That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor by Anne Sebba

Sebba is the first female biographer to write about Wallis Simpson.  This book is a mediocre read and certainly not the best account of 'that woman'.  If you had not read a single biography on Wallis Simpson, I would suggest that you look for alternative books published much earlier, either by Greg King or Hugo Vickers.  Sebba's research is more like a precis, concentrating on making Simpson's unsympathetic character more scrutable and alluring.  It was more a breezy than a solid but by no means uninteresting read.  Perhaps that is best all round as it was the saddest love affair I have come across in the history of the English monarchy.  I bought this book off Amazon.co.uk.


Paperback blurb:  One of Britain's most distinguished biographers turns her focus to one of the most vilified women of the twentieth century - Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.

'That woman', as she was referred to by the Queen Mother, became a hate figure for ensnaring a British king and destabilising the monarchy.  Neither beautiful nor brilliant, she nevertheless became one of the most talked-about women of her generation, and she inspired such deep love in Edward VIII that he gave up a throne and an empire for her.  Wallis lived by her wits, while both her apparent and alleged transgressions added to her aura and dazzle.

Based on new archives and material, this scrupulously researched biography sheds new light on the character and motivations of a charismatic and complex woman.

About the author:  Anne Sebba read history at King's College London then joined Reuters as a foreign correspondent based in London and Rome.  She has written eight works of non-fiction, mostly about iconic women, presented BBC radio documentaries and is an accredited NADFAS lecturer.  She thinks women are endlessly fascinating and have much more complex inner lives than (most) men.  She is married with three children.  Visit her website at www.annesebba.com for more information.

That Woman:  The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor was published in 2011.