Great Dames: What I Learned from Older Women [Paperback]

Marie Brenner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2001

"Fascinating, gossipy, entertaining. . . ."
— New York Times Book Review

They are ten outstanding women of the century. Each had an aura, including Thelma Brenner, the first great dame her daughter ever knew. Their lives were both gloriously individual and yet somehow universal. They were mighty warriors and social leaders, women of aspiration who persevered. They lived through the Great Depression and a world war. Circumstances did not defeat them. They played on Broadway and in Washington. They had glamour, style, and intelligence. They dressed up the world.

"Vivid, intimate portraits . . . a splendid tribute to ten of the century's grandest, most powerful women."
—Us

"These women were our geishas, whispering in our ears to influence all aspects of American life."
—Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times

"Delectable, classy . . . a runaway hit."
—Liz Smith

"An engrossing introduction to a way of life that's now extinct, for better or for worse."
—Chicago Sun-Times

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An accomplished author (House of Dreams: The Bingham Family of Louisville) and a writer-at-large for Vanity Fair, Brenner gathers 10 skillfully drawn portraits of women "of a certain age," ranging from Jacqueline Onassis to her own mother, Thelma Brenner. Eight of the pieces were assigned by and originally ran in Vanity Fair or the New Yorker. Her subjects include Constance Baker Motley, the lawyer who argued Brown v. Board of Education; Luise Rainer, who won back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actress in 1936 and 1937; Kay Thompson, creator of the Eloise books; Pamela Harriman, a U.S. ambassador to France and Democratic Party fund-raiser; Clare Boothe Luce, author and U.S. ambassador to Italy; intellectual and author Diana Trilling; Marietta Tree, a political hostess and society figure; and Kitty Carlisle Hart, actress and former head of the New York State Council on the Arts. Brenner lauds their courage in surviving such catastrophic events of the 20th century as the Great Depression and WWII, and admires their drive and ambition, which in that era meant marrying or having liaisons with men whose wealth or status could help them achieve their dreams. What these women have in common, Brenner argues, is an ability to maintain a public life, to guard the image they created no matter what suffering might have been borne in silence. They rose to fame in a gentler era than our own, Brenner believes; her tributes are invested with nostalgia for the gallantry her subjects displayed in what was essentially a man's world. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Brenner profiles 10 women of varying degrees of prominence and accomplishment who came of age in a time when the outlets for women's aspirations were limited. They were all sharp-edged women who "knew how to stay on the floor until the last dance." The subjects include Jacqueline Onassis, Pamela Harriman, Clare Boothe Luce, and Diana Trilling. Although from divergent backgrounds, they all had wit and resilience and were noted for their ability to smile and deny whatever background (Jewishness, for example) or current circumstance (divorce from a prominent husband) might be a social hindrance. Among them are women of serious accomplishment and serious social climbing. Constance Baker Motley, who argued Brown v. Board of Education, seems in odd company here. Brenner's aunt was Anita Brenner, a writer and intellectual of the 1930s. So Brenner has the background and writing style well matched to this inside look at these fascinating women and their relationships with other famous people. Eight of the profiles originally appeared in Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Vogue. Vanessa Bush --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (April 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609807099
• ISBN-13: 978-0609807095
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.9 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,146,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong Women Who Perservered and Lived Life to the Fullest, April 11, 2000

By 

J. Fargo "interwoven artist" (Denton, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Great Dames: What I Learned from Older Women (Hardcover)

Marie Brenner has written a profound collection of essays of some incredible, profound, and dare I say, "great dames." I laughed at some of their exploits. I cried at the tragedies that touched each of their lives in some way, and I came away a better person able to deal with life with a bit more perserverance than I knew I had. The women in this book were not perfect...far from it at times, but neither are any of us! Great Dames is really wonderful! Especially enjoyable were the chapters about Marie's mother, Thelma Brenner.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marie Brenner: Great Dame of Journalism!, March 26, 2000

By 

Dr. Phyllis Weaver (Englewood, NJ; Fisher Island, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Dames: What I Learned from Older Women (Hardcover)

In her latest book,"Great Dames: What I Learned From Older Women," Marie Brenner captures the spirit of the ten women she interviews in a succinct articulate style. Ms. Brenner is an astute interviewer and analyst, in the style of Doris Kearns Goodwin, the presidential biographer. Her "stories" read as easily and intimately as works of fiction. She extracts the essence of each Great Dame--her phrasing is efficient yet rich--leaving the reader almost satisfied, maybe wanting just a little bit more story, a little bit more of the secrets behind the dames. Some further analysis of the relationships which drove the Dames to "Dameness" would have enriched the reading for me. On balance, Great Dames is great reading.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving ... every woman can relate, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Great Dames: What I Learned from Older Women (Hardcover)

I couldn't get enough of Marie Brenner's story telling ability. I ate up every word she said about her mother.

I feel like all women could tell very similar stories about our own.

The book does a great job of showing the tension between endearment and the struggle for independence.