1/8 Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman's Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue Paperback – Large Print, October 8, 2024 by Sonia Purnell (Author)
The John Batchelor Show
John Batchelor
4.5 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 3 January 2025
⏱️ 11 minutes
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Summary
by Sonia Purnell (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/Kingmaker-Harrimans-Astonishing-Seduction-Intrigue-ebook/dp/B0CQJHTHGY/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=mGORW&content-id=amzn1.sym.bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&pf_rd_p=bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&pf_rd_r=131-1534402-8294242&pd_rd_wg=oGjro&pd_rd_r=28fc36b7-6eda-4621-b633-8a670774f5f4&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk
When Pamela Churchill Harriman died in 1997, the obituaries that followed were predictably scathing – and many were downright sexist. Written off as a mere courtesan and social climber, her true legacy was overshadowed by a glamorous social life and her infamous erotic adventures. Much of what she did behind the scenes – on both sides of the Atlantic - remained invisible and secret. That is, until now: with a wealth of fresh research, interviews and newly discovered sources, Sonia Purnell unveils for the first time the full, spectacular story of how she left an indelible mark on the world today.
At age 20 Churchill’s beloved daughter-in-law became a “secret weapon” during World War II, strategically wining, dining, and seducing diplomats and generals to help win over American sentiment (and secrets) to the British cause against Hitler. After the war, she helped to transform Fiat heir Gianni Agnelli into Italy’s ‘uncrowned king’ on the international stage and after moving to the US brought a struggling Democratic party back to life, hand-picking Bill Clinton from obscurity and vaulting him to the presidency.
Picked as Ambassador to France, she deployed her legendary subtle powers to charm world leaders and help efforts to bring peace to Bosnia, playing her part in what was arguably the high-water mark of American global supremacy.
There are few at any time who have operated as close to the center of power over five decades and two continents, and there is practically no one in 20th Century politics, culture, and fashion whose lives she did not touch, including the Kennedys, Truman Capote, Aly Khan, Kay Graham, Gloria Steinem, Ed Murrow, and Frank Sinatra. Written with the novelistic richness and investigative rigor that only Sonia Purnell could bring to this story full of sex, politics, yachts, palaces and fabulous clothes, KINGMAKER re-asserts Harriman’s rightful place at the heart of history.
1927 Johnny Randolph Winston Jack Churchill
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is CBS Eye on the World. |
| 0:08.5 | Here's John Batchelor. |
| 0:11.8 | Winston Churchill had a daughter-in-law. |
| 0:14.8 | Her name was Pamela, Pamela Digby. |
| 0:18.2 | In September of 1939, after war has been declared by Britain because of the violation |
| 0:25.3 | of the sovereignty of European states in alliance with Britain, there is war between London and |
| 0:32.3 | Berlin, the beginning of the Second War in Europe. A dinner in September after the declaration between Randolph Churchill, son of the man who is now at the Admiralty and will be the very famous Prime Minister, |
| 0:51.0 | goes to dinner with a young woman named Pamela Digby, who is 19 years old. |
| 0:58.4 | At that dinner, Randolph Churchill says, will you marry me, having never met her before? |
| 1:05.4 | We learned later that he's asked a number of young women to marry him because he leaves, along with his generation, |
| 1:13.3 | in his regiment, is going off to war to die the way their fathers did in the first war. |
| 1:19.7 | The surprise is that Pamela Digby says yes. |
| 1:23.7 | I welcome the author of Kingmaker, Pamela Harriman's astonishing life of power, seduction, and intrigue. |
| 1:32.3 | Sonia, Pernell. |
| 1:34.2 | Sonia, congratulations. It's a scene like no other. |
| 1:38.0 | Hollywood wouldn't dare make up such a scene. |
| 1:40.7 | Who is Randolph Churchill at this time? |
| 1:43.7 | Who is Pamela Digby? And what is the result of their |
| 1:48.0 | impetuous decision? Good evening to you. Good evening to you. Well, Randolph Churchill, the only |
| 1:55.9 | son of Winston Churchill, you're quite right to say he was at the admiralty at that point, |
| 2:01.7 | not yet Prime Minister, but Randolph has been brought up to believe that he too is destined |
| 2:07.2 | for greatness by his father. He's been a rather indulged young man. He's often rather drunken. He gets |
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