There have been so many books written about Princess Diana, it is hard to believe the world needs another. But, unlike most of the titles on the Diana shelf, especially Sally Bedell Smith's recent
Diana in Search of Herself , which made the case for the princess as a "borderline personality," this one doesn't sink into armchair pyschology nor does it take sides. Edwards, a well-known biographer whose subjects have included a host of women from Margaret Mitchell to Barbra Streisand, offers a competent, compact life story that gives all the details without wallowing in them. After several chapters of Spencer family history, Edwards goes on to describe how the insecure 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer became positioned to become Prince Charles' wife--long before either of them really knew what they were getting into. Charles thought young Diana would be a compliant wife who would give him sons and ignore his long-standing relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. She gave him sons, but Diana was always looking for the fairy-tale romance she felt she had been promised. The book goes on to chronicle how things cascaded downhill from there. Although a little light on source notes, this is an engaging, well-written biography and a good antidote for the more sensationalized Diana books.
Ilene Cooper
From Library Journal
Edwards has written a number of biographies, primarily of celebrities such as Katharine Hepburn and royalty such as Queen Mary. Here she tackles the life of the late Princess Diana. Unlike the inflammatory, overly sentimental tone of many books on the subject, this work has a quiet, knowledgeable voice. Edwards presents the cast of characters in full color, showing blemishes yet without casting blame. Some time has passed since Diana's death, and Edwards provides information on what has since happened to the people in Diana's life--her children and siblings--as well as on the results of investigations into her fatal car accident. While most of the sources listed in the bibliography are secondary or newspaper articles, the author refers in the book to numerous interviews. Though there is very little new here, Edwards writes well, the book is enjoyable, and the reader comes away well informed. Essential for public libraries; academic libraries having one or both of Andrew Morton's books and this one can consider themselves well stocked with reputable Diana titles.
-Julie Still, Rutgers Univ. Camden, NJ Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
