The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication

Review Excellent, well written, deeply researched, THE CROWN IN CRISIS is a dynamic revisionist history of the Abdication that brings to life a national and personal drama with a flamboyant cast of princes, charlatans, socialites, courtiers, press barons, politicians and adventurers that is both heartbreaking and glamorous, scholarly and very entertaining. ― Simon Sebag Montefiore author of The RomanovsAlexander Larman's well-researched and well-written THE CROWN IN CRISIS is both scholarly and highly readable. He has mastered the sources superbly, and his analysis of the extraordinary story is full of thought-provoking insights. ― Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with DestinyLarman combines the personal with the political, high drama with low morals, to create a compulsively readable and comprehensive account. Anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of one of the key events of the 20th century, whose reverberations are still with us today, must read this engagingly fun and detailed book. ― Anne SebbaA completely fascinating and authoritative account of the Abdication Crisis, written with tremendous sophistication and insight. ― William BoydLarman's retelling zips along, infusing a well-known narrative with impressive suspense. His scholarly rummaging hasturned up fresh insights, too, notably into the role played by MI5. An enduringly relevant chapter of British history, brought to life with panache ― THE OBSERVERLarman is an amiable and talented young writer ... rendered with brio and dispatch ... always interesting -- David Aaronovitch ― THE TIMES 'Book of the Week'The person we must feel most pity for, at the end of this great and well-told story, is Wallis Simpson .. she comesacross as much more sensible and conscientious than Edward ― THE OLDIEA fresh look at a time of catastrophe for the royals, with new ideas about a plot to assassinate Edward VIII ... Larman shows a delicate touch too in not banging home the obvious contemporary resonances. Instead he lets us find our own fun ― THE GUARDIANforensically researched ... Larman has done a fine job of explaining the religious, social and political issues involved ― BUSINESS POST IRELANDA gripping new book on the abdication crisis reveals how the ambitious former Champagne salesman wooed Wallis to ingratiate himself with King Edward VIII... fuelling rumours of an affair ― DAILY EXPRESSIn this absorbing new book, Alexander Larman takes us through the whole, tangled story with great clarity. ― READER'S DIGEST 'Recommended Read'His friends loathed her. He fell out with his beloved brother over her. His sister-in-law couldn't stand her diva demands. And when Edward VIII relinquished his throne to emigrate with glamorous American divorcee Wallis Simpson, the very future of the British monarchy hung in the balance ... Alexander Larman brings together unpublished archive material and witness testimonies to reveal exactly what went on at the Palace - almost a century before 'Megxit' ― DAILY TELEGRAPHDocumenting the personal and national reverberations of the love affair, it's an engaging, detailed, and suspenseful read; one that is equal parts empathetic and entertaining. You will be gripped. ― THE INDEPENDENTA sharply-drawn character study...an enthralling look at the abdication of Edward VIII...Larman charts the events of 1936 with a dynamic sense of drama...surely offers new insights into the episode ― BBC HISTORY REVEALED MAGAZINEAlexander Larman has done a thoroughly researched job in retelling this oft-told tale and has made some fresh discoveries that shed new light on the affair -- Nigel Jones ― BBC HISTORY MAGAZINEMany of the central characters so vividly brought to life in Alexander Larman's The Crown in Crisis appear as if drawn from a period matinee at the Aldwych...Larman's account could scarcely have been better timed given the lamentations of Harry and Meghan...the achievement of The Crown in Crisis is to be both judiciously weighed and ceasele