Customer Reviews

Edith Bouvier Beale of Grey Gardens: A Life in Pictures

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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Over the last few years I have collected all the Grey Gardens related items I could find (excluding the house itself!) I just received this book today and, other than the DVDs, this is my favorite.

As soon as I opened the box, I had to sit and go through the entire book page by page. With every turn, my interest grew. It is a beautiful collection of photos and other memorabilia that give insight to a most fascinating life. Somehow, I thought that Edie's active life in New York and other social scenes was short. But that was corrected by photos of that life that lead all the way to 1952 and her return to Grey Gardens.

There are many highlights throughout, but the one that made me gasp was a transcript and facsimile of a longish letter written by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1972 on Olympic Airlines stationary as she was flying. This letter details her love and attachment to both Edies. It gives very personal insight into those relationships but also to her own life that I have never seen written anywhere.

I could not recommend this book more highly.

Eva Beale has assembled a wonderful tribute to Little Edie. As she stated in her Amazon.com description of the book, the photos provide touching insight into Little Edie's life as a whole. It is clear that Little Edie lived life on her own terms, and she inspired many more people than she probably ever was aware of. What a treat this book is, and it was well worth the wait. Thank you, Eva, for your hard work toward providing this tribute to Little Edie's memory.

Had to order this book through Strand in New York--Amazon didn't have it available by Christmas. Wonderful personal photos, letters, and writings from Edie's life. Helps shed some light on the elusive duo of Big and Little. Like all good things, leaves you hungry for more.

This book is a must own for Grey Gardens enthusiasts and us Little Edie-philes. The photos are stunning, the poems by Little Edie are telling and heartbreaking and it is just an incredible book that was produced with great care and love. A superb edition, it is limited, so get it while you can. The Edies would be proud!

LOVE IT! If you are interested, or, obsessed with the Edies as I am, you will adore this book. So many great pictures & info to enjoy. Tons of Little E's poetry and notes. Fantastic!

Bouvier Beale wrote in his essay for this book:

We hope this book will help see Edie differently and with a deeper appreciation of how she grew into the familiar character from the Grey Gardens documentary. We hope not to only restore her dignity, but also make known her sensitivity, passion, and genius that we, as her family, remember vividly. It was clear that Little Edie wanted her story to be shared.

Edith Bouvier Beale of Grey Gardens: A Life In Pictures is beyond beyond as I like to say... and the quote above is perfect. Bravo!

The layout and choice of photographs in the book are sumptuous and stunning. I loved the use of Edie's poetry, Bouvier Beale's essay, and the letters from Jackie also. The book truly does restore Edie's dignity, sensitivity, passion and genius - our goals for our books were the same.

Looking through this book was an emotional experience for me - the same thing happened as I read through Edie's 100 or so cards and letters to me between 1976 - 2001 for my next book Letters of Little Edie Beale: Grey Gardens and Beyond her dignity, wit and intelligence shined through.

Edie was so much more than the one dimensional "character" on screen in Grey Gardens and I do think that the public is realizing they saw only a fraction of many layers in the film.

Congratulations to Eva Beale and everyone else involved with the book!
Anyone who loves Grey Gardens and or Edie Beale must have it!

I believe there are also autographed copies of this magnificent publication available on www.greygardenscollections.com


Walter Newkirk
author,
memoraBEALEia: a private scrapbook about Edie Beale of Grey Gardens
1st cousin to 1st lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Edith Bouvier Beale of Grey Gardens: A Life in Pictures This wonderful book made me feel like I went treasure hunting in Grandma's attic and found her scrapbook. What a life both Edith's had and to share it with us is a true treasure find. I love looking at peoples old photos it shows history coming alive from such a personal level. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!! THANK YOU TO THE BEALE FAMILY FOR SHARING.

I enjoyed reading and veiwing all the pictures in the book it gave me a new understanding of Big and Little Edie Beale. Little Edie was a beautiful young woman ahead of her time. I think all you Edie Fans will enjoy this book it was put together beautifully.
Suzan Rango
Las Vegas NV

I love Grey Gardens and both Mayles films on the subject, but this book is a waste of $50. Many pages are just copies of childhood drawings (example: pages 50 and 51 is a centerfold of a "hand made folder" -- 2 pages of colored circles with the word "poems" written on it). Surely the family could have come up with a few more photographs or letters to add to the book instead. Many of the photos in the book are of very poor quality and there is little in the way of descriptions. You're paying for lots of white space in this very expensive book. It doesn't do justice to Edith.

I LOVED this. I have it wrapped in plastic and one must be immaculate and/or wear gloves even to look at it. I wish there were more items and the wife of her nephew had not edited out the more flamboyant Edies because we love them because of that, NOT in spite of it. They were not crazy - they created a wonderful world of their own and made it work!