WASHINGTON — Hollywood has a fanciful way of glamorizing the unique lives of American diplomats stationed overseas.
Retired foreign service officer Christopher Datta says he didn't spend time attending glamorous balls and sipping martinis at cocktail parties while negotiating friendships with American allies and foes.
In fact, Datta described his new assignment in Juba, South Sudan in 2008 as the complete opposite. In his latest book "Run Scout Run," Datta says he was the only American Consul General in the world who shared a home with roommates. He likened it to being back in college.
In his Lincoln Park row house, he read a short passage from the book aloud.
"There is an old saying in Washington. If you're going to stay in this town and you want a friend, go out and buy a dog. In Juba, I definitely needed a friend. I got one of the best," said Datta.
Datta adopted a dog named Scout during his stint in Juba. He ultimately returned to D.C. with Scout who passed away in 2021.
"Dogs really are a gift. I wanted to do a tribute because he was an amazing dog," said Datta.
After writing a memoir, two Civil War novels and other works, Datta was inspired to write about his faithful and energetic companion and the intricacies of the human-dog dynamic. I was curious to know what he learned.
"What a remarkable world and how little we credit the species we share the planet with," he said. "And how intelligent and feeling and emotional they are and how we can have a personal relationship with them."
Datta's memoir, "Guardians of the Grail," takes readers on an up-close and personal tour of his travels through inhospitable areas.
"I've been in a lot of war zones. I was in Lebanon at one point and in Syria," he said.
One particular story highlighted his efforts to convince former Liberian President Charles Taylor to leave the country after it had been seized by rebel forces. Taylor's forces at one point accused Datta of being involved in a coup and he was nearly killed.
"I wanted to talk about foreign service officers and the important work that we do," he explained. "I take a great deal of pride and satisfaction from knowing that my career made a big difference to a lot of people."
His works also include "The Demon Stone," which he describes as a Stephen King type thriller and "A Perfect Disguise," a detective story set in Washington.
"I write my passion. If something engages me I want to explore it," he said.
You can see the full list of Datta's work HERE.