For some reason, everyone I know on both sides of the Atlantic seems to be devouring Kingmaker by Sonia Purnell, the biography of the famed political horizontale Pamela Harriman, perhaps because, with Trump cosplaying master and commander, we all want to be bunkered in those storied war rooms beneath the streets of Westminster, wreathed in her father-in-law Winston Churchill’s cigar smoke.
According to another well known biographer, the power and intensity of her eyes was mesmerizing.
Having worked for the brilliant Helen Gurley Brown at Cosmopolitan - a magazine endlessly exploring how women could attract men - Pamela was much discussed because of her allure.
Fast forward to the vulgar Bezos wedding where everything was on display, I suggest those “ladies” take a lesson from Pamela because it took more than bosoms to lure men into her web.
I loved Helen Gurley Brown. I was a "Cosmo girl" n my youth. I loved her love story and how devoted she and her husband David Brown were to each other. I remember her using the endearment "pussycat". My late aunt used to call me that. They seemed very lovely. . Very saddened when both of them passed. I also have her bio I haven't read it sorry to say. So many books, so little time. It must have been wonderful working with her.
We live in a different world. Today, they are all tech bros and the women are such vulgarians and I am no prude, but just put them away already. Even covered up yo her neck Lauren Sanchez Bezos on her wedding day looked like trash." Money is not synonymous with class and taste" as they say. I grew up when there was still mystery and allure and elegance. They were all swinging from the chandeliers back then too, we just didn't know it.
I remember so many anecdotes she told in her books - like the one about hearing on the radio that Pearl Harbor had been bombed and rolling over and going back to sleep instead of jumping up to call the boss the way her office mate did - ending with “Don’t worry that you’ve missed your one big break!” or something along those lines.
I bought her bio a while back but it’s still sitting on my shelf. How accurate is it?
I haven’t read the book yet but I’m curious if Purnell goes into detail about Harriman’s ancestors because her great, great-something aunt, Lady Jane Digby, lived a life that makes Pam look like a nun.
One of the great beauties of the 19th century, she came from the Digby family. She must have been incredibly charming because she seemed to grab and marry four government leaders in her search for true love. There’ve been several biographies written about her. Unfortunately, the best ,“Passion’s Child”, is out of print, but there are a couple still in print.
Curious fact is that Diana is related to Jane Digby.
Her Wiki bio calls her a “courtesan”, but that’s not right.
I listened to the book a while back. What struck me most was how she burned all her bridges, snubbing all those who weren’t immediately useful to her, and was ultimately left with no close friends or relatives at the end of her life. While many would call it karma, I prefer to think of it as a lesson for us all.
I kind of picture her as a shark gliding through the waters, dispensing with everybody else as she goes along.
I remember another book where she played a large part and that was a book about Capote’s Swans. Pam was friendly with the women, one of whom, Slim Hawks, was married to producer, Leland Hayward. In the 1950’s Slim went out of town and asked Pam to “look after Leland”. Look after Leland Pam did, and the two had an affair. When Slim returned, and found out that Leland wanted to marry Pam, she said, “Don’t be ridiculous, no one marries Pam Churchill.”
Given the long list of famous men Pam was involved with who didn’t make it to the altar with her, Slim’s remark was pretty true.
Brooke Hayward’s “Haywire” really roasted her. And Brooke’s ex-husband Peter Duchin hated her because the Harrimans raised him, and he was angry that Averell had cheated on his wife with her (even though Duchin knew the wife had had an affair with Duchin’s own father!).
Slim was one of my favorite swans. What a great quote about "Pam". LOL.
I think that's what Lady Thelma Furness said to Wallis Simpson about the Prince of Wales when she was his mistress. "Look after David for me while I'm away". And the rest is history.
Exactly! The rest is history. Did you read Lawrence Leamer’s book about the Swans? “Capote’s Women”? It was disappointing.
Have you read a book, “The Power of Style”, by Annette Taper? It’s still in print and is a powerhouse book about 14 or so women in the 1900’s who made style. Gloria Guinness, Slim Keith, etc. Tapert is a great writer and she knows how to explain how these women were so influential. Look it up. You might find it interesting.
I have Capote's Women too ('m embarrassed to say I have so many fantastic books I have still not read, all on my kindle (also on my Iphone and Ipad) not read) but I loved FEUD: Capote and his swans on FX/Hulu. I wound up buying both Feuds Bette & Joan (Davis &Crawford) and Capote/m Swans to have them, in case I want to drop Hulu. Bought them from Apple TV+. I loved Diane Lane (one of my faves) as Slim Keith. I looked to see if the Power of Style was on my kindle, but I may look around here tomorrow. I have a huge collection of fashion-Architecture-Jewelry-Art- books. Thank you for telling.me. i only checked Kindle. Maybe it's available used hard cover from amazon. Appreciate it!
Tina, I love your review. I was a small child in Seattle during the wartime years of Murrow and Churchill. I could barely read but I followed the news in two local newspapers and Murrow broadcasts. But what I remember most were the songs, Jo Stafford's heartbreaking "I'll be seeing you," or Martha Tilton's sad "I'll walk alone." I belonged to a children's entertainment troupe in Seattle that sang wartime songs on local radio and in military hospitals. I was barely five years old but sang those songs with a longing very similar to Jo Stafford's. Reading your delightful review takes me back to those wartime years.
Yes! I was going to comment on that myself. Even as a young woman (I'm a senior myself now), I knew of Pamela Harriman, especially reading about her glittering DC Georgetown parties back then, and even I knew she had the best facelift I'd ever seen...in a time when plastic surgery was not ubiquitous as today. Her and Betty Ford.
Tina, there is no one like you. I was hanging on to every word. I have her first bio which I've never read that is over 800+ pages, but wow.Mata Hari or not, look at that roster of men that she worked her way through by page 198 😂. I'm 69 and remember who all the players were. London, Paris, New York, many of the wealthiest and most important men of her day. She wasn't the most beautiful, but "La Bouche" and her way of making these men feel like they were the most important men alive, more than made up for it. I don't why, and it's probably a poor comparison, but I got "Raine Spencer" vibes from that. I was touched by Gianni Agnelli speaking to her every day up until the day she died. Awww... I did not know he loved her that much. I come in mostly during ACT III. I remember Averall Harimann, the wills the money, the step-children that loathed her (I read Haywire by Brooke Hayward), DC, Georgetown, Clinton, and the politics. And as I answered someone below, just about the best face lift I had ever seen, when they weren't as common as today. The greatest nugget was finding out it was Henri Paul, Diana's driver, who gave her mouth-to-mouth when she had the stroke in the pool at the Ritz. I have a feeling Pam is going to get her Second Life now, like Capote and the Swans. Her story is made for streaming. Ryan Murphy should get right on it, especially with the Edward R Murrow connection too. This was delicious. Thank you so much. With the tech bros, the holy rollers in DC, influencers, Kardashians,etc.I don't know if there will be another story like her again. "The famed political horizontale 😂 Pamela Harriman". Best line ever.
No need to read ! Your Harriman “Cliff’s” notes cover all her bases. A redheaded , freckled , seductress . La Bouche . Sounds vaguely familiar. I gave it up for Lent and a long marriage. “She was here.” Seemingly everywhere.
I beg to differ, I think I can imagine Churchill and his wife taking advantage of Pamela’s charms, there was a war on, and London was full of interesting people, some with stories to tell…
I can remember a television documentary telling her story some years ago. I think it took the view that Churchill took advantage of her wartime affairs. I can see Churchill being broad minded about it
Great review! I had read “The Sisters” about the Cushing sisters who were warned of Pamela’s husband-grabbing. Then read “Life of the Party” about Pamela’s history. Whew! Busy woman.
As Sir Harry pointed out, her charm was a strength,if not a superpower. Being an attractive, full figured woman got her masculine attention to be sure. It’s quite a lineup of rich, powerful men. On my short list for reading now. Thank you for the great review. 🤗
According to another well known biographer, the power and intensity of her eyes was mesmerizing.
Having worked for the brilliant Helen Gurley Brown at Cosmopolitan - a magazine endlessly exploring how women could attract men - Pamela was much discussed because of her allure.
Fast forward to the vulgar Bezos wedding where everything was on display, I suggest those “ladies” take a lesson from Pamela because it took more than bosoms to lure men into her web.
I loved Helen Gurley Brown. I was a "Cosmo girl" n my youth. I loved her love story and how devoted she and her husband David Brown were to each other. I remember her using the endearment "pussycat". My late aunt used to call me that. They seemed very lovely. . Very saddened when both of them passed. I also have her bio I haven't read it sorry to say. So many books, so little time. It must have been wonderful working with her.
We live in a different world. Today, they are all tech bros and the women are such vulgarians and I am no prude, but just put them away already. Even covered up yo her neck Lauren Sanchez Bezos on her wedding day looked like trash." Money is not synonymous with class and taste" as they say. I grew up when there was still mystery and allure and elegance. They were all swinging from the chandeliers back then too, we just didn't know it.
I’d love to read your recollections about working for HGB! She was fascinating.
Life changing
I remember so many anecdotes she told in her books - like the one about hearing on the radio that Pearl Harbor had been bombed and rolling over and going back to sleep instead of jumping up to call the boss the way her office mate did - ending with “Don’t worry that you’ve missed your one big break!” or something along those lines.
I bought her bio a while back but it’s still sitting on my shelf. How accurate is it?
Don’t recall that
Pure heaven. Life changing
I haven’t read the book yet but I’m curious if Purnell goes into detail about Harriman’s ancestors because her great, great-something aunt, Lady Jane Digby, lived a life that makes Pam look like a nun.
One of the great beauties of the 19th century, she came from the Digby family. She must have been incredibly charming because she seemed to grab and marry four government leaders in her search for true love. There’ve been several biographies written about her. Unfortunately, the best ,“Passion’s Child”, is out of print, but there are a couple still in print.
Curious fact is that Diana is related to Jane Digby.
Her Wiki bio calls her a “courtesan”, but that’s not right.
Read the Wiki entry if you’re interested.
She does. It’s a very fun and interesting book/portrait
Fascinating. I have the 800+ page bio about Pamela. by Sally Bedell Smith. I will look up Lady Jane Digby. Thanks.
I listened to the book a while back. What struck me most was how she burned all her bridges, snubbing all those who weren’t immediately useful to her, and was ultimately left with no close friends or relatives at the end of her life. While many would call it karma, I prefer to think of it as a lesson for us all.
I kind of picture her as a shark gliding through the waters, dispensing with everybody else as she goes along.
I remember another book where she played a large part and that was a book about Capote’s Swans. Pam was friendly with the women, one of whom, Slim Hawks, was married to producer, Leland Hayward. In the 1950’s Slim went out of town and asked Pam to “look after Leland”. Look after Leland Pam did, and the two had an affair. When Slim returned, and found out that Leland wanted to marry Pam, she said, “Don’t be ridiculous, no one marries Pam Churchill.”
Given the long list of famous men Pam was involved with who didn’t make it to the altar with her, Slim’s remark was pretty true.
Brooke Hayward’s “Haywire” really roasted her. And Brooke’s ex-husband Peter Duchin hated her because the Harrimans raised him, and he was angry that Averell had cheated on his wife with her (even though Duchin knew the wife had had an affair with Duchin’s own father!).
Brooke’s memoir was very good, too.
Yes. Excellent. She had such an interesting life too.
Slim was one of my favorite swans. What a great quote about "Pam". LOL.
I think that's what Lady Thelma Furness said to Wallis Simpson about the Prince of Wales when she was his mistress. "Look after David for me while I'm away". And the rest is history.
Exactly! The rest is history. Did you read Lawrence Leamer’s book about the Swans? “Capote’s Women”? It was disappointing.
Have you read a book, “The Power of Style”, by Annette Taper? It’s still in print and is a powerhouse book about 14 or so women in the 1900’s who made style. Gloria Guinness, Slim Keith, etc. Tapert is a great writer and she knows how to explain how these women were so influential. Look it up. You might find it interesting.
I have Capote's Women too ('m embarrassed to say I have so many fantastic books I have still not read, all on my kindle (also on my Iphone and Ipad) not read) but I loved FEUD: Capote and his swans on FX/Hulu. I wound up buying both Feuds Bette & Joan (Davis &Crawford) and Capote/m Swans to have them, in case I want to drop Hulu. Bought them from Apple TV+. I loved Diane Lane (one of my faves) as Slim Keith. I looked to see if the Power of Style was on my kindle, but I may look around here tomorrow. I have a huge collection of fashion-Architecture-Jewelry-Art- books. Thank you for telling.me. i only checked Kindle. Maybe it's available used hard cover from amazon. Appreciate it!
It was never issued in Kindle. It was published in the mid 1990s. Diane Lane is very compelling.
Thanks for letting me know.
Tina, I love your review. I was a small child in Seattle during the wartime years of Murrow and Churchill. I could barely read but I followed the news in two local newspapers and Murrow broadcasts. But what I remember most were the songs, Jo Stafford's heartbreaking "I'll be seeing you," or Martha Tilton's sad "I'll walk alone." I belonged to a children's entertainment troupe in Seattle that sang wartime songs on local radio and in military hospitals. I was barely five years old but sang those songs with a longing very similar to Jo Stafford's. Reading your delightful review takes me back to those wartime years.
DC denizen here and in the 80s many said that she had the best facelift in the world! As she should…
Yes! I was going to comment on that myself. Even as a young woman (I'm a senior myself now), I knew of Pamela Harriman, especially reading about her glittering DC Georgetown parties back then, and even I knew she had the best facelift I'd ever seen...in a time when plastic surgery was not ubiquitous as today. Her and Betty Ford.
Any book recommended by Ms Brown I will read.
What could a man possibly talk to the Kardashians about other than the latest cosmetic procedures and products? Workouts?
Irresistible, like her.
Tina, there is no one like you. I was hanging on to every word. I have her first bio which I've never read that is over 800+ pages, but wow.Mata Hari or not, look at that roster of men that she worked her way through by page 198 😂. I'm 69 and remember who all the players were. London, Paris, New York, many of the wealthiest and most important men of her day. She wasn't the most beautiful, but "La Bouche" and her way of making these men feel like they were the most important men alive, more than made up for it. I don't why, and it's probably a poor comparison, but I got "Raine Spencer" vibes from that. I was touched by Gianni Agnelli speaking to her every day up until the day she died. Awww... I did not know he loved her that much. I come in mostly during ACT III. I remember Averall Harimann, the wills the money, the step-children that loathed her (I read Haywire by Brooke Hayward), DC, Georgetown, Clinton, and the politics. And as I answered someone below, just about the best face lift I had ever seen, when they weren't as common as today. The greatest nugget was finding out it was Henri Paul, Diana's driver, who gave her mouth-to-mouth when she had the stroke in the pool at the Ritz. I have a feeling Pam is going to get her Second Life now, like Capote and the Swans. Her story is made for streaming. Ryan Murphy should get right on it, especially with the Edward R Murrow connection too. This was delicious. Thank you so much. With the tech bros, the holy rollers in DC, influencers, Kardashians,etc.I don't know if there will be another story like her again. "The famed political horizontale 😂 Pamela Harriman". Best line ever.
No need to read ! Your Harriman “Cliff’s” notes cover all her bases. A redheaded , freckled , seductress . La Bouche . Sounds vaguely familiar. I gave it up for Lent and a long marriage. “She was here.” Seemingly everywhere.
I beg to differ, I think I can imagine Churchill and his wife taking advantage of Pamela’s charms, there was a war on, and London was full of interesting people, some with stories to tell…
I can remember a television documentary telling her story some years ago. I think it took the view that Churchill took advantage of her wartime affairs. I can see Churchill being broad minded about it
Great review! I had read “The Sisters” about the Cushing sisters who were warned of Pamela’s husband-grabbing. Then read “Life of the Party” about Pamela’s history. Whew! Busy woman.
As Sir Harry pointed out, her charm was a strength,if not a superpower. Being an attractive, full figured woman got her masculine attention to be sure. It’s quite a lineup of rich, powerful men. On my short list for reading now. Thank you for the great review. 🤗
What became of the young Winston Jr?