Janet Wallach biography

Janet Wallach Biography

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 other works 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). She co-authored Arafat: In the Eyes of the Beholder, a biography of Yasser Arafat; The New Palestinians, a look at the leading figures in the West Bank and Gaza; and Still Small Voices, the personal stories of ten Israelis and Palestinians during the first intifada. Wallach's recent release is Flirting with Danger (2023), which chronicle the life of Marguerite Harrison, an Ameican socialite-turned-spy, gleaning critical information between the World Wars in Germany, Russia, Turkey, and beyond. 

As a contributor to The Washington Post Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine and other periodicals, Janet Wallach has written cover story profiles of Queen Noor of Jordan, First Lady of Egypt Jihan Sadat, and Iraqi Ambassador Nizar Hamdoon. Wallach has taught at Bradford College, Earlham College, and more.

Janet 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.

Janet Wallach was born in New York City and attended New York University. She has two sons, David Allyn and Michael Wallach.

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