Kingmaker : Pamela Churchill Harriman's astonishing life of seduction, intrigue and power
Purnell, Sonia2024
Books, Manuscripts
Find it!
When Pamela Churchill Harriman died in 1997, the obituaries that followed were scathing - and often downright sexist. Written off as a social climber, her glamorous social life and infamous erotic adventures overshadowed her true legacy. Much of what she did behind the scenes to shape the twentieth century, on both sides of the Atlantic, remained invisible. That is, until now: with a wealth of fresh research, Sonia Purnell unveils for the first time the full, spectacular story of how Harriman left an indelible mark on the world today. There is practically no-one in twentieth-century politics, culture and fashion whose lives she did not touch. Her influence began at age twenty, when her father-in-law, Winston Churchill, engaged her as a "secret weapon" during World War II, wining, dining and seducing Americans over to the British cause against Hitler. It continued later in the US, where she hand-picked Bill Clinton from obscurity and vaulted him to the presidency. It extended further, over five decades and two continents, influencing figures like the Kennedys, Nelson Mandela, Truman Capote, Gianni Agnelli, Kay Graham, Gloria Steinem and Frank Sinatra.
Main title:
Author:
Imprint:
London : Virago, 2024.
Collation:
xv, 512 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, portraits ; 24 cm.
ISBN:
9780349014739 (paperback)
Dewey class:
BIOGRAPHY
Language:
English
Subject:
Harriman, Pamela, 1920-1997Ambassadors -- United States -- BiographyPhilanthropists -- United States -- BiographyAristocracy (Social class) -- Great BritainWomen -- Sexual behaviour -- Great BritainWomen -- Political activity -- United StatesGreat Britain -- Social life and customs -- 20th centuryUnited States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
BRN:
510362
More Information:
| Location | Collection | Call number | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penrith | Nonfiction | BIOGRAPHY HARR | Available |