Synopses & Reviews
When Ronald Reagan coined the phrase "The Georgetown Ladies' Social Club," he was referring to a cadre of prominent Washington women--all of whom resided in the neighborhood of Georgetown--whose wealth, status, and ambition allowed them to leverage power in a town customarily run by men. In this rich expose, C. David Heymann (author of the #1 "New York Times bestseller "A Woman Named Jackie) follows the careers of five of these extraordinary ladies between 1951 and 2001: Katharine Graham, Lorraine Cooper, Evangeline Bruce, Pamela Harriman, and Sally Quinn. Drawing on an astonishing breadth of research, Heymann creates a portrait of a Washington elite we rarely see. Heymann shares details of Katharine Graham's affair with financier Warran Buffet, how Jack Kennedy got the scoop on Kruschchev, and why Bill Clinton's choice for ambassador to France, Pamela Harriman, was sometimes referred to as the "Whore of Babylon." Winding its way through the capital's bedrooms and dining rooms, Heymann's anecdotal narrative reveals readers the meaning behind Henry Kissinger's claim that "the hand that stirred the Georgetown martini is the hand that ruled the Western World." It is the sort of delectable dish that only Heymann can deliver, and readers across the country will devour every page.
Review
andlt;Iandgt;The Toronto Sunandlt;/Iandgt; An informative and entertaining book -- like the women it profiles.
Review
Liz Smith andlt;Iandgt;New York Postandlt;/Iandgt; One juicy story after another. Mr. Heymann doesn't hold back. I couldn't put this book down....Don't miss it!
Review
The Washington Post Think Entertainment Tonight does Georgetown.
Review
andlt;Iandgt;The Washington Postandlt;/Iandgt; Think andlt;Iandgt;Entertainment Tonightandlt;/Iandgt; does Georgetown.
Synopsis
In this definitive portrait of the political and social life of Georgetown, bestselling biographer C. David Heymann chronicles the dinner parties, correspondence, overlappings, and underpinnings of some of the most influential women in Washington's history. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt; "The Georgetown Ladies' Social Club" -- a term coined by Ronald Reagan -- comprises a list of formidable and fascinating women, among them Katharine Graham, Lorraine Cooper, Evangeline Bruce, Pamela Harriman, and Sally Quinn. Their husbands, government officials and newsmakers among them, relied on the ladies for their sharp wit and sensitivity, refined bearings, and congeniality. In a city characteristically and traditionally controlled by men, the Georgetown wives were, in turn, afforded an abundance of behind-the-scenes political clout. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt; Filled with intriguing and often startling insights into Washington life, from the latter days of the Kennedy and Truman administrations to the Clinton era and the advent of President George W. Bush, andlt;Iandgt;The Georgetown Ladies' Social Clubandlt;/Iandgt; is a compelling testament to the sex, lies, and red tape of American politics.
About the Author
C. David Heymann (1945-2012) is the author of several andlt;iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/iandgt; bestselling biographies, including andlt;iandgt;Bobby and Jackieandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;American Legacyandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;The Georgetown Ladies' Social Clubandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;RFK: A Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedyandlt;/iandgt;. He lived in Manhattan.
Table of Contents
Contents Author's Note
Chapter one: The Last Party
Chapter two: Phil and Kay
Chapter three: The P and Q Street Axis
Chapter four: The Turning Point
Chapter five: The Ambassador's Wife
Chapter six: The Senator's Wife
Chapter seven: Dead Men Walking
Chapter eight: An Inconvenient Woman
Chapter nine: The Big Do
Chapter ten: The Mighty Quinn
Chapter eleven: Lorraine and Vangie
Chapter twelve: Georgetown Goes Hollywood
Chapter thirteen: Queen Pamela
Chapter fourteen: Who Killed Georgetown?
Epilogue
Explanation of Sources
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index