In his 38-year career as an American diplomat, the author experienced many encounters with African leaders, which he describes in this memoir. Following his youthful attraction to international service and early postings to Paris and the world of cultural exchange, he specialized in the emerging nations of Africa. He recounts growing a new embassy in Uganda, fighting white supremacy in Southern Rhodesia, the end of colonialism in Zambia, coping with chaos in Zaire, serving in Paris under Kissinger's scrutiny, and becoming ambassador to Senegal and The Gambia. Stateside assignments included the intelligence community, personnel management, the National Security Council under President Reagan, heading the Africa Bureau under President George H. W. Bush, followed by the World Bank's Global Coalition for Africa, and, in retirement, heading his own international consulting firm.

Throughout, Cohen retained his special interest in the economics of developing nations, with a focus on U.S. relations with sub-Saharan Africa's economically underperforming postcolonial independent governments. Despite significant development assistance, poverty levels remained high, while private investments in business ventures remained low.