Everyone knew Pamela Churchill Harriman as a glamorous socialite. Almost no one understood what she really was: a power broker who helped shape 20th-century history from the shadows. In Kingmaker, award-winning biographer Sonia Purnell reveals how Pamela used charm, intelligence, and ruthless social skill to influence presidents, diplomats, and party bosses for more than fifty years.
From WWII London—where she quietly strengthened the Anglo-American alliance—to Washington fundraisers that helped resurrect the Democratic Party and spot Bill Clinton before most took him seriously, Pamela kept turning access into impact. Later, as U.S. ambassador to France, she stepped into the spotlight and played a behind-the-scenes role in the push toward peace in Bosnia.
This is the story of a woman long reduced to headlines about lovers—and finally restored as a political force. Read the summary to see how power really moves.
