5/8 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
🗓️ 4 January 2025
⏱️ 10 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.
1963 Harriman and Acheson
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is CBS Eye on the World. |
| 0:08.2 | Here's John Batchel. |
| 0:09.9 | Continuing with Sonia Pernel, author of the new book, King Maker, Pamela Harriman's |
| 0:16.3 | astonishing life of power, seduction, and intrigue. |
| 0:20.7 | It is the late 1950s, 57, 58, and Paris. |
| 0:25.6 | And Pam, at the time, is enjoying Paris in a wonderful apartment and the attention of many lovers. |
| 0:35.2 | At the same time, she is curious indeed about America, where |
| 0:41.1 | power is moving from Europe, recovering from the war, to Washington. And it so happens that |
| 0:48.3 | one of her good friends, Slim Hayward, cannot, needs an additional seat for a theater engagement. |
| 0:57.0 | She's going to be away and her husband, Leelyn Hayward, will attend, and Pamela accepts |
| 1:03.0 | the invitation. |
| 1:04.0 | And suddenly there is melodrama. |
| 1:07.0 | Sonia, wonderful. |
| 1:09.0 | Leland Hayward is a producer about to discover the sound of music. Pamela Harriman, |
| 1:16.5 | at the time, Pamela Digby Churchill, is not bored with Paris, but recognizes it no longer has |
| 1:25.6 | the sparkle of the pre-war years. What does she make of Leland Hayward? |
| 1:29.3 | Good evening. |
| 1:30.3 | Well, good evening. She sees an attractive, rather sexy, 50-year-old who's obviously doting on her. |
| 1:39.3 | He did what many men have done over history, told her how his wife didn't understand him, |
| 1:46.0 | how she didn't really like the theatre as much as he did, that she was always running around |
| 1:51.0 | Europe with Ernest Hemingway and others, that he felt rather abandoned. And I think it's fair to say |
| 1:56.8 | that Pamela saw her chance. He was a man that perhaps she could look after. Perhaps she could |
... |
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