Sonia Purnell FRHistS
@soniapurnell.bsky.social
Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman’s astonishing life of power, seduction & intrigue. New York Times bestselling author. A Woman of No Importance. Fellow of Royal Historical Society. Warned you about Johnson. Plutarch Prize winner www.soniapurnell.com
If you’re in Wellesley MA on December 2, come join us. So looking forward to chatting with Elizabeth about the astonishing life of Pamela Harriman!
November 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
If you’re in Wellesley MA on December 2, come join us. So looking forward to chatting with Elizabeth about the astonishing life of Pamela Harriman!
Wishing Samir a speedy and full recovery and thank you!
November 4, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Wishing Samir a speedy and full recovery and thank you!
I’m on my way to Boston - come and join me here! Talking #PamelaHarriman and #kingmaker
October 30, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I’m on my way to Boston - come and join me here! Talking #PamelaHarriman and #kingmaker
Kingmaker is coming out tomorrow in paperback in America! Very excited to see it named by @nytimes.com as one of the seven books to read RIGHT NOW!
October 27, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Kingmaker is coming out tomorrow in paperback in America! Very excited to see it named by @nytimes.com as one of the seven books to read RIGHT NOW!
Thanks you lovely people! Number One in espionage biogs and number 61 in the whole of kindle!! Thank you so much. An hour to go to buy at just 99p
October 7, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Thanks you lovely people! Number One in espionage biogs and number 61 in the whole of kindle!! Thank you so much. An hour to go to buy at just 99p
Oh wow! Thanks @waterstones.bsky.social for selecting Kingmaker as one of their books of the year. I’m so so thrilled. This paperback version waiting for you right now in all their stores.
September 22, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Oh wow! Thanks @waterstones.bsky.social for selecting Kingmaker as one of their books of the year. I’m so so thrilled. This paperback version waiting for you right now in all their stores.
Folks, the paperback is coming! Woohoo
September 3, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Folks, the paperback is coming! Woohoo
The setting for the Sun Valley Writers Conference is spectacular. What a place, what a crowd. Feel privileged to have been invited to talk about PamelaHarriman here not once, not twice but three times. Some stellar names. One we’re not allowed to know until the last minute. Will reveal when I can.
July 18, 2025 at 8:36 PM
The setting for the Sun Valley Writers Conference is spectacular. What a place, what a crowd. Feel privileged to have been invited to talk about PamelaHarriman here not once, not twice but three times. Some stellar names. One we’re not allowed to know until the last minute. Will reveal when I can.
Had to show you this! I’m thrilled that Tina Brown hails Kingmaker as the book *everyone* on both sides of the Atlantic is devouring this summer
July 11, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Had to show you this! I’m thrilled that Tina Brown hails Kingmaker as the book *everyone* on both sides of the Atlantic is devouring this summer
Blaise Metreweli, previously Q and now the first female C at MI6. Women such as Virginia Hall have long been pioneers in espionage so this is about time. People who have met her tell me she has tremendous presence. A common theme with many successful women spies. They wouldn’t make it otherwise
June 16, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Blaise Metreweli, previously Q and now the first female C at MI6. Women such as Virginia Hall have long been pioneers in espionage so this is about time. People who have met her tell me she has tremendous presence. A common theme with many successful women spies. They wouldn’t make it otherwise
Personal news: Delighted and honoured to have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society! Wow! Wish my mum and dad were still around to see it
May 20, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Personal news: Delighted and honoured to have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society! Wow! Wish my mum and dad were still around to see it
Rather thrilled with the UK paperback version of Kingmaker. Hoping Pamela would have approved of the new and exciting colour, which I believe to be teal. Out later this year. Hope you like it!
May 15, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Rather thrilled with the UK paperback version of Kingmaker. Hoping Pamela would have approved of the new and exciting colour, which I believe to be teal. Out later this year. Hope you like it!
On this 80th anniversary of #VEDay worth remembering that the war was won in many different ways. Pamela Churchill was a woman in her early twenties who helped bring victory through astonishing guile, seduction and chutzpah. Read about her astonishing yet hitherto secret role in #Kingmaker
May 8, 2025 at 11:26 AM
On this 80th anniversary of #VEDay worth remembering that the war was won in many different ways. Pamela Churchill was a woman in her early twenties who helped bring victory through astonishing guile, seduction and chutzpah. Read about her astonishing yet hitherto secret role in #Kingmaker
Really looking forward to speaking about Pamela Harriman and my book Kingmaker at the Oxford Lit Fest tomorrow at 4pm! Come join us
March 29, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Really looking forward to speaking about Pamela Harriman and my book Kingmaker at the Oxford Lit Fest tomorrow at 4pm! Come join us
Surely the perfect combination for #Mother’sDay! Spring flowers and a rollicking read. Kingmaker: Pamela Churchill Harriman’s astonishing life of seduction, power & intrigue
March 24, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Surely the perfect combination for #Mother’sDay! Spring flowers and a rollicking read. Kingmaker: Pamela Churchill Harriman’s astonishing life of seduction, power & intrigue
I have a new USA book tour coming up! If you’d like to hear more about Kingmaker, Pamela Harriman, the reasons for and beginnings of the Western alliance as well as scandal, fashion and a truly formidable woman come say hello!
March 18, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I have a new USA book tour coming up! If you’d like to hear more about Kingmaker, Pamela Harriman, the reasons for and beginnings of the Western alliance as well as scandal, fashion and a truly formidable woman come say hello!
Twice now I have heard that the painting of Virginia Hall has been removed from pride of place at the CIA at Langley as part of the anti DEI campaign. If this is true, it is historical vandalism pure and simple. Virginia is one of the greatest American war heroes in history. Read my bestselling book
March 11, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Twice now I have heard that the painting of Virginia Hall has been removed from pride of place at the CIA at Langley as part of the anti DEI campaign. If this is true, it is historical vandalism pure and simple. Virginia is one of the greatest American war heroes in history. Read my bestselling book
Hello! Here are my current dates for UK events talking about Kingmaker and #PamelaHarriman. Her story hugely resonant right now. America and Europe, Russia, fascism, #womeninpolitics and #womeninhistory #DemocratsvsRepublicans. Do come along and say hi!
March 3, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Hello! Here are my current dates for UK events talking about Kingmaker and #PamelaHarriman. Her story hugely resonant right now. America and Europe, Russia, fascism, #womeninpolitics and #womeninhistory #DemocratsvsRepublicans. Do come along and say hi!
“I loved [A Woman of No Importance] but Kingmaker is even better!” A big thank you to Gerri Willis (who will soon have a new book out called Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster) #pamelaharriman #gerriwillis #virginiahall @vikingbooks.bsky.social
February 26, 2025 at 5:25 PM
“I loved [A Woman of No Importance] but Kingmaker is even better!” A big thank you to Gerri Willis (who will soon have a new book out called Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster) #pamelaharriman #gerriwillis #virginiahall @vikingbooks.bsky.social
Welcome to the US editions of my trilogy of books on formidable but misunderstood or overlooked 20th century women: Clementine Churchill, Virginia Hall and Pamela Harriman. All are amazing in different ways but which one would you invite over to your fantasy dinner party? And why? Tell me
February 15, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Welcome to the US editions of my trilogy of books on formidable but misunderstood or overlooked 20th century women: Clementine Churchill, Virginia Hall and Pamela Harriman. All are amazing in different ways but which one would you invite over to your fantasy dinner party? And why? Tell me
One of my fave lines on Kingmaker comes from the Irish Examiner’s list of books of the year - where it hails Pamela Harriman’s life story as “Anna Karenina meets the West Wing”!
January 9, 2025 at 1:13 PM
One of my fave lines on Kingmaker comes from the Irish Examiner’s list of books of the year - where it hails Pamela Harriman’s life story as “Anna Karenina meets the West Wing”!
Thinking of Jimmy Carter today. Here’s a photo of him with Pamela Harriman from Kingmaker. She backed him in 1980 despite entreaties from Teddy Kennedy to switch horses. He lost of course but arguably became a greater force after the White House. An unlucky president but evidently a good man. RIP
December 30, 2024 at 5:49 PM
Thinking of Jimmy Carter today. Here’s a photo of him with Pamela Harriman from Kingmaker. She backed him in 1980 despite entreaties from Teddy Kennedy to switch horses. He lost of course but arguably became a greater force after the White House. An unlucky president but evidently a good man. RIP
Kingmaker is back in stock and thrillingly a Book of the Year as chosen by Cleo Watson on Politico !
December 29, 2024 at 9:27 AM
Kingmaker is back in stock and thrillingly a Book of the Year as chosen by Cleo Watson on Politico !
Lovely to see Kingmaker a book of the year in the Mail on Sunday!
December 23, 2024 at 12:05 PM
Lovely to see Kingmaker a book of the year in the Mail on Sunday!