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Comments (25)

What did you think about this title?
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Oct 02, 2023ellenorndorf rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book about Truman Capote and the great of women he referred to as his "swans". There was a hint of this is Anderson Cooper's book The Vanderbilt's about his family. Much was changed in the 1970's with the Vietnam War and…
Apr 30, 2023lorhu rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I LOVED this book. It opened a new world to me, a world whose existence I never knew of. Here it is seven years later and I still think about it with affection. I even bought Vent Vert by Balmain to smell Babe Paley's signature scent. I…
Jun 10, 2020
Frothy and juicy, Benjamin's fictional look at the escapades of the rich and famous (several real life socialities, businessmen, authors, artists, and more fill the contents of the book) makes for a great summer read or a 'stay-home' read…
Jan 27, 2020
Very entertaining.
Oct 07, 2018ArapahoeAnnaL rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Fun to read, this historical novel brings to life high society in New York City mid 20th century. There's Babe Paley with her gang and Truman Capote. Who were these people and what made them tick?
Aug 15, 2018suekrachko rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and beautifully written historical fiction about NYC society in the 1950s - 1970s. The poignant and heartbreaking relationship between fashion icon Babe Paley and acclaimed author Truman Capote highlights the story. Enjoyed…
Jun 09, 2018KatherineHere rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
What you would expect: trivial, shallow, irrelevant, wasteful, and fascinating.
Feb 01, 2018EmilyEm rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Truman Capote and the fabulously wealthy 'women who lunch' he seduced with his charm, ingratiating himself into their lonely lives. To me, these were the backstories of the fashionable paper dolls I played with in the 1950s. Guilty…
May 24, 2017mswrite rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Affected, diminutive Truman Capote and tall, elegant New York socialite Barbara "Babe" Paley were a true Odd Couple, the strangest yet ultimately most compelling love story I think I've ever read. And they really did seem to love one…
Mar 08, 2017ctkvlk rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating look into the lives of Truman Capote and his harem. Not so interested in him but got a good history on Babe Paley and others of whom I'd heard but knew little about. It's a novelization but enough fact within to make it…
Jan 13, 2017Ginger_44 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction novels are my absolute favorite to read. This one was no exception. In fact, I felt this book was in a whole other plane compared to all the other historical fiction I've read. Similar to Villa America by Liza Klaussman,…
Nov 22, 2016ArapahoeLesley rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A glimpse into a part of history and high living society that I never have known much about. Like the author wrote in her afterword I am very much inspired to learn more about Babe Paley, Slim Keith, Gloria Guinness etc... and most of all…
Oct 13, 2016PinesandPrejudice rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
I wasn't a fan of this. I didn't see the point of their story and didn't feel sympathy or interest in these characters. I understand the time period and appreciate the fact that these stories are told but it wasn't my cup of tea. I was…
Oct 03, 2016pogags rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic storytelling from the author of The Aviator's Wife, this story sweeps from one end of Fifth Ave to the other, capturing all the political, racial and cultural mores of the '50-'60s.
Aug 21, 2016finn75 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
A glimpse into the lives of upper class women of a bygone era. The book examines class, friendship, betrayal and stardom. I can't help but feel that despite the beauty and the attention these women got their lives were painfully empty and…
Aug 15, 2016ChaChaRobin rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Light and fluffy, fun read, especially if you have heard of and have any curiosity about the New York "ladies who lunch" or yesteryear, and/or Truman Capote. This book is sort of like an oversized Vanity Fair article without the photos. …
Jun 14, 2016BeckyR21 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Interesting enough that it was worth keeping a few extra days, and pay the late fees, so that I could finish, but ... not so interesting that I couldn't finish it in three weeks.
Jun 06, 2016lbeast rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A terrific fictionalized account of a group of people whose lives were basically fiction already. The rise and fall of Truman Capote and the 'scandal' he caused among the rich and shallow. It might help if you lived during that time and…
athompson10
May 12, 2016athompson10 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Juicy, gossipy fictionalized account of Truman Capote and his New York society 'swans'.
Mar 22, 2016cals_readers rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
This is a great story but the prose is a little hammy. Capote wrote it better the first time.
Mar 08, 2016passion4reading rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
A great subject but so badly written. The author can't know what people were actually thinking and makes some very strange assumptions/conclusions/fiction. Very disappointing
Mar 03, 2016
Dreadful tedious prose which badly serves the wit and life of Truman Capote.
Mar 01, 2016claireswazey rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
What a delicious frothy concoction of a book! The glimpses into mid 20th century high society are so glamorous and tantalizing.
lmultari
Feb 24, 2016
I don't understand how this book is considered fiction. It deals with real people, during a real time period and actual verifiable events. The book was well written, however, one could save a lot of time by simply reading Truman…
abruzzo79
Feb 18, 2016abruzzo79 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
"Tell me -- What is your greatest fear? There was a long silence. No sounds but the low hum of the pool filter, the faraway grazing of a lawn mower, and the determined "clip clip" of a gardener on the other side of some tall azalea…