Untitled
The Real Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor
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Untitled
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Narrated by:
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Laura Kirman
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By:
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Anna Pasternak
About this listen
‘The best book about the Windsors for decades’ Petronella Wyatt
The intimate biography of one of the most misunderstood women in British royal history.
His charisma and glamour ensured him the status of a rock star prince. Yet Edward gave up the British throne, the British Empire and his position as Emperor of India, to marry his true love, American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
So much gossip and innuendo has been levelled at Wallis Simpson that it has become nearly impossible to discern the real woman. Many have wondered why, when Edward could have had anyone he desired, he was smitten with this unusual American woman. As her friend Herman Rogers said to her in 1936 when news of her affair with Edward broke: ‘Much of what is being said concerns a woman who does not exist and never did exist.’
History is mostly perceived from the perspective of his-story. But what about her story? Anna Pasternak’s new book is the first ever to give Wallis a chance and a voice to show that she was a warm, loyal, intelligent woman adored by her friends, who was written off by cunning, influential Establishment men seeking to diminish her and destroy her reputation. As the author argues, far from being the villain of the abdication, she was the victim.
Anna Pasternak seeks to understand an unusual, deeply misunderstood woman, and the untenable situation she became embroiled in. Using testimony from their inner circle of friends, she presents a very different Wallis Simpson. With empathy, intimacy and thorough research, this book will make readers view her story as it has never been told before.
©2019 Anna Pasternak (P)2019 HarperCollins PublishersWhat listeners say about Untitled
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Lesley
- 02-09-2019
Narrator turned a biography into a comic listen
The actual text was interesting and factual. I would have given Ms Pasternak 5 * BUT the narrator, Laura Kirman, had the most extraordinary delivery... due to poor breath control I expect. Example: ".. her friends kept seeing her. As Bloom" instead of "her friends kept seeing her as Bloom ..." Long pauses for breath, or to let her eyes catch up, placed in ridiculous spots, made the text ridiculous.
Then... yes there is more... her pronunciation of well known words provided moments for the listener to laugh out loud. Examples: Maginot Line became "Mag (as in maggot) in ot (as in hot) Line". Marvellous! Then there was "Rude yard Kipling" for poor old Rudyard. An other laugh out loud moment came with "knob less oblige" Crepe (the fabric) became krep, cote d'azur became "kot d'azur" and the poor old Masons suffered their temples being called "Mace onic lodge"... which I will perhaps allow in some US accent... still a jolt out of the text and thus disturbing to the listener. Many, many more such atrocities are available for the listener who wants to be amused.
5* for funny but only 1* for accurate and non-distracting narration Ms Kirman.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-01-2023
Not what I expected
It’s a good historical book. But it doesn’t give what it’s promised.
I was expecting physical portrait of of Wallis Simpson, as a woman as a human being. Did not get it at all.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 16-10-2021
Narrators stop doing the characters voices
A good story but the narrator spoiled it by badly doing the voices of Edward,Wallis George VI, Duchess of York, Queen Mary, Winston Churchill, Ernest Simpson, Monkton, the Rogers she did all different voices for everyone that was mentioned in the book.I'm surprised she didn't bark for SLIPPER the dog..NARRATORS NOTE..Just read the book!!!
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