Sally Bedell Smith
Author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch
About the Author
Sally Bedell Smith is a historian and bestselling author of biographies of William S. Paley, Pamela Harriman, Diana Princess of Wales, John and Jacqueline Kennedy, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. Smith is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. She has worked at Time show more and The New York Times, where she was a cultural news reporter. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Sally Bedell Smith at the 2012 National Book Festival By Slowking4 - Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21582343
Works by Sally Bedell Smith
In All His Glory: The Life of William S. Paley : The Legendary Tycoon and His Brilliant Circle (1990) 146 copies, 4 reviews
Christmas secret 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1948
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Wheaton College
Columbia University - Occupations
- journalist
- Organizations
- Time
TV Guide
The New York Times
Vanity Fair - Awards and honors
- Sigma Delta Chi Distinguished Service Award, 1982
Freedom Forum Media Studies Center, Fellow, 1986
Radnor High School's Hall of Fame, November 2008 - Short biography
- Sally Bedell Smith (born 1948) is an American historian and best selling author specializing in the history of American broadcasting and American political figures. She is married to former U.S. News & World Report editor Stephen G. Smith. Sally Bedell Smith spent her early career working at Time magazine, TV Guide, and The New York Times. She won the Sigma Delta Chi Distinguished Service Award in 1982, and became a fellow at the Freedom Forum Media Studies Center in 1986. In 1996, Smith joined Vanity Fair as contributing editor, where she remains as of October 2007.
She graduated from Radnor High School in 1966, and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in November 2008. - Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- New York, New York, USA
Washington, D.C., USA - Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch is a very lovingly offered biography from an obviously biased author. Elizabeth the II has been reigning throughout a period of enormous change to the Commonwealth, to Britain and to the world, yet, for the most part this book dwells on the insignificant and trivial details of her life. That these details are well researched is important to note, but there was always a feeling that she was striving for the Queen’s approval in her final show more product. I suspect a fair and honest account of this woman’s life will only be available after the Queen has passed on.
The slant was the most obvious in her writings about the breakdown of the marriages of Charles and Diana, Andrew and Fergie and even her sister Margaret and Anthony, Lord Snowdon. I suspect the truth of the matter is that all parties are to blame, and that marrying into the Royal Family is not an easy task for anyone.
Told in a light, breezy style, this is not a book to read for any revelations about the Queen or her family, but more of a recap, a gathering of all the press releases and information we already know about this extraordinary woman. A sympathetic picture emerges and as a Queen she has my admiration but I never felt that I was learning about the real woman behind the façade. show less
The slant was the most obvious in her writings about the breakdown of the marriages of Charles and Diana, Andrew and Fergie and even her sister Margaret and Anthony, Lord Snowdon. I suspect the truth of the matter is that all parties are to blame, and that marrying into the Royal Family is not an easy task for anyone.
Told in a light, breezy style, this is not a book to read for any revelations about the Queen or her family, but more of a recap, a gathering of all the press releases and information we already know about this extraordinary woman. A sympathetic picture emerges and as a Queen she has my admiration but I never felt that I was learning about the real woman behind the façade. show less
I'll admit I'm fascinated with all things English Royal Family, so I began reading already knowing I'd rate it 5 stars. What a fantastic, well written book. The private Prince Of Wales is vastly different from the public Prince Of Wales (duh) but what I really liked about this book is while the author strips off the veneer she doesn't judge. She lays everything out, warts and all, but doesn't offer any opinion as to how we should view or treat the Prince. Some things aren't pretty, but show more Bedell-Smith doesn't pass any judgement on character. I knew I liked the Prince, but after reading this book I really like him. He's so quaint, traditional, and formal I want to be like him. I admire his refusal to adapt despite his views, lifestyle, and attitude being stuck in the past. Good for him. It does cause him to be petty, pedantic, inflexible, and even mean, but at the same time he sticks to his ideals and doesn't waver. He has a vision of what a Prince Of Wales and king should be, and if it causes him to be unpopular so be it. On a simpler level I've re-committed to keeping up on my written correspondence, and I'm inspired to take up drawing and possibly watercolor painting. And long walks in the garden. You go, Charles. show less
**This book was provided to me by the publisher through a LibraryThing.com giveaway and that in no way affected my honest review.
Let me start by telling you what Sally Bedell Smith's Elizabeth The Queen is not. It's not a trashy and it's not a tell-all. If that's what you're looking for, then this is not the book for you. However...if you're looking for a look at the life of a modern monarch, then give Elizabeth The Queen a try.
I really enjoyed this book, Smith goes to great lengths to show more really give the reader a background into the life of the young princess who suddenly goes from being a "background" Royal to being front and center when her uncle, the Duke of Windsor abdicates. As her book unfolds, it's easy to see that great attention was paid to getting things right and telling a fair account of the Queen's life "in service to her country" when you realize that Smith was allowed to travel with the Queen on many trips, to visit her Royal residences and had access to reportedly two hundred people within the world of Her Majesty.
Smith shares the strength and courage of a young wife and mother, who overnight, becomes Queen with the early death of her father. You learn background bits about her teen years as a Girl Guide and someone who watched her parents go out into the streets of London during the bombings of WWII, she's head strong and frugal. She's steady, she's adapted and she's endured.
Want to know more? Read this book!
I enjoyed Smith's writing style and her attention to details. This could bother some, but not me. I want to know, I love biographies and I admire the courage and strength of this woman. Elizabeth The Queen is not a short or "easy" read. But it is a a good read. A very good read.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars. show less
Let me start by telling you what Sally Bedell Smith's Elizabeth The Queen is not. It's not a trashy and it's not a tell-all. If that's what you're looking for, then this is not the book for you. However...if you're looking for a look at the life of a modern monarch, then give Elizabeth The Queen a try.
I really enjoyed this book, Smith goes to great lengths to show more really give the reader a background into the life of the young princess who suddenly goes from being a "background" Royal to being front and center when her uncle, the Duke of Windsor abdicates. As her book unfolds, it's easy to see that great attention was paid to getting things right and telling a fair account of the Queen's life "in service to her country" when you realize that Smith was allowed to travel with the Queen on many trips, to visit her Royal residences and had access to reportedly two hundred people within the world of Her Majesty.
Smith shares the strength and courage of a young wife and mother, who overnight, becomes Queen with the early death of her father. You learn background bits about her teen years as a Girl Guide and someone who watched her parents go out into the streets of London during the bombings of WWII, she's head strong and frugal. She's steady, she's adapted and she's endured.
Want to know more? Read this book!
I enjoyed Smith's writing style and her attention to details. This could bother some, but not me. I want to know, I love biographies and I admire the courage and strength of this woman. Elizabeth The Queen is not a short or "easy" read. But it is a a good read. A very good read.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.So Prince Charles turns out to be a complicated man. By turns sad, morose, furious, lashing out, unsure of himself, taking on causes and doing good work, foisting ill-informed opinions on everything you can think of, etc., etc. He nearly wore me out in this book alone, which makes as good a story out of all those bits as possible. But I stand by my long-held conviction that there are quite a few people in the royal family who sure as heck need a JOB.
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- Works
- 11
- Also by
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- Rating
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