KINGMAKER: PAMELA HARRIMAN'S ASTONISHING LIFE OF SEDUCTION, INTRIGUE AND POWER by Sonia Parnell
This is a life worth reading about!
Oh. My. Goodness.
I vaguely recalled the name Pamela Harriman when I came across it recently while reading Capote’s Women by Laurence Leamer, so when this audiobook popped up and I had a long drive ahead, I thought it might be a good one to listen to.
Pamela Digby became Pamela Churchill when she married Randolph Churchhill, the son of British wartime Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. While Randolph was away at war, Pamela became a vital asset to her father in law, gathering intelligence and exhibiting diplomatic skills much beyound her young age.
This woman went on to marry Hollywood producer Leyland Hayward and then, American diplomat Averil Harriman. In between, there were a range of love affairs with wealthy and powerful men.
As a woman in the twentieth century, Pamela’s activities were not seen the way they might have been, had she been a man. She was variously described as a money hungry husband stealer, a slut, a whore and accused of “sleeping her way to the top”, as though powerful men of her era were not rampant with mistresses themselves and home for dinner at 6.00pm every night!
Pamela was also intent on rising above the (minimal) education she was given and learning everything she could, becoming quite an expert on US-Soviet affairs during the Cold War and utilising her diplomatic skills in service of her adopted country, the USA. She became a major fundraiser and player in the Democratic Party, and was an early and devoted supporter of Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, helping him to rise to 42nd President of the United States. In return, she was rewarded with the Ambassadorship to France during his first term. Pamela had previously lived in Paris and knew the French well, and became highly respected on both sides of the Atlantic for her work improving relations between the two nations.
The audiobook went for about 22 hours so it was a long listen, but I absolutely LOVED this biography. The narrator, Louise Brealey, was excellent.
Throughout, I couldn’t help but feel like Pamela Harriman was the victim of her sex and disliked because she used the power available to her, to her advantage. As I said, men with far more salacious histories are lauded for their achievements, whereas many suggest Pamela’s are only because of her sexuality and the fact men adored her. I don’t think that’s fair. While it might be true she was not a prude, a woman who enjoys sex and has more than one partner in life is not a slut. Just because she used the fact that men were attracted to her to her advantage is not a bad thing - why shouldn’t she? Was her life not her own? The patriarchal judgement (and with no short amount of women lining up to decry her) was evident throughout this biography - and I have no doubt steeped in jealousy and sexism.
I happen to think Pamela Harriman lived an incredibly interesting, purposeful life and she had a jolly good time doing so. Good on her!
Wealthy and privileged? Yes.
Operating in a world far beyond any I can imagine? Yes.
Doing it HER way and without apology? Also yes.
I absolutely LOVED this biography.