Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Ambition and Betrayal

(Hardback)

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Description

'There are certain women,' Truman Capote wrote, 'who, though perhaps not born rich, are born to be rich.'

These women captivated and enchanted Capote - he befriended them, received their deepest confidences, and ingratiated himself into their lives. From Barbara 'Babe' Paley to Lee Radziwill (Jackie Kennedy's sister) they were the toast of mid-century New York, each beautiful and distinguished in her own way.

For years, Capote had been trying to write what he believed would be his magnum opus, Answered Prayers. But when he eventually published a few chapters in Esquire, the barely fictionalised lives (and scandals) of his closest female confidantes were laid bare for all to see. The blowback incinerated his relationships and banished Capote from their high-society world forever.

In Capote's Women, New York Times bestselling author Laurence Leamer investigates the true story of the renowned author and his famous friends, weaving a fascinating tale of friendship, intrigue, and betrayal.

Reviews

Engagingly gossipy, Leamer provides extensive behind-the-scenes peaks into Capote's tangled social life. * Kirkus *
Leamer showcases his knack for telling a rattling good tale in this vivid look at Truman Capote's failed attempt to write 'the greatest novel of the age.' . . . This juicy story delivers. * Publishers Weekly *
In this delicious dissection of the writer and the women he befriended, Laurence Leamer uncovers what it meant to let Capote into your inner circle, how each of these women found friendship and frustration with him, and what happened when he committed the ultimate betrayal. * Town & Country *
Babe Paley, Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest... they were the stars of '50s and '60s society. They were also the women Truman Capote loved, flattered - and betrayed. A fascinating look at their world. * People *
By weaving the details of Capote's life in and out of the fascinating origin stories of the most admired women of the 1950s and 1960s, Leamer reminds us that beauty, wealth and privilege-not to mention talent-aren't enough to guarantee a happy ending. But oh, what fun can be had along the way! * Melanie Benjamin *

Author Bio

New York Times bestselling author Laurence Leamer is a leading biographer of the rich and scandalous, including Capote's Women, Madness Under the Royal Palms and The Kennedy Women, among many other books. He lives in Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach, Florida.