ANDREW MORTON, Author of “Wallis in Love: The Untold Life of the Duchess of Windsor, the Woman Who Changed the Monarchy” at the Boston Public Library

Though Wallis Simpson―the woman for whom Edward VIII so infamously abdicated his throne and birthright―has been the subject of much fascination, gossip, and speculation, her whole story has yet to be told. In his new book Wallis in Love, historical biographer Andrew Morton uses diary entries, letters, and other never-before-seen records to offer a fresh portrait of Wallis Simpson in all her vibrancy and brazenness as she climbed the social ladder. He reveals a complex, domineering woman who strove to determine her own fate in a harsh, turbulent world.

MORTON studied history at the University of Sussex with a focus on the aristocracy and the 1930s. He has written biographies of members of the British royal family as well as celebrities including Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, and Madonna. He is probably best known for his biography of Diana, Princess of Wales―Diana: Her True Story―and most recently 17 Carnations: The Royals, the Nazis, and the Biggest Cover-Up in History.