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The Swans of Fifth Avenue A Novel Melanie Benjamin Books

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The Swans of Fifth Avenue A Novel Melanie Benjamin Books

1975 is the final year when Truman Capote is at the height of his success, having published the well-known nonfiction books, In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as well as numerous stories, plays and other articles. In the 50’s and 60’s he has gathered around him a coterie of socially powerful, famous but challenged woman. Beloved by these women, whose fragile natures he has emotionally healed and strengthened, Truman at first is bolstered by their admiration, indeed adoration. Their fragility, however, simply mirrors Truman’s own inner turmoil. This is their volatile story!
First we meet Barbara (“Babe”) Cushing Mortimer Paley, a stylish trend setter who is married to a top executive of CBS, William S. Paley, devourer of women and autocratic businessman feared by all. Even he is enamored of Truman but the anomaly here is that Babe really doesn’t care about his opinion of “True Heart” Truman because for the first time in her life she knows what it’s like to love and be loved. This will prove to be a catastrophic surrender on her part.
We next meet Marella Agnelli, C. Z. Guest, Gloria Guiness, Pamela Churchill Harriman and Slim Keith, who have all told Truman their deepest, darkest secrets. They represent the trendsetters of the period and those who love the world of fashion, beauty, style will love the numerous descriptions of these ladies’ dress, makeup and food preferences. What begins as meeting for champagne and hors oeuvres will degenerate over time into drinking and pills. Unity and love o so slowly evolves into whispered, malign comments arising from unacknowledged jealousy. Money and power, however, rule the day and their secrets are secure until one momentous day of betrayal by their best friend, Truman!
What begins as a delicious and amusing bonding of these friends, whose daily concerns are about perfect appearances, rapidly becomes a cruel expose that breaks all concerned but especially one declining character! Truman himself is transformed in ways that startle readers, a picture so far from one would have imagined when starting this story.
This novel is supposedly based on reality and as such stands as the iconic tale, a period piece of literary, historical fiction. The Swans of Fifth Avenue depicts the fashionistas of the mid-20th Century! Remarkable fiction!


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The Swans of Fifth Avenue A Novel Melanie Benjamin Books Reviews

When Truman Capote published La Cote Basque 1965 (in 1975), it was much to the embarrassment and shame of a top tier group of NY Society women, formerly referred to by Truman Capote as his "Swans." The Swans were comprised of Barbara Paley, Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest, Maria Agnelli and Gloria Guinness (and several others). For a few decades – the 1950s to the 1970s – these were the "IT" girls. You didn't mess with them. That is, unless you were Truman Capote on booze and drugs. There is a Vanity Fair article entitled, Bye Society, by Gerald Clarke, from 1988 that one can read online – just google it – that is very informative as this story goes.

For many years, Truman Capote ingratiated himself into the lives of these women, who loved and adored him and who trusted him with all of their many secrets and private circumstances. His later downward spiral following years of obsessive focus on In Cold Blood, a time that included enough alcohol and drugs to choke a horse, resulted in his somewhat unethical betrayal of the Swans right there on the pages of Esquire, for all the world to see.

Truman was especially close to Barbara "Babe" Paley, the glamorous wife of CBS executive, Bill Paley, and much of this novel has to do with this central relationship. In a way, Truman and Babe were soulmate friends who sincerely adored and understood each other's frailties. Truman was welcomed into Babe's life as well as the other ladies' lives, complete with a constant flow of invitations to their magnificent houses and yachts and gifts of extravagant luxuries. Even as a relatively young and unknown writer, he was accepted into influential circles, meeting people and celebrities he wouldn't have otherwise.

As his fame grew and his talent recognized, he changed. And not for the better. With an overindulgence of drugs and drink, he became unable to focus on another book the magnitude of In Cold Blood. Instead, he penned La Cote Basque 1965 (in 1975) and betrayed his beloved Babe and the rest of the Swans. The results were quite shattering for most of the group. As the Vanity Fair article states, he committed Social Suicide. Big time.

This novel is based on facts but does fill in some of the blanks with literary fiction, which includes a sufficient amount of juicy, catty, backstabbing dialogue. We learn a lot about Truman's personal life, his mother issues, his longing for fame and notoriety and his downward spiral into that Social Suicide. The funny thing is that when you think about this type of thing in today's media environment, the fallout would be minimal. Back then it was devastating.

I read this back to back with a small book of Truman Capote's early stories that is just being released. It was a nice companion, thinking about Truman's relationships and lifestyle.

Well written and researched.

Recommend.
1975 is the final year when Truman Capote is at the height of his success, having published the well-known nonfiction books, In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as well as numerous stories, plays and other articles. In the 50’s and 60’s he has gathered around him a coterie of socially powerful, famous but challenged woman. Beloved by these women, whose fragile natures he has emotionally healed and strengthened, Truman at first is bolstered by their admiration, indeed adoration. Their fragility, however, simply mirrors Truman’s own inner turmoil. This is their volatile story!
First we meet Barbara (“Babe”) Cushing Mortimer Paley, a stylish trend setter who is married to a top executive of CBS, William S. Paley, devourer of women and autocratic businessman feared by all. Even he is enamored of Truman but the anomaly here is that Babe really doesn’t care about his opinion of “True Heart” Truman because for the first time in her life she knows what it’s like to love and be loved. This will prove to be a catastrophic surrender on her part.
We next meet Marella Agnelli, C. Z. Guest, Gloria Guiness, Pamela Churchill Harriman and Slim Keith, who have all told Truman their deepest, darkest secrets. They represent the trendsetters of the period and those who love the world of fashion, beauty, style will love the numerous descriptions of these ladies’ dress, makeup and food preferences. What begins as meeting for champagne and hors oeuvres will degenerate over time into drinking and pills. Unity and love o so slowly evolves into whispered, malign comments arising from unacknowledged jealousy. Money and power, however, rule the day and their secrets are secure until one momentous day of betrayal by their best friend, Truman!
What begins as a delicious and amusing bonding of these friends, whose daily concerns are about perfect appearances, rapidly becomes a cruel expose that breaks all concerned but especially one declining character! Truman himself is transformed in ways that startle readers, a picture so far from one would have imagined when starting this story.
This novel is supposedly based on reality and as such stands as the iconic tale, a period piece of literary, historical fiction. The Swans of Fifth Avenue depicts the fashionistas of the mid-20th Century! Remarkable fiction!