"You have no idea how hard it is to live out a great
romance." -Wallis Simpson
Everyone has heard of Wallis Simpson, the woman for whom
Edward VIII so infamously abdicated his throne and birthright. But although her
life has constantly been the subject of much fascination, gossip, and
speculation, her whole story has yet to be told. Now historical biographer
Andrew Morton uses diary entries, letters, and other never-before-seen records
to offer a fresh portrait of Wallis Simpson in all her vibrancy and brazenness
as she climbed the social ladder, transforming from a hard-nosed gold digger to
charming chatelaine.
Morton takes us through the cacophonous Jazz Age, a period
of casual sex, cocaine, and screeching trombones; Wallis's romantic adventures
in Washington and friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt; her exploits in China and
beyond; to her entrance into the strange wonderland that is London Society.
During her journey, we meet an extraordinary array of characters, many of whom
smoothed the way for her dalliance with the king of England, Edward VIII, and
we gain insights into the personality and motivations of a complex, domineering
woman striving to determine her own fate in a harsh, turbulent world.
Publisher:
Grand Central|Genre: Non-Fiction/Biography | Source: Publisher| Rating: 4 Cups
She was the American divorcée who captured an English King
and caused an unrepairable rift in the House of Windsor. But who was Wallis
Warfield Spencer Simpson?
According to the rumored ‘China dossier’ (a file supposedly
composed by the British Secret Service for PM Baldwin and King George V) she
was a sexual enchantress who learned her craft while working in an
oriental brothel. Others claim that she was lesbian or even a man. Some say she
was a Nazi spy.
While it’s hard to separate rumors from reality when it
comes to Wallis—she herself was an unreliable narrator of her own story—what we
know for certain is Wallis was selfish, brash, a social climber who eagerly
used those around her to gain a better advantage. And perhaps the most telling
truth we know about Wallis is, she was never happy or satisfied.
In Wallis in Love biographer
Andrew Morton helps separate fact from fiction as he delves into Wallis’ life
and loves. He paints a vivid portrait of the twice-divorced American who
snagged a king but ended up in exile.
I’ve always found Wallis Simpson to be an interesting woman.
Likable, no—even the one man she held dearest to her heart, Herman Livingston
Rogers, who stood by her side when a whole nation seemed against her,
ultimately found her to be insufferable but she’s fascinating. So when I was
offered a chance to review this new biography, I jumped at it.
If you’re a Wallis newbie and you’ve gained interest in her from watching The Crown or if you’re following the
upcoming Royal Wedding and are wondering who the other American divorcée to
snag a royal was then Wallis in Love
is the perfect book to introduce you to the woman who rocked the monarchy. Not
only does it provide information about Wallis from the very start of her life,
it also introduces the vast amount of people who came and went throughout her
life. The background information is pertinent when it comes to understanding
how Wallis ended up where she did.
Although if you’re looking for a great love story between
Wallis and Edward, you’re not going to find it because it in this book because
it doesn’t exist. Wallis wasn’t in love with Edward, she was in love/obsessed
with becoming the Queen of England. When she learned of Edward’s plans to
abdicate, she tried her best to flee from the situation, but, as they say, her
bed was made—and more importantly, her dear Herman was married—and she was more
or less forced to go along with it. And I honestly do not believe Edward was in
love with Wallis. Fascinated? Yes. In love? No. I think he viewed Wallis as his
way out from the oppression of the Crown. Basically, he was born into a job he
didn’t want and Wallis was his out.
If you’re a Wallis enthusiast this book is still an interesting read yet I
found it to be a bit of a run on. Having come into this book knowing the story
of Wallis, her circle of friends, and the workings of the Crown, I found the
extensive backstories regarding those in her circle to be a bit of a drag. I
would be right in the middle of an interesting bit about Wallis and suddenly
the book would veer off to something about Courtney Letts, Freda Dudley Ward,
Thelma Furness or some other mover and shaker of the era and by the time we
were back on topic, I had grown bored.
I feel like this book could have benefited by having those
things as footnotes rather than ingrained into the text. An example of such
would be the opening of chapter eleven. Rather than giving the history of
Gunpowder Plot, it could have been addressed as a footnote.
While I was able to glean new snippets of information—excerpts
regarding Wallis from the diary of Courtney Letts de Espil, a few tidbits of
information regarding Wallis and Herman, and such—I feel like a few things
could have been addressed in more detail. Such as her first marriage.
I do have one complaint; I wish they would print the color
pictures in color, especially when referenced in the book. There’s a painting
by Klots of the Duke and Duchess that’s addressed in the book, Morton even
talks about the Duchess wearing a canary yellow dress, but, sadly, it’s in
black and white rather than color so it’s a bit irksome that I have to consult
another source to find this in color.
Overall, Wallis in
Love provided an interesting picture of the woman who changed the monarchy.
Newbies will gain a wealth of knowledge while enthusiasts will enjoy the
introduction of the new information.
Tea Pairing
There’s only one tea that sprang to mind when this book
arrived: Prince of Wales Tea from Twinings of London. Twinings originally
created this tea for Edward, who at that time was still the Prince of Wales. In
1921, he gave Twinings permission to sell his personal blend under his royal
title.
This one’s a bit mild in taste with a slightly woodsy aroma. This one
falls in the middle of the tea spectrum right between a bold breakfast/morning
blend and a mellow afternoon blend. It pairs nicely with shortbread cookies,
scones, or a nice mild cheese.
