Grace and Power

by Sally Bedell Smith

  In London, Jacqueline Williams was my intrepid proxy in combing through the Macmillan Archive as well as the prime minister’s files at the Public Record Office in Kew. As she had on previous research projects, she exercised keen judgment in finding precisely what I needed. Edda Tasiemka again supplied me with clippings from her unrivaled archives. Abigail Pickus unearthed illuminating correspondence from the Alsop Papers at the Library of Congress, and I was fortunate that my daughter, Lisa Bedell, could gather letters from the Adlai Stevenson Collection while she was a senior at Princeton. Also assisting with research were Virginie Grolleau and Timea Bana. Cherryl Maddox transcribed tapes, and Lillie Trent and Agnes Langdon did stellar translations for me.

  As he did for my previous book, my friend Peter Bernstein provided the inspiration for Grace and Power. This time, he passed his idea along to Ann Godoff, then publisher and editor in chief of Random House, and my editor, Jonathan Karp. Over breakfast at a midtown Manhattan hotel, Ann and Jon briefly described the book they envisioned, and I eagerly embraced the project. Having worked with Jon before, I knew I could rely on his excellent judgment. When I was ready to write, Jon patiently and perceptively helped me frame my approach, saving me from scurrying down the wrong path. I was grateful for his willingness to trust me as I disappeared for more than a year without showing him anything I had written. He edited the manuscript with sensitivity, asking insightful questions and making constructive suggestions. I simply could not ask for a better advocate for my work.

  My thanks as well to Random House president and publisher Gina Centrello and editor in chief Dan Menaker for their enthusiastic support. I am deeply grateful to Jon Karp’s assistant, Jonathan Jao, who took care of so many details and offered helpful ideas, especially on the photo section; Charlotte Gross for her impeccable copy editing; production editor Steve Messina; Laura Goldin for her rigorous legal review; publicity directors Carol Schneider and Tom Perry; publicists Elizabeth Fogarty and Todd Doughty; associate publishers Elizabeth McGuire and Anthony Ziccardi; creative director Gene Mydlowski; art director Allison Saltzman; sales director Janet Cooke; rights director Claire Tisne; and rights manager Rachel Bernstein.

  My photo researcher, Sarah Longacre, applied imagination and determination to the task of assembling hundreds of photographs for me to choose from. She was always on the lookout for the best possible image, and she diligently fielded my queries about all sorts of obscure sources. I am also grateful to my talented website designer, Shannon Swenson of Stream Studio Web Architects.

  Thanks also to Katherine Lambert for her terrific skill with a camera, and to Patti McFarland and Gloria Interiano-Piedra, who prepared me for my photo session.

  I have benefited from the wise counsel of Amanda Urban, my agent for nearly twenty years, who once again energetically represented my interests and championed my work.

  My family, as always, gave me endless love and support at every step. With my three children out of the nest, this was my most solitary book project, as I faced my work days without the bustle of parenting activities. But Kirk, Lisa, and David sustained me with their constant encouragement and inspired me when I was downhearted.

  The contribution of my beloved husband, Stephen, throughout my three years of research and writing was incalculable. Whenever I felt daunted by a deadline, he urged me to push my way through. When I struggled with organization, he helped clarify my thinking. When I made exciting discoveries, he happily shared my joy. As he did with my previous book, he came up with the title. And when I finished my manuscript, he devoted hours to editing it sentence by sentence—challenging, trimming, refining, and always improving. Perhaps Camelot is too much with me, but after more than two decades of observing his extraordinary gifts as an editor, I consider him nothing less than magical.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  SALLY BEDELL SMITH is the author of the bestselling biographies of Princess Diana, William Paley, and Pamela Churchill Harriman. She has been a contributing editor at Vanity Fair since 1996. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Stephen G. Smith. They have three children. She can be contacted via the website www.sallybedellsmith.com.

  ALSO BY SALLY BEDELL SMITH

  In All His Glory

  Reflected Glory

  Diana in Search of Herself

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