Diana--The Last Word [Mass Market Paperback]

Simone Simmons (Author), Ingrid Seward (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2007

During the last five years of her life, the "People's Princess" had one friend and confidante who was special to her. She was not part of Diana's social circle; she was not a family friend. That woman was Simone Simmons, a healer, who devoted herself to the troubled Princess. Over countless phone conversations and cups of tea at Kensington Palace, Simone gave her candid opinions about Diana's heart, soul, and suffering. No subject was taboo, and the women shared laughter and tears as they discussed Diana's personal life, including:
 
• who among the Royals was good to Diana and who was hateful
• her only fling--with John F. Kennedy, Jr.
• why she inflicted self-harm
• how Mother Teresa hurt her
• why she never would have married Dodi
• her enduring love for Prince Charles
 
..and more. In these pages, Simone captures the essence of one of the great icons of the twentieth century. This book, which reads like a personal memoir, truly is Diana's last word.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Simone will be appearing on a panel discussion show on Sky One on 31st August, looking into the conspiracy theories surrounding Diana's death. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

"Simone, if anything happens to me, write a book and tell it like it is."
--Diana, Princess of Wales
 
During the last five years of her life, the "People's Princess" had one friend and confidante who was special to her. She was not part of Diana's social circle; she was not a family friend. That woman was Simone Simmons, a healer, who devoted herself to the troubled Princess. Over countless phone conversations and cups of tea at Kensington Palace, Simone gave her candid opinions about Diana's heart, soul, and suffering. No subject was taboo, and the women shared laughter and tears as they discussed Diana's personal life, including:
 
• who among the Royals was good to Diana and who was hateful
• her only fling--with John F. Kennedy, Jr.
• why she inflicted self-harm
• how Mother Teresa hurt her
• why she never would have married Dodi
• her enduring love for Prince Charles
 
..and more. In these pages, Simone captures the essence of one of the great icons of the twentieth century. This book, which reads like a personal memoir, truly is Diana's last word.
 
 * With 8 pages of compelling photos *

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 247 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312948638
• ISBN-13: 978-0312948634
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,718,842 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars At least there's a nice picture on the cover, July 29, 2005

By 

A. Burchfield (Conway, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Diana--The Last Word (Hardcover)

This makes two Diana books written by Simone Simmons, the first "Diana The Secret years" cowritten by Susan Hill. This tie around the cowriter is Ingrid Seward, the editor of Majesty magazine and there is a decided difference in the two books. This one is even more "I"(Simmons promoting) than the first yet covers very much the same ground. Ms Simmons (or is it Seward, since the tone is different?) has written yet another biography of the late Princess, in her forward writing that Diana wanted her to write a book. That may be so but the Princess probably meant just ONE.
Most of the stuff here you've read before, several times. This book takes a meaner tone in putting down James Hewitt, puts the Oliver Hoare affair on him -not Diana (which is unusual in these books),lots of ripping people. I give the Princess more credit for intelligence and cooking skills than I think Simmons does although I think she's probably at least close to right in Diana's reported over dependence on various therapists (Simmons was one of the few that wasn't a quack it seems). Paul Burrell gets bashed almost as much as Hewitt, Simmons seems to want us to believe that no one could have been as close to the Princess as she was. Seems like no one is spared judgement, not the Spencer family, not the Royal family.
There's so much "I told Diana, she told me", the book is too self promotional for my tastes. That JFK jr. bit for an opener served what purpose?, must've been to get people to buy the book because none of Diana's friends think there's any truth to it. I myself doubt that it ever happened because no one else, friend or foe of the Princess, has ever come out with that one. The book does have bits here and there that must be true (not just the historically verifiable items)and of historical interest but for me it was spoiled by a surplus of rather blatant self promotion- the book is an obvious effort at making money off a dead woman's memory.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting content but lousy writing, August 5, 2005

By 

Famous Book Reader (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana--The Last Word (Hardcover)

I don't mind at all that this book is tabloid-ish; Simmons gives names and details of events that other Diana biographers have merely danced around. And besides, Simmons knew Diana well by all accounts. But the writing absolutely reeks and is poorly edited. Marginal grammar and wretched sentence structure abound, paragraphs end with a points that are never explained, and value judgments are dropped throughout what otherwise appear to be factual narrations. The author makes little distinction between what she knows and what she suspects. Also, there are tangential explanations of things that have little to do with Diana, like the author's "healing" career. If you can bear the writing and skip over the diversions, there is interesting info inside. Is it true? Anyone's guess.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Save your money, and just read the tabloids, September 6, 2005

By 

Michelle Mavek "Di Fan" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana--The Last Word (Hardcover)

I haven't read too many biographies on Diana (I am just starting) but I found this book provided very little information I had not already known. I felt Simone Simmons was too self promoting in this book and seemed to try too hard to throw in the "she only told me" phrases. She also seemed especially competetive with Burrell's biography adding lines to explain why Paul Burrell wouldn't have known something. The photographs provided in the book were curiously all from previously published sources. Where is the personal connection she is claiming to have shared so strongly? It appears to me, Simone Simmons was just one of Diana's hired help and not the "best friend" she claims to be.