By Litchatte Reviewer, Paul Ho
What I learned about Gloria Vanderbilt by reading this book: she descended from a famous and fabulously wealthy iconic family. At 10 years old, she was the subject of an OJ-level court case which pitted her cold calculating mother against her less cold, more calculating auntie, Gloria Vanderbilt Whitney (yes, of the Whitney Museum Whitneys). Accusations of a lesbian affair (among other things) were leveled against her imperious mother, causing her ultimately to lose custody of the cowering young girl.
When little Gloria (sort of) grew up, she had a torrid love affair with Howard Hughes before marrying alleged mobster, Pat DiCicco when she was only 17 years old (her biggest regret). Her second husband was Leopold Stokowski, the renowned conductor, her third husband was Sidney Lumet, director of 12 Angry Men, Network, Dog Day Afternoon, etc., etc. Her fourth and final marriage was to writer Wyatt Cooper, the father of Anderson.
Gloria went on to “invent” the concept of designer jeans in the early eighties, but alas, lost all her money by trusting the wrong people to manage it. Last but not least of her accomplishments, was the proud mothering of Anderson Cooper, whom she calls “Andy”, if you can imagine that.
Why I read this book: I’m generally interested in the prodigious lives of the glitterati. Having been born so far below that intoxicating stratum of high society, I am always curious about what such people think about and have to say about their lives.
Format: I listened to it on audiobook and it sounded more like a serious lunch conversation between a mother and son than a traditional autobiography. The real Gloria and Andy read their own parts. I definitely recommend the audio version for that extra dimensionality. Anderson makes insightful and often critical comments about his mother and she tries to explain why she behaved the way she did in her 91-year-old crackling voice. Then he tells her he forgives her. An unusual juxtaposition, to say the least.
Question: If two people write a memoir, can it still be considered an autobiography? Is there any such thing as a duobiography?
Summing: Two very complex and interesting people, no doubt, but there was a certain smoldering coldness exuding from both of them. At least I felt that to be so. I would imagine life is different if you’ve never had to think about money because it was poured all over you from the day of your birth. Empathy for ordinary people might perhaps become difficult then. They said all the right words, no doubt, but there was something missing in the heart area. That being said, it was an interesting read, or in my case, listen.
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