This reviews in this section were originally published as a book-buying guide for librarians, and was distributed as a handout at the Collection Development Round Table Session at the annual conference of the Georgia Library Association in the fall of 1998, since in the year after her death such a large number of books had been published and I had collected enough of them already that I could tell not all of them were worth buying, so why not help out my fellow librarians by indicating the good, the bad, and the ugly among them? Italics indicate my present-day comments, but ordinary type indicates the document as it originally appeared.

    In the year since the death of Princess Diana, a number of books have appeared, which presents a great dilemma for librarians as to what titles are worth adding or retaining and which ones should be passed by. As of October 1, 1998 there are currently 139 titles listed in Books in Print on Princess Diana. Over half the titles listed are out of print, and another 17 are children’s books. Of the remainder, I have selected some of the more significant titles and divided them into Essential, Optional, and Not Recommended categories.

Andersen, Christopher. The Day Diana Died. New York: Morrow, 1998. 295 pp.
Index, illustrations, chapter notes, and bibliography. $27.00.
Some critics have quibbled that the title is misleading since it deals with several years of Diana’s life, but that is the only conceivable flaw of this well-researched, compelling account of the events
leading up to her death and the world’s reaction to it. This engaging book authoritatively deals with  the pregnancy and conspiracy myths and reveals many previously unreported details, such as the Queen’s initial reaction that any royal jewels be returned, Charles’ disagreement with her about the funeral, and Henri-Paul’s mysterious ties to the intelligence services of two nations, but  does it in a way that eschews sensationalism. It deserves its current position on the best-seller list.

Campbell, Lady Colin. The Real Diana. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998. 308 pp.
Illustrations. $24.95. Will be available in paperback January 1999.
Because of her contacts among the aristocracy and her knowledge of how they live, Lady Colin Campbell’s books provide a unique insight into their world that none of the other current writers can match. Well over half this book is new material not included in her previous book, Diana in Private (1992); and the tone is much less snobbish and more sympathetic than the previous book was. It also serves up more scandal than any of the other books, with two of the more sensational allegations being that Diana had lovers as far back as 1983 and aborted a child she conceived by one of them.
As you can guess by some of the comments I have made about Lady CC on this site, I would not be so complementary about this book now, though I still think she has a perspective from inside the aristocracy that no other author has in understanding the world Diana lived in. And I still wonder who her sources were, since no other author alledges that Diana had an abortion. If I were recommending it now, I might be more inclined to say, Optional. Or maybe even Not Recommended, though I would have to re-read it again before I could say for sure.

Davies, Nicholas. Diana: the People’s Princess. Secaucus, N.J.: Citadal Stars/Carol Publishing Group, 1997.  312 pp. Index, illustrations, appendix contains the full text of Earl Spencer’s eulogy. $6.99.
Davies is the most extensive biographer of Princess Diana, being the author of  two other biographical volumes and the upcoming Charles and Diana (note: Charles and Diana was never published); and all of his books are more balanced in their treatment of Charles than Morton’s books and less prone to dish dirt than Lady Colin Campbell’s. This book contains the most detailed account available of Diana’s life from 1993 to 1997 (with occasional flashbacks to her earlier life); and through it the reader learns how Diana almost killed Charles once through her habit of throwing vases at him, detailed information about two of her affairs, her jealousy of the nanny Charles hired, and a more realistic appraisal of her relationship with the Royal Family.
Since he questioned Diana herself about her life, Andrew Morton is now considered to be Diana's biographer, though Diana has yet to have an official biography like other members of the Royal Family have had. And Davies' latest book on Diana, Diana: Secrets and Lies, hit a new low in its allegations about Diana's infidelities.

Howell, Georgina. Diana: Her Life in Fashion. New York: Rizzoli, 1998. 219 pp.  Index,
274 illustrations, mostly in color, list of sources, $40.00. All royalties donated to the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
At least a half-dozen books about Diana’s clothes appeared during her lifetime, and four more have come out in the past six months. What makes this one stand out is its exquisite narrative which traces her evolution from a fairy-tale bride to an executive-suited career woman, shows how her clothes informed the public about her inner life and her growing self-confidence, identifies the periods and cultures which influenced their design, and paid tribute to icons of the past like Princess Grace and Jacqueline Kennedy. Added extras are full-page close-ups of intricate embroidery, beadwork, and lace which allows better appreciation of their beauty, and a detailed listing of all 79 dresses in the Christie’s auction which features page references to photos of 51 of them. Many designers were interviewed and provided exclusive sketches of their gowns.
I routinely recommend this book as a poor (wo)man's substitute for the Christie's catalog, and one of
the "must-have" books about Diana.

Levine, Michael. The Princess and the Package: Exploring the Love-Hate Relationship Between Diana and the Media. Los Angeles: Renaissance Books, 1998. 351 pp. Index, source notes, bibliography. $24.95.
The author is a well-known media analyst who was extensively interviewed in the week before Diana’s funeral and who consulted with psychologists, cultural historians, and leading journalists in writing this book. He contends that Diana’s marriage to “the shadow bridegroom” of the media was inevitable, given the increase in news outlets, the blurring of news and entertainment, and the rising cult of celebrity as a packaged commodity over the past twenty years. It also focuses on the role of the media in shaping the story by such means as the release of the Squidgy and Camillagate tapes, the publication of the Morton book, and the broadcast of the Panorama interview. Finally, it examines the significance of the media coverage in the week preceding Diana’s funeral, which he sees as “another example of the existence of the global village”. An important work for understanding the role of the media in late-twentieth century society, as well as Diana’s relation to it.
The most extensively-researched book about Diana yet published by an American author and essential for understanding the relationship between Diana and the press, or for anyone interested in the cult of celebrity in the information age.

Morton, Andrew. Diana: Her True Story In Her Own Words. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. 288 pp. Index, illustrations. $22.95. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Princess of Wales Memorial Trust. Also available in  paperback.
This is a revised edition of Morton’s previous book Diana: Her True Story (1992), which will always be historically significant because its revelations shook the monarchy to its foundations and was directly responsible for the separation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.  This edition adds a forward which acknowledges Diana’s direct involvement and tells how the material was obtained, a transcript of her answers, and five new chapters covering the period from 1992 through 1997. The only changes to the original 1992 edition consist of the replacement of the first chapter with his 1997 forward, the elimination of the appendix speculating on whether they could divorce, and substituting past tense forms of verbs for present tense throughout the text. This is a very readable book and invaluable for Diana’s participation, but Diana’s feelings at the time of providing this material resulted in a very biased book due to her sense of victimization and her loathing of Charles.
In more than one book published since her death, numerous persons mention that Diana regretted the Morton book, written when she was in a very pessimistic phase of her life, and contend that she probably would have written a more balanced account of her life at a later date, but unfortunately she never had the chance. One can only hope that enough of her papers survived so that a happier portrait can emerge.

Robertson, Mary. The Diana I Knew: Loving Memories of the Friendship Between an American Mother  and Her Son’s Nanny Who Became the Princess of Wales. New York: Cliff Street Books/Harper Collins, 1998. 198 pp. Illustrations. $18.00. A portion of the proceeds donated to charities supported by the Princess.
Though the title of the book provokes skepticism at the tenuous connection implied, it is immediately dispelled as the unassuming young Diana comes vividly to life and is seen from a closer perspective than in many other books listed here. The relationship began in 1980 when Mrs. Robertson hired her to be nanny to her son two days a week and was sustained through numerous letters and several meetings till Diana’s death; and the relationship probably lasted not because of “who she was”, but because the Robertsons had employed her for “what she was”. Diana already displayed evidence of the warmth, caring, and generosity that endeared her to millions in later years, but the book is nicely balanced for also telling about little failings such as not showing up for work on Monday due to a late return from a country weekend or eating up all the meat in the refrigerator without telling her employer so that Mrs. Robertson had to serve vegetable soup for dinner. The author states in her opening chapter that her motive in breaking her silence about Diana was to “balance the record” in the wake of “mean-spirited and critical comments” about her in the media; and she has succeeded admirably in her goal.
While this charming little book is a personal favorite of mine, I would probably list it as Optional now, and I usually make a point of mentioning if it is available at one of the remainder houses like
BookCloseouts or Hamilton Books. It is one of the few books written by someone who knew Diana before she became the Princess of Wales, and you get the impression that she was a very ordinary young girl; it was the stress of living in the public eye that undoubtedly caused all the later problems, just as it would for anyone suddenly catapaulted into superstardom without any preparation.

Sancton, Thomas and Scott MacLeod. Death of a Princess: the Investigation. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.  300 pp. Illustrations, maps, diagrams. $23.95. Also available in paperback.
Co-written by Time’s Paris Bureau chief and its Middle East correspondent, this book constitutes a key resource for any subsequent research into Diana’s death, since they did extensive interviews with police, eyewitnesses, the photographers, Henri Paul’s associates, Ritz employees, Mohammed Al-Fayed, and members of his family. They also consulted with physicians and forensic experts in an attempt to determine whether Diana could have survived, as well as what took place in the tunnel. Unfortunately, since the investigation was not yet completed  at the time of  publication, the authors lacked access to crucial evidence and medical records, but it did not prevent them from reaching  satisfactory conclusions about the cause of the accident or conspiracy theories.
The only book published so far about Diana's death by a credible source; all others are those trying to prove conspiracy theories. Since this was published before the French investigation was completed, and the reults of the French investigation have not been translated into English, we have yet to see a definitive book about Diana's death. Perhaps after the British investigation into her death is completed, an authoratative study will be published, but even then it will be challenged by those who continue to believe Diana was murdered. But this study will remain significant since it was the first one done, and tried to be objective in their outlook.

Clarke, Mary. Little Girl Lost: The Troubled Childhood of Princess Diana by the Woman Who Raised Her. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1996. 288 pp. Illustrations. $19.95.
 As a young woman, Ms. Clarke was hired by Diana’s father shortly after his divorce to “help with the children” and established a life-long relationship with Diana. Her gentle, affectionate portrait of a young girl from nine to eleven betrays no confidences of later years and is a happy chronicle of visits to the beach and local fairs, playing on the grounds and in the pool, occasional tea with the Royal Family at Sandringham, and helping the children become closer to their father by insisting that the children dine downstairs with him. The emphasis on her early life would make this book an appropriate choice for the Young Adult collection.
This is also one of the very few books written by someone who knew Diana long before she was Princess of Wales, and maintained the relationship into Diana's adulthood. The title above is for the US edition, while the British edition is Once Upon a Time, which is a better tie-in to the whole fairy-tale concept of Diana's life as Cinderella marrying the Prince Charming. For when you read the book, most of Diana's day-to-day life as a child could be described as idyllic--it's the nastiness of her parents' separation and divorce which presumably the US edition is referring to.

Delorm, Rene with Barry Fox and Nadine Taylor. Dodi and Diana: a Love Story. Los Angeles: Tallfellow  Press, 1998. 188 pp. Illustrations. $19.95.
Whether or not they were really going to be married, this is a very good book of its kind. Delorm,
Dodi’s butler for seven years, obviously liked and respected his boss, which is not always the case with servants’ memoirs; and as a result, Dodi comes across as a sweet, easy-going, overly generous guy who could cook, loved teddy bears and just happened to be loaded. The story is recounted with lush attention to detail which perfectly captures the mood and opulent surroundings; and it should be irresistible to romance fans.
As good as reading a romance novel except that it doesn't end happily ever after. There is also a documentary based on this book which was released on video and dvd, and it can occasionally be found for sale on the superbook sites or ebay.

Donnelly, Peter. Diana: a Tribute to the People’s Princess. Philadelphia: Courage Books, 1997.  141 pp.  215 illustrations. $12.98.
About twenty memorial or tribute volumes appeared in the wake of Diana’s death; and most of
these do not meet the needs of libraries because they are long on pictures and short on text.
This is a refreshing exception because it has six chapters giving the basics about her childhood, marriage, divorce, charity work, the world’s reaction, and her funeral. If you think you should have a memorial volume, choose this one because it gives excellent value for the price.

Fincher, Jayne. Diana: Portrait of a Princess. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998. 224 pp.
626 illustrations. $35.00.
The photos in this gorgeous, oversized book are drawn from an archive of 30,000 negatives shot
by the only female photographer who works for Buckingham Palace, and ¾ of them are
previously unpublished. It is chronologically arranged from her first encounter with Diana in
Nov. 1980 to photos taken of the funeral procession. The pictures were shot at public events
ranging from polo matches to balls, so there is more variety than in the fashion books but very few shots in a family setting. Pictures are frequently close-ups and range in size from 1” x 2” to full two page spreads; and brief commentary provides the necessary context. It is the most  extensive picture collection available, but probably more suitable as a gift than for library  collections.
At the time I compiled this list, I had not yet started buying books from Amazon UK, and so was unaware of Brenda Ralph Lewis' book, Diana: an Extraordinary Life, which was published the same year and had over 1,200 pictures (I counted them once but I've forgotten the exact number), making it the most extensive compilation of pictures of Diana over her lifetime. Still, that isn't to diminish this book, since Fincher didn't intrude on Diana in the way that the aggresive male photographers did, and Diana looks much more at ease in these pictures than in those taken by some of the men, especially during the later years.

Merck, Mandy, ed. After Diana: Irreverent Elegies. London: Verso, 1998. 231 pp. Illustrations. $14.00.
This is a collection of scholarly essays by British historians, anthropologists, and other academics which analyzes the significance of Diana’s death and the week preceding the funeral. The tone ranges from wickedly funny (“Princess Di, Mother T, and Me”) to sharply perceptive (“The Common Touch”), with viewpoints ranging from feminist to religious to political. Scattered references throughout the book to journal articles, seminars and conferences make it apparent that this is a fraction of what’s out there, but it is convenient to have so many diverse points of view in one source, including four essays newly translated from a French book called Crash Diana.

Modlinger, Jackie. Diana: Queen of Style. Philadelphia: Courage Books, 1998. 144 pp. Index,
278 illustrations, forward by Zandra Rhodes (one of  Diana’s designers). $19.98.
This is a nice alternative if you want a fashion book, but can’t afford Georgina Howell’s
Diana: Her Life in Fashion listed in the Essential section. It is not as well-organized or entertainingly written, but like the other book, it does cover  her entire life and it has some nice mini-essays on her wedding dress, her costume jewelry, her hairstyles, and how she gave new looks to older outfits by altering key features.

Saunders, Mark and Glenn Harvey. Dicing with Di: the Amazing Adventures of Britain’s Royal Chasers. London: Blake Publishing, 1996. 228 pp. 179 illustrations, glossary, and information about cameras used. $17.48 if purchased through Borders web site, $24.95 list price and Amazon lists it at $41.95. (Note: this book is long out of print and routinely sells for much higher prices on ebay or from used booksellers.)
A bizarre but fascinating account by two photographers who followed Diana from 1993 to 1996. Their encounters with her vividly illustrate her love-hate relationship with the press, which could provoke reactions ranging from screaming abuse, hiding her face and evasive high-speed driving to smiling  co-operation, artfully staged photo opportunities, and inviting favored columnists into her car for long, intimate chats. Very illuminating when read in conjunction with Levine’s The Princess and the Package and deserves to be better known than it is.
Personally, I now find this book and the creeps who produced it repulsive. Look carefully at those shots, and there are very few which are taken of her in which she is smiling or even comfortable with being looked at, and some, such as one that was taken the day her father died,in which her face is so full of pain the viewer feels like an intruder. And there are a great many other shots in which she looks as though she is unaware of being shot, as when she was in W.H. Smith picking out videos.
Reading the narrative that accompanies the text, you can understand why she felt she was being raped by the photographers because these guys had no respect for her, treated her with contempt, and did whatever they could to provoke her all to get more saleable shots. These were the guys who were filmed following her into an elevator as she crossed an airport, trying to shield her face with a tennis racket. Not Recommended would be too polite to express what I think of this book now. And expect these same guys to go after William and Harry once the boys are adults, since earlier this year Saunders came out with a book about Harry, but at least the boys can fight back if they want to.

Whitaker, James. Diana vs. Charles: Royal Blood Feud. New York: NAL/Dutton, 1993. 334 pp.
 Index, illustrations. $5.99.
 Whitaker, a long-time reporter for the tabloid Daily Mirror, first began covering Diana from her
 earliest involvement with Prince Charles and was known and liked by her. Much of the book is
 devoted to the emerging scandals of 1991-1992, but it contains an extremely interesting chapter
 titled “Dirty Tricks”, which gives an unparalleled account on how and why the Royal Family was
 being bugged by British intelligence. He also alleges that Prince Charles spent the night before his
 wedding in bed with Camilla Parker-Bowles, which is not mentioned in any of the other books.
Personally, this is a book I would consider Essential for any Diana collection because Whitaker was there from the beginning, and pioneered the concept of royal reporting. He recently told a friend of mine who is writing a book on Diana that "there are too many books on Diana, and the next one should be written by me!" He is just about the only reporter who hasn't written a book about her since her death. So how about it, James? You do need to bring this book up to date, if nothing else.

Houmam, Peter and Derek McAdam. Who Killed Diana? Berkeley, CA: Frog Ltd., distributed by North Atlantic Books, 1998. Index, illustrations. $12.95.
This is the most easily obtainable of the three conspiracy titles published as of this time in the
United States. Among the suspects proposed by the authors are British or Israeli intelligence,
the Pope, a renegade British group called the Feather Men, enemies of Mohammed Al-Fayed,
or Hollywood film producers. Methods to bring it about could have included use of a remote
control device on the car, a laser flash-gun to blind the driver, or a gassing device which would
explain the unusually high level of carbon dioxide in Henri Paul’s blood—that is, if it really was
Henri Paul’s blood. A chapter titled “Wild Thoughts” gives background on some of the wilder
theories circulating on the Internet. Very poor documentation of their interviews and sources, and their credibility is further undermined by their frank appeal to readers who are looking for
“figures on a grassy knoll in Dallas, thumps heard in Brentwood, and soft metallic artifacts at
Roswell”.

Locklear, Rev. Edmond Jr. How God Sees Princess Diana. Pembroke, N.C.: WCF Press, 1997. $16.95.
The author contends that Diana’s troubles arose from her “blasphemy” of omitting the word
“obey” from her wedding ceremony. He chides her for usurping God’s role in trying to punish
her husband’s adultery, condemns her “harlotry” in having affairs with other men, and contends
that the “wrong sex” she indulged in attracted the violence that killed her. Though he never
actually answers his cover question of “Will Diana go to heaven?”, he dismisses her good works
as being of  no consequence since she never apparently repented her sins; and he states that the
only gift she left to the world is the example of the mistake of leading a worldly lifestyle and “committing the acts of a harlot”. Its harsh language and unremitting condemnation of Diana might be offensive to many readers, so it is strongly advised not to add this book to your collection.
Don't waste your money on this one, not even out of curiousity's sake. It was a sacrifice of good trees.

Morton, Andrew. Diana: Her New Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Index, illustrations. $23.00. Also available in paperback.
This follow-up to Diana: Her True Story (1992) covers the period from 1992 to 1994, which
includes the year that Diana retired from public life and her days were largely devoted to her
children, friends, shopping, and therapies. About as substantial as cotton candy and most of the
details which matter are incorporated into Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words (1997).

Pace, Anita, ed. From Grief to Action: ‘Caring’ on the Spirits of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa.  Beaverton, OR: Baby Steps Press, 1998. 160 pp. $6.36 if purchased through Borders’ web site, $7.95 elsewhere.  All proceeds donated to a dozen different charities, including the Boys and
Girls Clubs of America, the Humane Society, and Habitat for Humanity.
In the forward to this modest little book, the editor recounts her sorrow at the loss of the
“compassionate hearts” of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa and her desire to do something
that would contribute to the continuation of their efforts “to create a whole and radiant world”.
The result is this anthology of quotations from both women interspersed among practical
suggestions for caring and helping behavior which were contributed by persons ranging in age
from ten to ninety-four. Some are obvious suggestions like volunteer work, visiting the elderly,
or donating to food and toy drives, but others are as simple as offering to babysit to give parents a
night out alone, calling or writing persons who have troubles, or treating waitresses or store clerks
with the same courtesy you treat friends. Though this book cannot be recommended as a source on Diana or Mother Teresa, it would be very good for persons wishing to incorporate more helping behavior into their lives, especially children and adolescents.

Roberts, H.J. Princess Diana, the House of Windsor, and Palm Beach: America’s Fascination with ‘The  Touch of Royalty’. West Palm Beach, FL: Sunshine Sentinel Press, 1998. Index, illustrations. $19.95 if purchased through Border’s web site, $24.95 elsewhere.
This book is an excellent argument for not using Books in Print or Amazon as a selection tool,
since it would otherwise be a vanity press item. A minor incident—the visit of the Prince and
Princess of Wales in 1985—has been inflated to book-length through endless detail on the guests,
the arrangements, royal etiquette, reaction before and after the event, and accounts of visits by
other members of the Royal Family from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to Prince Edward.
The author is a physician who has written several other locally printed books on Nutrasweet, which may account for his contention that Diana’s bulimia and depression was caused by drinking too much diet soda!

Seward, Ingrid. Diana: an Intimate Portrait. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC/Contemporary Publishing, 1997.  244 pp. Index, illustrations. $14.95
Aside from a three page prologue recounting the author’s last meeting with Diana and a tacked
on chapter summarizing the last nine years of Diana’s life, this is essentially a reprint of a 1988
biography. No attempt was made to revise the book, which contains an outright denial that Diana
suffered from eating disorders and talked about cozy domestic life at a time when it no longer
existed, since the couple was leading virtually separate lives by this time. One good chapter is
“A Day in the Life of a Working Princess”, which gives an excellent portrait of Diana’s daily
routine. This book is particularly disappointing because its author is the long-time editor of
Majesty magazine; she should have spent a few more months revising and adding to it (like
Andrew Morton did) before republishing it.
Seward did go on to give us The Queen and Di (2000), which is reviewed elsewhere on this site.

Spoto, Donald. Diana: the Last Year. New York: Harmony Books, 1997. 221 pp. Index, illustrations, bibliography, videography, and discography. $23.00. Also available in paperback.
In the rush to publish after Diana’s death, this was one of the earliest titles to hit the market;
and in comparison to later, more carefully composed books, this one suffers. About one-third
of the book is recycled from his previous book, The Decline and Fall of the House of Windsor
(1995); and it is followed by a paean of praise for Diana’s work on her charities, with very little
on her personal life until she met Dodi. His account of the relationship is hostile and derogatory
toward both of them. Since Andersen covers the same ground so much better in The Day Diana
Died, buy it instead.

Thornton, Penny. With Love From Diana: The Princess of Wales’ Personal Astrologer Shares Her First-Hand Account of Diana’s Turbulent Years. New York: Pocket Books, 1995. Illustrations, includes glossary of astrological terms. $6.99.
This memoir by one of Diana’s astrologers covers 1986-1992, when Diana broke off the relationship after Ms. Thornton had spoken to Lady Colin Campbell for her book, Diana in
Private. Much of Diana’s problems are attributed to malevolent influences in her chart, and the
last few chapters use a combination of Nostradamus and astrology to predict the future of the
Royal Family. Her success as an astrologer can be gauged by the fact that her predictions did
not include Diana’s death, but instead urged her to remarry in the year 2000 if she had not already
done so.

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