Download The Real Wallis Simpson A New History of the American Divorcée Who Became the Duchess of Windsor eBook Anna Pasternak
Download As PDF : The Real Wallis Simpson A New History of the American Divorcée Who Became the Duchess of Windsor eBook Anna Pasternak
Wallis Simpson is known as the woman at the center of the most scandalous love affair of the 20th century, but in this surprising new biography, bestselling author Anna Pasternak redeems a woman wronged by history with new information revealed by those who were close to the couple—presenting Wallis as a convenient scapegoat to rid England of a king deemed unworthy to rule.
The story that has been told repeatedly is this The handsome, charismatic, and popular Prince Edward was expected to marry a well-bred virgin who would one day become Queen of England when he ascended the throne. But when the prince was 37 years old, he fell in love with a skinny, divorced American woman—Wallis Simpson. No one thought the affair would last, and when the prince did become king, everyone assumed the affair would end.
But instead the new king announced he wanted to marry the American divorcee, and Wallis was accused of entrapping the prince in a seductive web in order to achieve her audacious ambition to be queen. After declaring that he could not rule without the woman he loved at his side, the king gave up his throne, and his family banished him and his new wife from England. The couple spent the rest of their days in exile, but happy in their devoted love for each other.
Now, Anna Pasternak’s The Real Wallis Simpson tells a different story that Wallis was the victim of the abdication, not the villain. Warm, well-mannered, and witty, Wallis was flattered by Prince Edward’s attention, but like everyone else, she never expected his infatuation to last. She never wanted to divorce her second husband or marry Edward. She never anticipated his jealous, possessive nature—and his absolute refusal to let her go.
Edward’s true dark nature, however, was no secret to the royal family, the church or the Parliament; everyone close to Edward knew that beyond his charming façade, he was immature, self-absorbed, and uneducated—utterly unfit to rule. Wallis begged Edward to stay on the throne and let her go, foreseeing the verdict history would pass on her. Caught in Edward’s fierce obsession, she became the perfect scapegoat for those who wished to dethrone the king they feared to rule. On the night Wallis died, Princess Margaret told a friend, “It wasn’t her we hated, it was him.”
Rejecting the sinister schemer at the center of a dark royal fairytale, Anna Pasternak reveals Wallis Simpson as an intelligent woman, written off by cunning, powerful men and forced into a life she never wanted in a complex, riveting, and tragic true story of manipulation and betrayal.
Download The Real Wallis Simpson A New History of the American Divorcée Who Became the Duchess of Windsor eBook Anna Pasternak
"A more balanced picture of Wallis Simpson than has been given in previous books on the subject. I’m glad I bought and read this book."
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The Real Wallis Simpson A New History of the American Divorcée Who Became the Duchess of Windsor eBook Anna Pasternak Reviews :
The Real Wallis Simpson A New History of the American Divorcée Who Became the Duchess of Windsor eBook Anna Pasternak Reviews
- While I agree with the author's attempt to un-demonize Wallis, and make her more sympathetic to history, I feel in some ways this book went way too far in the other direction. Honestly--the title should have been Saint Wallis, or something. Yes--she was a nice, charming, intelligent woman BUT there's no getting around the fact that she was ALSO a desperate, grasping social climber when she first met Edward, a woman who (nice person though she might be) became ADDICTED to the jewels and status he gave her--who couldn't really say no to him when he offered her his undying love. (Even when she was already married to a nice guy.)
I feel like the author breezes over the reasons WHY she was that way Wallis's childhood and romantic past before she met Edward--IE - her shame during her formative years at being the illegitimate poor relation of a very prominent Baltimore family, her first disastrous, abusive marriage and the disgrace she was in as a "divorcee" in an era where a woman's only power was the man she was married to, and an unrequited love affair after the end of her first marriage that ended badly. (Before Ernest, Walllis fell in love with a diplomat who rejected her because she wasn't good enough. This isn't even mentioned in the book)
No wonder she craved the King's power and money (but was actually bored by the man)! But it also explains why she didn't let the King go long before the relationship got too intense, and was unable to really reject him for long. Therefore she ended up being manipulated into a 35 year marriage to a spoiled boy-ex-King, and vilified by history.
During the marriage--Yes--she planned beautiful parties for him and decorated wonderful homes to make him happy , but at heart--the abdication made Wallis cruel and abusive towards Edward in their marriage because she was bitter and resentful about being trapped (also glossed over in the book.)
Explaining why these things happened would have made Wallis a much more interesting, complex, flawed and totally understandable HUMAN character. And frankly this would have been a much more enjoyable read. Saints are boring. Wallis's story deserved better. - Another book about Wallis and Edward? Haven't they published every known occurrence in their shallow, selfish lives?
Anna Pasternak, whose great-uncle was Russian writer Boris Pasternak, wrote a lovely book about his great love, Lara, which I loved. But she knew her information through family and friends of the family. Can anyone who knew the Windsors still be alive? Evidently, yes.
Yes, it is a re-hash of everything we have read before in numerous books over the years. There are a few tidbits I didn't know about that were revealed, but certainly nothing earthshattering.
It is what she didn't say that worries me. She writes about the war between the Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth II's mother) and Wallis Simpson, but she leaves out an incident which poisoned the possibility of there ever being a truce between the two women that happened one day at Fort Belvedere. As Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Windsor walked into a room unannounced, she overheard Wallis doing a spot-on impersonation of her voice to a gaggle of guests. She stopped in her tracks, gave Wallis a frosty stare, and left. Did this happen? It is written about in numerous books.
When I was living and working in London in the late 60s and early 70s, I dated someone whose family knew the Duke & Duchess well. He brought it up casually one afternoon as we walked through Hyde Park. "I can assure you, there won't be a marriage between one of the royals and an American for some time. Perhaps never" he said. Well, 50 years later there was such a union. A royal prince to a divorced American woman with a ditzy family and a D-List acting background! I could hear Wallis cackling her head off as the two were wed. I call Meghan, 'Wallis's Revenge'! Sadly, she is going to have a tough row to hoe throughout her marriage to Prince Harry. He may have to abdicate his position in order to live a happy life with her and their family. I can see them living outside the royal family doing their own thing on their own. Surely this idea has not skipped Her Majesty's thoughts, as well. History repeating itself.
Ms. Pasternak also mentions the TV series, Edward & Mrs. Simpson, which I have watched over and over through the years. She speaks about what a wonderful job actor Edward Fox did playing the Duke, but fails to mention the incredible job Cynthia Harris does as Wallis. I can't understand how she omitted this, as the book is about her, as well. For me, Ms. Harris WAS Wallis Simpson. No one has come close to capturing her look and voice and probably never will.
Back to my English friend, Patrick. During our walk he told me that he knew, as gospel, the truth about Wallis Simpson will never, ever see the light of day. "My dear, you have NO idea who and what this woman really was! Thank God she came along and stole our King before Hitler could get a hold of him! Had she not, we would be speaking German today!" D. J. Taylor wrote a novel about Wallis dying just before they wed and what Edward's life would have been like as a single King. Entitled The Windsor Factor, it is well worth reading. Taylor has a breathtaking way with words.
If you were to stop one of the high school students who go to school next door to my building and ask them who Wallis and Edward were, not one of them would know who you were talking about. Ms. Pasternak's readership for this book is probably aged 60+. My own daughter, aged 45 wouldn't know who they were, nor would she care' I foolishly titled my review of Andrew Morton's book, 'The Sun Finally Sets On The Windsors.' I should have waited until this book came out.
While I enjoyed hearing the story over again, I think about what Patrick said so many decades ago that the truth will never, ever be revealed about both of them. I did not know that Edward was rendered sterile by mumps as a child or that she had a delicate sexual condition that made it impossible for her to have children. This was never mentioned in previous books. A perfect match, then, isn't it?
I closed the book tonight at 11 having spent most of the day reading it from cover-to-cover. Do these two people truly merit our interest after all these years? Not really. Most of what has been written is a fabrication by the authors to perpetuate a Disney movie scenario for the ages. The price they paid for their folly was beyond any sacrifice for love anyone has ever endured. Perhaps that is why their 'love story' endures. - This new biography of Wallis Simpson (which was published with the title "Untitled"in the UK which is much more appropriate) is a fascinating new insight into an historical character we think we know. The author succeeds in rescuing Wallis Simpson from the two-dimensional historical treatment she has largely received to date and reveals her as a complicated, intelligent and largely sympathetic character. This book is a woman's take on a story that until now has largely been told by men and it is fascinating. The biography reads like a novel; even though you know what happens you do not want to put it down as the story unfolds.
- I've read pretty much every book about the DoW that has been published. This book adds nothing much new, and mostly takes it's material from the other books. No new insight.
- I both loathed and pitied her as I read this book. Complaining about the privileged life they led was appalling to us ‘in-royals’
- A more balanced picture of Wallis Simpson than has been given in previous books on the subject. I’m glad I bought and read this book.
- Like most people, I believed the stories I'd heard about Wallis Simpson. Reading this book changed my mind about her. This was a very interesting read and I've donated my purchase to my local library.
- Very informative book about Wallis and David. If you like books about the royal family and want to add to your knowledge, this book is for you. Enjoyed every page and learned a lot of backstory.
