Janet Wallach

Janet Wallach has written extensively about notable women in history, from the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. Her book, Desert Queen; The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell (1996), has been translated into twelve languages and was a New York Times notable book of the year. Her ten books include Seraglio: A Novel (2003), Chanel: Her Style and Her Life (1998), and The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age (2012). Wallach’s most recent book is Flirting with Danger (2023), the true story of socialite Marguerite Harrison, the American spy who slipped behind enemy lines in Russia and Germany in the turbulent period between the world wars.

Wallach is a founding director and president emeritus of Seeds of Peace, a non-profit educational and leadership training program. Seeds of Peace brings together outstanding teenagers from regions in conflict including Israelis and Arabs, Indians and Pakistanis, and Americans of diverse backgrounds.