Most Popular Books by William Shawcross

This magnificently illustrated volume, produced in cooperation with BBC Books in London, combines an insightful text by noted historian Shawcross with personal recollections and over 100 remarkable images chronicling the half-century reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Full color and b&w.

From Simon & Schuster, The Shah''s Last Ride is William Shawcross'' unforgettable work of exile and American foreign policy. The acclaimed author of Sideshow, The Shah''s Last Ride captures the behind-the-scenes drama of the Shah of Iran''s strange journey into exile—and its crucial impact on American foreign policy and the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini.

One of the great revelations of William Shawcross’s official biography of the Queen Mother was her private correspondence. Indeed, the Sunday Times described her letters as “wonderful . . . brimful of liveliness and irreverence, steeliness and sweetness.” Now, drawing on the vast wealth of material in the Royal Archives and at Glamis Castle and elsewhere, William Shawcross has put together a selection of those letters, many of which have never before been published. A prolific correspondent from her earliest childhood to the very end of her life, her letters offer readers a vivid insight into the person behind the public face. They reveal—in her own words—the much-loved little girl who wrote teasing letters to her many siblings; the young woman who, after a long courtship and two refusals, accepted Prince Albert’s proposal. We see her as Duchess of York, bringing a sense of ease and fun into the public and private lives of the Royal Family. We see her delight in her beloved daughters, and her very real shock when she and her husband realized that he would become king following the abdication of Edward VIII. We see, too, the dreadful too exacted by the Second World War, which culminated in the king’s tragically early death in 1952, and then her determination, despite her grief, to find a new role for herself during the long years of widowhood.

An authorized profile of Elizabeth the Queen Mother covers such topics as her service to convalescing World War I soldiers, her refusal to leave London during the Blitz, and her relationships with daughter Elizabeth II and Prince Charles.

Reporting from war zones around the globe, acclaimed journalist William Shawcross gives us an unforgettable portrait of a dangerous world and of the brave men and women, ordinary and extraordinary, who risk their lives to make and keep the peace. The end of the Cold War was followed by a decade of regional and ethnic wars, massacres and forced exiles, and by constant calls for America to lead the international community as chief peace-keeper. The efforts of that community -- identified with the United Nations but often dominated by the world''s wealthy nations -- have had mixed results. In Africa, the West is accused of indifference or too little, too late. In Cambodia, the UN presides over free elections, but the results are overridden. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein continues to defy the UN, and in Bosnia and Kosovo, the West acts hesitantly after terrible slaughter and ethnic cleansing. Shawcross, a veteran of many war zones, has had broad access to global policymakers, including UN secretary general Kofi Annan, high American diplomats, peacekeepers and humanitarian-aid professionals. He has traveled with them to some of the world''s most horrifying killing fields. Deliver Us from Evil is his stark, on-the-ground report on the many crises faced by the international community and its servants as they struggle to respond around the world. He brings home the price many have paid attempting to restore peace and help alleviate terrible suffering. He illuminates the risks we face in a complex and dangerous world. Some critics have concluded that some interventions may prolong conflict and create further casualties. The lesson we learn from ruthless and vengeful warlords the world over is that goodwill without strength can make things worse. Shawcross argues that recent interventions -- in Kosovo and East Timor, for example -- provide reason for concern as well as hope. Still, the unmistakable message of the past decade is that we cannot intervene everywhere, that not every wrong can be righted merely because the international community desires it, or because we wish to remove images of suffering from our television screens. Nor can we necessarily rebuild failed states in our image. When we intervene, we must be certain of our objectives, sure of popular support and willing to expend the necessary resources -- even lives. If our interventions are to be effective and humane, they must last for more than the fifteen minutes of attention that the media accord to each succeeding crisis. That is a tall order. As Shawcross concludes, "In a more religious time it was only God whom we asked to deliver us from evil. Now we call upon our own man-made institutions for such deliverance. That is sometimes to ask for miracles."

Rupert Murdoch invented the modern global information empire. His relentless determination and daring and his repeated willingness to bet the balance sheet in order to acquire more newspapers, television stations, satellite networks, cable systems and publishing houses have been amply rewarded: Murdoch''s information empire now reaches two thirds of the world''s population, making him one of the most powerful men on earth. In this revised edition of his classic 1993 biography, William Shawcross updates the story of Murdoch''s battles to extend his electronic "footprint" around the globe.

The author claims that Britain has neglected its moral responsibility towards Hong Kong. He argues that the government should undertake to grant Hong Kong''s 3 million UK passport holders "right of abode" in Britain or that it should establish a real democracy in Hong Kong.

Written with complete access to the Queen Mother''s personal letters and diaries, William Shawcross''s riveting biography is the truly definitive account of this remarkable woman, whose life spanned the twentieth century. Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes Lyon, the youngest daughter of the Earl of Strathmore, was born on 4 August 1900. Drawing on her private correspondence and other unpublished material from the Royal Archives, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother vividly reveals the witty girl who endeared herself to soldiers convalescing at Glamis in the First World War; the assured young Duchess of York; the Queen, at last feeling able to look the East End in the face at the height of the Blitz; the Queen Mother, representing the nation at home and abroad throughout her long widowhood. ''This splendid biograpy captures something of the warm glow that she brought to every event and encounter. It also reveals a deeper and more interesting character, forged by good sense, love of country, duty, humour and an instinct for what is right. This is a wonderful book, authoritative, frank and entertaining'' - Daily Telegraph

In this volume, William Shawcross surveys the political and economic scene in Cambodia and discusses prospects for the nation''s future. Shawcross vividly details the steps leading to Cambodia''s new coalition government; paints an intimate portrait of the nation scene; and offers his own deeply knowledgeable perspective on the problems that a new Cambodia must face if it is to fully restore itself to nations life.

Previously published: Allies: the U.S., Britain, Europe, and the war in Iraq. New York: PublicAffairs, c2004.

Rupert Murdoch''s News Corporation empire ended the 80s with a debt the size of Ecuador''s and on the verge of catastrophe. Houdini-like Murdoch survived, buying time, merging Sky with BSB, advancing into the ''90s as one of the most powerful media barons the world has ever known.

Examines the efforts of lawful nations to impose justice on those responsible for crimes against humanity and the limited success of international courts, and discusses the legal and ethical issues surrounding the status of Al Qaeda plotter Khalid SheikhMohammed.

George Weidenfeld escaped Nazi Vienna and arrived in Britain as a penniless refugee at the age of nineteen. In a series of lively and perceptive ''conversations'' with the distinguished biographer and author William Shawcross, George Weidenfeld describes his assimilation into English society, the evolution and success of the book publishing firm of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, and his close association with senior British politicians, including Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and his subsequent elevation to the peerage. But more than that, Conversations indicates the extraordinary breadth of international interests and ideas, combined with his remarkable gift for friendship. It has bought him into contact with many of the most fascinating people of the post-war era. A great publisher, a cultural impresario of legend, a power-broker and sage, George Weidenfeld conducted some wide-ranging and sharply perceptive conversations with William Shawcross over a period of weeks. Reading this book is akin to an invitation to the most glitteringly intellectual dinner-party.