Diana

Celebrity biographer Morton's fourth book on Diana, Princess of Wales, doesn't contain the shocking revelations of his first expose, Diana: Her True Story (1992), but provoking a scandal isn't his intention with this book. Rather, he aims to shed light on Diana's true personality, which he feels has been distorted by the media and by those who knew or worked for her and subsequently exploited that association. With the help of Diana's close friends--including her confidante, Dr. James Colthurst, and her astrologer, Debbie Frank--Morton paints a portrait of a princess who, despite her beauty, kindness and popularity, was deeply afflicted by self-doubt, extremely dependent on the counsel of her friends and desperate for a man to love her.""Her heart truly ruled her head,"" Diana's masseur, Stephen Twigg, told Morton, and indeed, her fierce determination to enjoy a passionate, genuine relationship is evident in this account. To break free of her loveless marriage, she was willing to defy centuries-old royal protocol and risk losing her position, wealth and even her beloved sons to the Queen, who was legally entitled to guardianship of William and Harry. After the divorce, she pinned her hopes for happiness on several men, adopting their interests and imagining a future with each of them. Morton portrays Diana as lonely and vulnerable, yet possessing an""indomitable spirit."" However, he is unrelenting in his criticism of Diana's butler and onetime friend, Paul Burrell, whose memoir Morton blasts for being exploitative and biased against the Spencer family. Though Morton covers little new ground, he succeeds in putting Diana's actions in context and presenting a balanced assessment of this indelible figure. 32 pages of color photos.