A Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style by Susanna Salk
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Book Reviews of A Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style
Book Review: The pictures are pretty, but....
Summary: 2 Stars
Tons of mistakes litter this pretty little book about the preppy lifestyle. Names are misspelled, captions are incorrect, etc., and for a book without much content to begin with, one would think that the editing and research would have been sharp. It's a shame, as it could have been terrific!Book Review: Pretty but light on substance
Summary: 2 Stars
Flip through it at the library or bookstore..but not a worthy addition to the home collection.Book Review: Walk (don't run) and borrow this book from your library
Summary: 1 Stars
I think the editor and the author had one too many G&T's when they thought up the name for this book. It's more of an obituary than celebration. But go ahead and take of a look at it ( borrow unless you want something as embarassing as this on your coffee table); especially since it has the stunning photo of C.Z. Guest, at her prettiest, on the cover. That is really what this book is -- nice photos of (sometimes attractive) waspy-looking people looking like they are having a good time. Admittedly, we all love to look at family and celebrity photos. However, textual content disappoints: it is thin and boils down to the whistfulness/bemoaning of times gone side-by-side with photos(but we all KNOW why there are no images of women in those days gone by at Yale/Harvard/Princeton and no images of people of color except that Ralph Lauren advertisement shot). There are historical/social realities that the author and the book requires us to have amnesia about in order to elevate the lifestyle (and the supposed instrinsic virtures that go along with it) portrayed in this book. This lifestyle, devoid of any consciousness, is depicted as admirable and its merits attributed to the Privileged as defined by the author. It is curious that the author seems to want to claim some Hollywood icons (who couldn't be more remotely a member of her set) as one of her own. But this is her book afterall, and she was able to talk some publisher into producing it. I recommend you buy The Preppy Handbook by Birnbaum, et al. -- a lot more fun and astute, written by real smart kids (at the time) -- they intuited what was on its way "out" would only endure and continue to inspire if everybody thought they could get in.Book Review: Insufferable
Summary: 1 Stars
I could not agree more with M. Jones. The overall tone of this book is so haughty and indiscrete, its unbearable! When I read the biographical info on the author, I could scarcely believe her credentials (schooling, etc) because she should have learned at some point not to be so utterly obnoxious. The pictures are ok. You would be better served by almost any other book on this topic.Book Review: Family Albums Made Public or Look! I'm From A Rich Family
Summary: 1 Stars
Pretty boring, with a lot of pictures of the author's family. The Preppie Handbook did it better and it was funny. At least two editorial glitches: referring to Cleveland Amory as Cleveland Armory and showing a picture of CZ Guest in an evening coat by Mainbocher (first shown in Vogue) and calling it a "housecoat." Not bloody likely.