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Lives of the Saints

Jack ShaferPosted Thursday, Sept. 11, 1997, at 6:57 PM ET

How does a saint spend her summer?

To hear her admirers tell it, the life of Diana was an endless toil of good deeds and mercy missions. Newsweek reconstructed her final two months. The chart seems to have been an attempt to show her dedication to good causes. It backfires.

July 11-20: Vacation in St. Tropez with her sons and Dodi Fayed's father
July 21: Visit patients at a London hospital July 22: Versace's funeral in Milan
Aug. 1-6: Mediterranean cruise with Dodi
Aug. 8-10: Bosnia trip, visit land-mine survivors
Aug. 12: Visit her former psychic with Dodi
Aug. 15-20: Vacation in Greece with friend
Aug. 21-30: Second Mediterranean cruise with Dodi

So of the 38 days accounted for, Diana spent 32 on vacation, two at social engagements (funeral and psychic), and exactly four doing good works. How did Mother Teresa spend her final summer?

E-mail Timothy Noah at .

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Jack Shafer is Slate's editor at large. Follow him on Twitter.
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