Capotes Women: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for a Bygone Age

Patricia M. Hughey: This book is a very well written account of the lives of the most well known socialites, the "swans" as Truman Capote called them, of the twentieth century. Most of them did not live particularly happy existences; their recipe for success, had one ingredient--just marry a wealthy powerful man and all will be well. These people believed themselves to be above bourgeois rules of morality. Each had a long string of betrayals behind them. They were betrayed, and they betrayed as well. One becomes fatigued as the author recounts all the affairs, including Capote's. Not all the betrayal was of a sexual nature. The ultimate act was Capote's release of a short story that revealed the swan's most private secrets, using thinly veiled character sketches. There are some moral rules worth following, unfortunately neither Capote or his swans ever realized this. Especially intriguing was Leamer's depiction of the relationship between Jacqueline Kennedy and her sister Lee Radziwill, who for a time was a best friend of Capote. My only criticism is that Leamer seems to be overly bowled over by the physical beauty of these people, some of whom were attractive, certainly, but not great beauties as he...

United States on Nov 18, 2023

Maria Campbell: It was fascinating at first because o used to read about this people in articles, magazines,etc.But to read that all they do is go to dinners, have a musical chairs with rich men or their ultimate goal is to have a very rich husbands is very sad & pathetic. They had literally boring lives, being passed around by rich men. I’m not impressed by the lives they lived. I’m a middle class woman who worked all my life.
No wonder they all drank , took pills & were on antidepressants, anti anxiety .
The book is well written but I feel like I wasted my money buying this book.It sounds like fiction but to to think that’s all they did, how sad! I’ll finish reading this , maybe my opinion will change about these men & women. I’m half way thru
And to think I was so excited to buy & read this book.

United States on Sep 25, 2023

Aurelia Dante: A genuinely fascinating account of a great writer and his muses. Full of extraordinary incidents this book pulls no punches in describing in intimate detail the lives of the extremely rich and famous women Capote loved to surround himself with.

United Kingdom on Aug 28, 2023

Helen Withers: Overall very informative book but equally I found it somewhat confusing. Initial references in the book to the individual women were straight forward but as book continued the various relationships with one another as well as the added complication of the connection with the various men in their lives made this a difficult read. I didn’t read this book at “one go” and consequently had to keep going back and forward. I have read better constructed biographies.

United Kingdom on Aug 14, 2023

Richard Anderton: 1930s America plots and scheming strategies of women using their only way up to fortune: Their beauty was a serious business, the men were manipulated…

United Kingdom on Aug 07, 2023

Martin: Loved it fabulous book about a extremely complicated and complex character.

United Kingdom on Aug 06, 2023

J. Irvine: Enjoyed reading about society at that time. Delighted that times have changed and women are more independent and don't have to rely on bagging a husband to try and get a decent standard of living. It also hit home the message wealth doesn't guarantee happiness.

United Kingdom on Jul 31, 2023

Himalayan Consulting: Without saying too much, I knew a few of the younger relatives of Truman Capote's Swans. One of these people, now gone, was one of the best friends I ever had. He knew Capote and shared wild tales of the brilliant but flawed author. Capote's Women is, from my point of view, quite accurate in portraying the women who had so much but for the most part led unfulfilling lives. I can confirm that some of their children carried grief with them from not having loving, attentive parents. That they became kind, mindful and graceful adults was of their own courageous doing. One element missing from this book was a well-publicized tragedy resulting from the publication in Esquire of the short story, La Cote Basque, 1965. Ann Woodward, an attractive and outrageously ambitious woman, made her way from a poverty-stricken childhood in Kansas to the mecca of New York City in the late 1930s to pursue fame and fortune. She became a showgirl and radio personality, and ultimately captured William Woodward, Jr., a highly sought-after bachelor from a very wealthy Old New York family. Ann was grudgingly tolerated in Society because of her husband's pedigree. Twelve years into her tumultuous marriage,...

United States on Feb 04, 2023

Briochegal: He was certainly interesting. His crowning achievement of course was “In Cold blood.” Its hard to believe such a gossip-y , bitchy person wrote it. But the focus of this book is not on “In Cold Blood,” but rather on the society Capote surrounded himself with. A more shallow, vapid, self-indulgent society of women would be hard to find. Clothes, homes, decor, table settings and appearances were all that mattered. Nannies took care of the children, chefs did all the cooking, servants did everything else. Yachts, mansions, homes in France and Switzerland. And Capote was loved and welcomed everywhere, until he wasn’t. He ruined it all with one magazine article.

Well written and great insight into a specific closed society and a famous writer’s role in it.

United States on Feb 01, 2023

Harold M. Holmes, J D: Intriguing, fascinating stories of ultra-upper class women, some of whom initially being of low social-status, married primarily for the riches, luxury-living and exalted social-status that marrying wealthy men would bring.
I could not put the book down. I was also fascinated reading about the ascendancy, fall and death of Truman Capote which is also chronicled in this book. So very sad. I love his book, " In Cold Blood."
As a teenager, then young man, growing up and living in Westbury, L.I., I did see C.Z. Guest in Westbury village on occasion. I also drove by her estate, " Templeton ," in Old Westbury many times to admire it.
I've visited her and her husband's gravesite in the Quaker cemetery in Westbury after reading of her death and place of burial.
After reading the book, I realize that she, and people of her ilk, had absolutely NO use for or respect of people of color like myself NOR anyone not to the manor born--the "little people." Nonetheless, buy the book !

United States on Nov 20, 2022