The Permanent Under-Secretary of State: A brief history of the office and its holders

History Notes, no. 15, April 2002 (FCO, Records and Historical Department: London), pp. 57. Free on request.

As the title of this booklet indicates, it is only a brief history of this increasingly influential office in the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Nevertheless, as one would expect from its provenance, it is completely authoritative, fluently written, draws on previously under-exploited archives, and includes many nineteenth century photographs never previously published.

Strongly recommended. This should be available on the FCO website by the end of July.