then living in New York, a very clear commentary on Iran-Contra, a discussion of the "October Surprise", and an overview of what it meant.
During Part Six he writes of his attempt to assist the street gangs in California by promoting and exchange program Korean kids. He discusses his love of jazz.
Sadly, he also brings his crushing disillusionment with Goldman Sachs. He was hired by them to serve in an administrative position due to his vast experience in Asia. He speaks of how he chose to dump his stock after he learned the truth about the company.

Although this book can be harsh and is always frank, it is frequently funny as well. Ambassador Gregg has a wonderful way with words and loves the world. Through the photos you see of him and his family, and the thoughts of the author, you learn a lot.
I especially liked the ending, where he in effect goes back to his beginnings as a child. He and also quotes he favorite Williams' philosophy professor, J.W. Miller:
"Man does not have a nature. He has a history, for which he is responsible.
Cut behind appearance to reality,
Never treat a human being like an object.
Civility does not exist in the abstract; it comes as part of a shared human endeavor."

This book is recommended by this reviewer for reading by anyone who is interested in history, humility and the distant and recent past.
Also recommended as a teaching tool for classes in political science.

[Tom Ransohoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the caveat that I know the author, I thought this was a great book. Along with really interesting anecdotes, it provides an inside look at the evolution of intelligence policy and execution in Asia/Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War through the Obama administration. A fascinating read!

[Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative read

It was an entertaining and informative read. At times a few comments to the side disrupt the narrative, but few and far between. A must read to gain a rare insight into Korea with the added bonus of a few gems about The Vietnam war.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. A very interesting look into Korea.