Life of the Party: The Biography of Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward Harriman by Christopher Ogden
Examines the life of the English-born American political activist for the Democratic Party, diplomat, and socialite. Editorial Reviews In this captivating, gossipy, withering biography, Time writer Ogden portrays Harriman--a major Democratic fund-raiser, backer of Clinton and currently U.S. ambassador to France--as a coolly calculating opportunist who parlayed her ambition into vast wealth and political clout by targeting rich and famous men. An English baron's daughter, Pamela Digby in 1939, at age 19, wed hedonistic, alcoholic Randolph Churchill and moved into Downing Street, where she helped her father-in-law, Sir Winston, by acting as an intelligence broker during WW II. Her second marriage to ebullient, barbiturate-addicted Broadway producer Leland Hayward put her in the vortex of the golden age of the American musical. She used the wealth of her third husband, the late statesman Averell Harriman, to resuscitate the Democratic Party's fortunes. Ogden catalogues Harriman's numerous liaisons (Edward R. Murrow, Elie de Rothschild, Aly Khan, Fiat auto magnate Gianni Agnelli, etc.) in this unauthorized tell-all based on months of interviews with her for a proposed autobiography that was abandoned. Photos not seen by PW. (May) - Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly The introduction of this book immediately sets the tone. The scene is a Georgetown dinner party, where the guest of honor is president-elect Bill Clinton, come to pay homage to a woman who, among others, has supported his presidential bid. Clinton toasts her as the First Lady of the Democratic Party. Smiles all around because life is so good in the upper class--and so begins a biography that is essentially a parade of political names from World War II to the present. It can be interesting to know who was sleeping with whom and when, of course. And who asked our heroine for timely advice at yet another important moment in history. But what is probably just as engaging is trying to determine if the rich and powerful really are this shallow. - Brian McCombie
Publication Details
Title:
Author(s):
Illustrator:
Binding: Hardcover
Published by: Little, Brown and Company: , 1995
Edition:
ISBN: 9780316633765 | 0316633763
512 pages.
Book Condition: Very Good
products.product.pickup_availability.unavailable
Product information


New Zealand Delivery
Shipping Options
Shipping options are shown at checkout and will vary depending on the delivery address and weight of the books.
We endeavour to ship the following day after your order is made and to have pick up orders available the same day. We ship Monday-Friday. Any orders made on a Friday afternoon will be sent the following Monday. We are unable to deliver on Saturday and Sunday.
Pick Up is Available in NZ:
Warehouse Pick Up Hours
- Monday - Friday: 9am-5pm
- 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon NZ
Please make sure we have confirmed your order is ready for pickup and bring your confirmation email with you.
Rates
-
New Zealand Standard Shipping - $6.00
- New Zealand Standard Rural Shipping - $10.00
- Free Nationwide Standard Shipping on all Orders $75+
Please allow up to 5 working days for your order to arrive within New Zealand before contacting us about a late delivery. We use NZ Post and the tracking details will be emailed to you as soon as they become available. There may be some courier delays that are out of our control.
International Delivery
We currently ship to Australia and a range of international locations including: Belgium, Canada, China, Switzerland, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, Philippines, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden & Singapore. If your country is not listed, we may not be able to ship to you, or may only offer a quoting shipping option, please contact us if you are unsure.
International orders normally arrive within 2-4 weeks of shipping. Please note that these orders need to pass through the customs office in your country before it will be released for final delivery, which can occasionally cause additional delays. Once an order leaves our warehouse, carrier shipping delays may occur due to factors outside our control. We, unfortunately, can’t control how quickly an order arrives once it has left our warehouse. Contacting the carrier is the best way to get more insight into your package’s location and estimated delivery date.
- Global Standard 1 Book Rate: $37 + $10 for every extra book up to 20kg
- Australia Standard 1 Book Rate: $14 + $4 for every extra book
Any parcels with a combined weight of over 20kg will not process automatically on the website and you will need to contact us for a quote.
Payment Options
On checkout you can either opt to pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express), Google Pay, Apple Pay, Shop Pay & Union Pay. Paypal, Afterpay and Bank Deposit.
Transactions are processed immediately and in most cases your order will be shipped the next working day. We do not deliver weekends sorry.
If you do need to contact us about an order please do so here.
You can also check your order by logging in.
Contact Details
- Trade Name: Book Express Ltd
- Phone Number: (+64) 22 852 6879
- Email: sales@bookexpress.co.nz
- Address: 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon, 4821, New Zealand.
- GST Number: 103320957 - We are registered for GST in New Zealand
- NZBN: 9429031911290
We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unread.
To start a return, you can contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz. Please note that returns will need to be sent to the following address: 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon, New Zealand 4821.
If your return is for a quality or incorrect item, the cost of return will be on us, and will refund your cost. If it is for a change of mind, the return will be at your cost.
You can always contact us for any return question at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like perishable goods (such as food, flowers, or plants), custom products (such as special orders or personalised items), and personal care goods (such as beauty products). Although we don't currently sell anything like this. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on gift cards.
Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
European Union 14 day cooling off period
Notwithstanding the above, if the merchandise is being shipped into the European Union, you have the right to cancel or return your order within 14 days, for any reason and without a justification. As above, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your return, please contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.

