Book Description

In the early hours of 31 August 1997, a spirited, compassionate and beautiful woman, who just happened to be the most famous woman in the world, died as a result of a high-speed car chase through the streets of Paris, pursued by the paparazzi who so dominated her life.

How did this happen? How did a shy Sloane kindergarten teacher from the heart of England with no visible talents come to conquer the world in a manner which would make John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe look like little more than hometown heroes? The answers are sought in this book, part love Story, part document of our times.

Julie Burchill has written about and observed Diana with fascination for many years and first coined the phrase 'the People's Princess', which has become such a powerful shorthand slogan for all Diana stood for. Many books will be written about Diana, but the only precedent for this book will be Norman Mailer's Marilyn, reflecting both the author's love for her subject and the groundswell of popular anger against our ruling house that will invariably face the House of Windsor once the period of mourning is over. The Age Of Diana has not ended; rather, it is just beginning. Frozen forever at the height of her beauty and power by death, she will be the mourner at every royal wedding and the blushing bride at every Coronation. She will never be forgotten. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A superb, evocative portrait of Diana and The Royal Family
An excellent read. DIANA is incisive,sympathetic, and gives the reader the most well-rounded description of The Queen, Prince Charles, and even Lady Fermoy's selfishness and coldness and how that stilted behavior affected this valiant young woman. No-one is spared the veil of illusion, yet at all times we feel for the beleagured young woman who had the best of intentions... The book shows us that glamour does not make up for love that is not forthcoming, and how valuable England's Rose truly was to all of us, and why. It is indeed a requiem, an "unfinished sympathy" to our revered Queen of Hearts. An accurate and worthwhile book.

Well done Julie Birchill!!! Brilliant!!
I read Diana, by Julie Birchill, when I was vacationing in London. I was so thrilled to read Ms.Birchill's book, as it gave me an insight to Diana and her life that was just not available from any other royal biographer. Julie Birchill wove a marvelous trail of descriptives that held my interest throughout the book. This book was thought provoking and easily brought the reader through the most devasting of scenerios, soothing and shocking the reader at the same time. Words cannot describe my delight with this brilliant authors talent. M.J.Summers Clarion, Pennsylvania

Well Worth the Read
Julie Burchill's book "Diana" is one of the most honest, get to the point, in your face books I have ever read. Not only does she paint Diana, Princess of Wales as an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances, she gives us some insight into what her life must have really been like in the Palace. It consist of, what I consider, very passionate writing. She expresses her opinions very strongly and quite adequately. You can "feel" her words in ways that many other books attempt to but fail. Diana struck out at getting the love she so needed from the man she adored and married but in the process received the love and adoration of the world. I've read just about every book on the subject of Diana and this is by far one of my absolute favorites and one of the most thought provoking. You do not have to agree with the general feelings towards the Royal Windsor Family or appreciate the sometimes strong language to enjoy what has to be one of the most exceptional books written on Diana. Julie Burchill has does a great job in expressing the feelings many people, the world over, have felt towards this lovely, real life, Fairy Tale Princess, who unfortunately, left this world too soon.

3 stars - for the pictures, this is one mean spirited book
I've got this book in the hardback edition and I've got to say this is one mean spirited book. Ms. Burchill writes for The Guardian, a liberal left leaning British paper and she is obviously what the British would call a strong republican. It appears to me that this book is an attack on the Monarchy from the first page to the last. Princess Diana herself would probably not have been spared if she'd gone along with the system. As with all the other Diana books you get some good photos but this one is a little too mean otherwise.

Feminist Defender of Diana against the House of Windsor
This book is partly a biography of Diana's life, with some color photographs, but mostly a commentary upon Diana's life in the context of the House of Windsor. The author is sympathetic to Diana's plight as an innocent girl who married for love, but found out too late that Prince Charles would not give up his mistress Camilla. The author severely castigates Prince Charles and Camilla, and the Queen and the entire House of Windsor, as callous hypocrites and morally bankrupt pretenders to the throne and the Church of England. The author concedes that Diana had some problems and weaknesses of her own, but overwhelmingly takes the side of Diana against the House of Windsor, and scathingly considers Prince Charles to be a third-rate character unworthy to be king. The author has a great way with words, sometimes angry, sometimes mocking, and sometimes wickedly funny, with a few obscenities interspersed, in her attacks upon Prince Charles and Camilla, and the House of Windsor, although sometimes written in a subtle way that would probably only be understood by someone very familiar with Diana's life and British history of the past twenty years. If the reader has a similar love for Diana, and a similar very low opinion of Prince Charles and Camilla and the House of Windsor, the book would probably be enjoyable to the reader. ... Read more

Book Description

The public display of grief that accompanied the funeral of the late Princess of Wales drew attention to the many Britons who had found an affinity with Diana. Seeking an explanation for this affinity, Taylor argues that during Diana's brief time in the world spotlight Britain underwent a change in values and a shift in national identity from a system based almost exclusively on household and family values to one more accepting of individual autonomy and self-interest. Accustomed to royalty as symbols of national values and identity, persons of resentment (women, people of color, and homosexuals) found the divorced princess an apt symbol of their transvalued values. These groups declared ignoble the Queen, Prince Charles, and others who had previously been the patterns for nobility in British society, and they held up Diana as one truly noble. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Review from a Junior high student
I am a student from the Egg Harbor Township Middle School in New Jersey.I thought this book was complicated, but it was not entirely as boring as I thought it would be.This book had difficult words to understand, but it was interesting in some parts.Even so, I would not recommend this book for a middle school student.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Student

Diana
I wouldn't recomend this book to any middle schooler. The sentances were so compliacted that I barely understood what I was reading. The book seemed to last forever which made it very boring.It's definatly a book for anolder audience. Stay //\\//sync! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Good View of British Royalty
The Queen and Di is a good source of information about British Royalty--their day to day lives, their likes and dislikes. I appreciate that the focus is not entirely on the late and former Princess of Wales, but includes historical backgound as well as facts concerning more recent events in the lives of the royal family. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Dynamic book reaches a level rarely touched upon.
Michael Levine's concise study of the relationship between Diana and the media only reflects his (and her) brilliance in choosing a lifestyle in which the media itself becomes a vehicle for success.

Clear-eyed and honest examination of an icon
First of all, this book is NOT a biography of Diana, nor does it pretend to be. The cover states clearly that it is about "the love-hate relationship between Diana and the Media." Therefore anyone demeaning it because the cover isn't "pretty" or because it may be factually inaccurate by moments about incidents surrounding her death and funeral are completely missing the point. This book is not, strictly speaking, about the events of Diana's life but about how they were interpreted. And Mr. Levine shares some very unconventional, intelligent opinions on that subject. Some of it I disagree with (the life and continuing media fascination in Jacqueline Onassis disputes his assertion that the public loves celebrities for their accessibility; Jackie O was the most remote of celebrities and in her case it was her very unknowability that still intrigues us). But on one very important point, I agree with Mr. Levine whole-heartedly. In purely feminist terms, Diana was a heroine, not a victim. She was NOT a victim of the media or, ultimately, the Royal Family. She used the media and survived the Royal Family. And the reason the public adored her is that she went through the same stages every woman does, just on a grander scale and with better clothes. Diana was disappointed by love, longed for direction and meaning in life, loved her children, and was insecure about her looks. And before our eyes, she grew up to be a symbol of grace and generosity. She was transformed by her pain and hardship and she was victorious against the power elite -- and she used the press to win. Diana's memory deserves to be celebrated, not tsk-tsked over as though she had been some poor, helpless little thing. Diana accomplished so much with her own charm, energy and ingenuity. Ultimately, she was the victim of a drunk driver, and that could happen to any of us.

Excellent
An excellent book. Complements Claridge's "Blair'sBritain" as a description of The Great Madness that overtook England in September 1997.

this is a magnificent book -- explains media hype very well
This is one of the best books I have ever read about the relationship between the media and a celebrity..I believe the critics of the book have missed the point entirely. The book is not about Diana as much as it is about her relationship with the media. You can take Diana's name out of the book and insert another celebrity's name. You would come up with a similiar tome. This is such a good book I have recommended it to my former professors at Wake Forest University in the communications department. Good job, Mr. Levine!

This is a very disappointing book.
I would never have purchased this book except for the fact that I collect books on Diana. As I look through my collection, I believe, this book possesses the ugliest cover of all my books on Diana which is enough to turn one off.

As I compare some of the facts mentioned to the same facts in my other books on Diana, there appears to be many inconsistencies in dates, times, and places. The inaccurarcies makes one wonder if there is any truth in Diana's symbiosis with the media.

This is a book one needs to purchase only if one collects books on Diana; ... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even the most jaded watchers of the royal saga were caught up in the worldwide outpouring of emotion that followed Princess Diana's death on August 31, 1997. Thousands--maybe millions--paid their respects with flowers; the 80-odd people who contributed their reflections to this book pay homage with well-chosen words. This compilation of memories and tributes, released exactly one year after Diana's death, represents a remarkable range: brilliant writers Martin Amis and Maya Angelou, legendary film director Richard Attenborough, friends and family of Diana, political figures, clergymen, and a sampling of the ordinary people who were touched by the life of this extraordinary woman. For all the reams written about the princess, her story is not complete without a record of the intimate emotions she evoked in acquaintances, historians, feminists, humanitarians, and journalists, which are all captured in the essays, poems, and letters of Requiem. All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Fund, one of Diana's charities. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Diana's friends speak and write about her, wonderfully
This is one of the few very best books on Diana. Her closest friends speak or write about her not long after her death. The Clive James piece, "No", is unforgettable, as is the late poet laureate's poem 6 September 1997. This is a keeper; should be owned by all who love or admire Diana. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good For What It's Good For
This book will not change your life, but if you like to look at pictures of Diana in her lovely clothes looking lovely herself, this is a pretty volume, well designed and pleasant to browse through. The text will not set the standard for the industry, however, so if you are looking for more in depth reviews of her fashions or her biography, you could make a better choice.

Bottom Line: It's a lovely treat to spend an afternoon with this book if you're not interested in anything new or innovative. Enjoy it for what it is, an attractive book about an attractive woman.

This is a great book/
Prince Charles has said that he likes to see a lady well dressed; however, I don't think he was ever able to cope with his late ex-wife's beauty, charisma, elegance, poise, and humor. He could not accept the fact that people would rather see his radiant wife who was royal by marriage, but a far cry from the traditional, stuffy royal. I think his envy was one reason for the breakup of their marraige. This book covers every phase of Diana's multifaceted life.

Even as a Sloane Ranger, Diana had outstanding tast in the style of clothes she wore and in the accessaries she chose to wear with each outfit. This book contains many beautiful pictures of Diana which have never been seen before.

It's difficult to believe this beautiful, young princess is no longer alive because each picture of her radiates such warmth. Diana often recycled many of her dresses by having different little touches added or by having something deleted. Diana possessed the ability to combine the most expensive jewelry with costume jewelry. She, also, liked color and chose to wear colors which no royal before her had done. Diana like to shop and what modern lady doesn't? Again, something royals didn't do.

Truly, Diana is "Queen of Style." This book is well written and shows that Diana could wear many varieties of color, dresses, jewelry, etc. with which no one before her dared to experiement. All pictures are in color except for a couple. This book is a must for anyone who collects books on Diana, Princess of Wales.

Good but not the best on this topic.
This book is good but not the best on this particular topic--Diana and her fashions. It makes many mistakes, such as identifying a Valentino dress as a Catherine Walker design. The text is mostly adulatory and simply describes things you could see for yourself by looking at the pictures (of which there are many). Topics such as her weight loss are touched upon, then dropped. The text needed an editor.

The photos, however, are lovely.

Interesting and informative with excellent photos.
Both interesting and informative, this book chronicles the late Princess Diana's fashion history from her engagement days through her last year. With details gathered from her favorite designers, photos describing each period show how Diana emerges from her look as a trendy Sloane Ranger to the style icon she became. This book is a 'must' for any collector. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is a picture album of a loving family.
This is an extremely outstanding album. All the pictures are captioned, and the album features quotations made by either the Prince or Princess of Wales, a famous author, journalist, or a famous magazine.

Opposite the title page, there is a handsome picture of the Prince and Princess at Highgrove. She is carrying William piggy-back while he if carries Harry on his hip. This picture serves as a theme throughout the book.

The album is divided into sections - A Royal Romance, A Family, Roving Ambassadors, Private Lives, and A Sense of Style. I shall take two or three from each of the section and the quote which accompies it.

A ROYAL ROMANCE: On the left is a full page of Harles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer when they announce their engagment. Beneath the title for this section, the Prince and Princess begin their honeymoon cruise in Gibraltar. This quote is at the bottom of the page, 'I've met all Prince Charles' girlfriends, and you're streets ahead of all of 'em. If he doesn't marry you, he's out of his tiny mind.' ARTHUR EDWARDS

A charming picture of Diana when she was still a kindergarter teacher. 'That enchanting teenager with the chubby cheeks and frilly shirt..." JUDY WADE. A picture of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. 'With Prince Charles beside me I cannot go wrong. LADY DIANA SPENCER. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer after their first official appearance together at Goldsmith Hall in London. 'In Diana's early months of public life the strain of her new-found position as the world's most famous woman told, and only by the enormous iffort of will did she cope with the unbearable attention and lack of privacy.' ALAN HAMILTON

There are two pages devoted to the wedding rehearsal and the wedding - splendid pictures. 'Our wedding was quite extraordinary as far as we're concerned. It made us bother extremely proud to be British.' 'When you marry in my position, you going to marry someone who, perhaps is one day going to be Queen. You've got to choose somebody very carefully, I think, who could fulfill this particular role, and it has got to be somebody pretty unusual.' THE PRINCE OF WALES. 'The cubbly-cheeked blonde hairdo vanished...a more stylish, more confident woman stands by the side of Prince Charles today. It says a lot for her steely determination that she has come through a period of awesome adjestment and emerged more dazzling than ever.' JUDY WADE.

A FAMILY: Under the title A Family is a picture of William and Harry at Highgrove. 'It's an affectionate family under perpetual scrutiny.' SIR ALSTAIR BURNET. Diana is holding William and there is a picture of all three - Charles, Diana, and William - while thay are on tour in Australia. 'The birth of our son has given us both more pleasure than you can imagine. It has made me incredibly proud and somewhat amazed.' PRINCE OF WALES. Rwo pages are devoted to Prince Charles and the two boys. 'He is a doting daddy and does everything perfectly.' THE PRINCESS OF WALES on Charles os a father. The next two pages are great with both parents and bother boys at Highrove.

ROVING EMBASSADORS: Beneath the title for this section are their passports. 'Charles and Diana are mirrors and examples of stalwart British qualities: civility, courtesy, and coziness, with a dash of styles and a bit of fun' TIME. The Prince and Princess of Wales are seated in identical chairs, each of them is smiling, and each of them is wearing the same color. 'To be modern, yet keep the mystique - that is the trick. It is a trick that Charles and Diana have gracefully mastered.' TIME

PRIVATE LIVES: The pictures in this section are very casual. Beneath this caption is a picture of Prince Charles joking with the crowd at polo. This section is devoted to the couple and their boys at Highgrove, on vacation, and at KP. 'Charles and Diana are arguably the most famous, the most glamourous couple in the world.'

A SENSE OF STTLE: This section is devoted almost entirely to Diana who is shown wearing many of the various styles of dresses and hats which she made famous. Pages 94-95 picture the Prince and Princess of Wales together surrounded by photographers. The last picture appears on P. 96 and features both the Prince and Princess walking through the streets of Budapest during a tour of Hungary in 1990. She is wearing a pink suit trimmed in purples, and his shirt and tie complement her outfit.

One must actually see the pictures and read the quotations simultaneously to fully appreciate these beautiful pictures and unique pictures of The Princes and Princess of Wales and their two young princes - William and Harry.

This book is hardcover, contains 96 pages, and measure 83/4x11 inches. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Terrible Book!
This book is truly awful. It is VERY poorly written. He jumps back and forth in time in a way that makes no sense and contradicts himself over and over. Makes you wonder about some of his "facts".

Also it is clear that he wrote this book well before Diana died and then tacked on a small chapter at the end and gave it this misleading title just to cash in on the Diana phenomenon. Originally one of Charles' set, the first book N. Davies wrote about Diana was at the urging of "senior palace officials". What does this tell us?

He is waspishly critical of her yet aims his book at the public who love her. Disgusting.

It was very moving.
It was one of the best books I have read in a long time. It made me cry(I do not cry that often). I loved this book. I reccomend that anybody who liked Diand of even if they didnt should read this touching book. ... Read more

Book Description

For Diana Spencer, the dream of becoming a princess was realized when she married Prince Charles. Throughout her often tumultuous lifetime, Diana touched countless lives and when she died, her spirit and genuine love for others continued to influence the entire world. Author Katherine Krohn tells the story of Princess Diana, from her privileged but sad childhood to the tragic accident that took the life of this extraordinary woman--whose charities continue to help people today. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful!
I liked this book a lot.Diana had a very busy life and a lot to do but she always found time for other people.It is sad that she died but I think she did a lot of good things in her life.This book tells the story of a beautiful person.I give it a A+ !!!!!

A wonderful book!!!
My daughter read this book for a school report. I picked it up to look at it, & then couldn't put it down. I was impressed and touched by this well-told story. ... Read more