Leigh Turner writing

Feb 22 2025 63 ep. 15 mins 9
Leigh Turner writing Podcast artwork

Writer and former ambassador Leigh Turner explores books, writing and politics.

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63. "Blood Summit" - Prologue and Chapter 1

Feb 22 2025 16 mins  
Listen to the Prologue and Chapter 1 of my Berlin thriller "Blood Summit", with diplomat action hero Helen Gale. Chapters 2 and 3 will be in a future podcast. You can find "Blood Summit" on Amazon.

62. Lessons in Diplomacy Chapter 5: How to understand Putin's war on Ukraine

Jan 25 2025 17 mins  
"President Putin's unprovoked invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 turned diplomacy on its head. In response, countries supporting Ukraine must show strategic patience... and explore how the Russian leader got his decision so wrong." From Chapter 5 of ⁠⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠⁠: "How to understand Putin's war on Ukraine".

61. Lessons in Diplomacy Chapter 4: How (not) to introduce democracy

Jan 11 2025 15 mins  
"The fact that many ordinary Russians fear that the alternative to authoritarianism is chaos in part reflects their grim experience of the 1990s." From Chapter 4 of Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠⁠: "How (not) to introduce democracy".

60. Lessons in Diplomacy Chapter 3: How to Fail at Geopolitical Change: Brexit

Dec 13 2024 8 mins  
"I was surprised to find a political adviser telling off a senior cabinet minister in this way. I was even more surprised when [Boris] Johnson ate humble pie, apologising profusely even though it was not his fault." From Chapter 3 of "⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠": "How to fail at geopolitical change: Brexit".

59. Lessons in Diplomacy Chapter 2: How to Tackle Terrorism

Nov 29 2024 11 mins  
"Should you ever get a chance to take part in a counter-terrorism exercise, step forward... but never volunteer to be a hostage." From Chapter 2 of "⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠⁠": "How to Tackle Terrorism".

58. Lessons in Diplomacy Chapter 1: How to Survive a Crisis

Nov 17 2024 11 mins  
"A bomb has exploded in Ankara. A big one. City centre." My colleague from the British embassy in the capital of Turkey, five hours' drive to the east, sounded shaken. "Should we declare a crisis?" From Chapter 1 of "⁠Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties⁠": "How to Survive a Crisis".

57. Lessons in Diplomacy: Prologue

Nov 02 2024 6 mins  
Meet Ray: "a shambling, swarthy, sunken-eyed bear of a man... the first thing I saw when I peered into the cab was his butcher's arms: broad and sheened with sweat". One of a host of fascinating characters who taught me the lessons in the book "Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties".

56. A complete short story

Sep 16 2024 41 mins  
"The Two Rooms" is one of my "Hotel Stories". It features Ms N, the most brilliant and occasionally homicidal hotel managers in the world, and her beautiful, smart but naive colleague, Tatiana. I'm afraid I'm not brilliant at accents - particularly US accents! But I hope you enjoy the story. Any voice actors out there who fancy doing a better version? Get in touch! I first recor

55. How to be invited to the King's Birthday Party

Aug 30 2024 5 mins  
How do get invited to the King's Birthday Party in a British Embassy overseas? Find out more in my new book ⁠⁠Lessons in Diplomacy⁠. It might be easier than you think! I hope you enjoy the book. #diplomacy #ambassador #ambassadors #diplomats #diplomat

54. How to become an ambassador

Aug 13 2024 13 mins  
How do you become an ambassador? My new book ⁠Lessons in Diplomacy⁠ explores what diplomacy can teach us all. Here is a run-through of the main chapters and sections, from "How to become an ambassador" through "How to survive a crisis", "How to handle politicians" and "How to drink wine and know things" to "How to make diplomacy reflect our changing world" I hope you enjoy the