Customer Reviews

The Sisters: Babe Mortimer Paley, Betsy Roosevelt Whitney, Minnie Astor Fosburgh : The Lives and Times of the Fabulous Cushing Sisters

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

....Granted, not a great book - but a very good one. To me - this is a fasinating look at an era that exists no longer. These women led extremely interesting lives - not only in the people they married - but the way in which they chose to live them. Try and get a copy of this book - you won't regret it. It is one of my favorites.

I tend to agree with reviewer, Margaret Ogilvie, about this book. I was interested in learning more about style icon, Babe Paley, and her family and although the author did tell the interesting story of her upbringing (father was famous brain surgeon, Henry Cushing) and subsequent marriages of the 3 sisters, I found the story lacked substance. I didn't really feel I left the book knowing anything more about Babe Paley or her sisters. I learned, for instance, that Betsy married to FDR's son and they had a troubled marriage but it (Grafton's story) seemed like distant heresay. I've read great biographies and this was not one - I felt I was, as Margaret Ogilvie said, reading a compilation of newsclippings. I read through this book, unimpressed and rather disappointed. I'm hoping there are other books available about the Cushing sisters, specifically Babe Paley.

This book is a recommended read for those of us who missed the golden age " 30's and 40's. These sisters were the mold of modern day society seekers of today. Babe Paley, Minnie Astor, Betsy Roosevelt Whitney, were women of a certain drive that lead them to start trends, create style to always be associated with them that was replicated by Jackie O. From Truman Capote to the royals, these girls shook things up. Its a history lesson with a haute coutre fashions in between.

This is a must read, for the summer,winter or fall. You will not be disappointed, it is a who's who of the thirties and up to the 70's. I have reread it found things that peek my interest such as other books and artist I have forgotten, so buy it you will not regret it.

The only good thing about this book is that it has no grammatical errors or typos. This is the shallowist of biographies, probably gleaned from newspaper clippings. There are lists of who wore what at each sister's wedding as well as who attended and, later, lists of who was left exactly which items when the sisters died. In between is a vast nothingness, punctuated only with the barest details of the sisters' lives. We never do find out what they themselves are like - surely the whole point of a biography.

The Cushing Sisters were an intriguing trio, by now largely forgotten except for their nearest and dearest. Groundbreaking neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing of Boston had three beautiful daughters born at the cusp of the 20th Century, but it was his wife who raised their girls with the single goal of making good marriages.

Daughter Betsey grew up to wed James Roosevelt, son of then-President Franklin Roosevelt, until she divorced him for the far-richer John (Jock) Hay Whitney.

Minnie married fabulously wealthy Vincent Astor, but not for long. Vincent subsequently married Brooke Astor, the sole survivor of this group of siblings and spouses and ex-spouses; Brooke has devoted her life to using Vincent's money for good works. And Minnie's second husband was...gasp!...not rich.

The beautiful Barbara, known as "Babe," first married socialite Stanley Mortimer, then divorced him and married the much richer founder of CBS Television, Bill Paley. Along the line, Babe became a fashion icon, the tastemaker of her generation.

These three women gave shape to the Jet Set of the 1950's and 1960's. In writing THE SISTERS, author David Grafton sheds light on a fascinating family and, in the process, Grafton also provides a snapshot of a fascinating moment in social history.

Not worth the paper that it's printed on!
Obviously, this author had no access whatsoever.
A total outsider's account.
Save your time and money!

I thought it was a good book, it kept immersed in the fabulous lives of the Cushing sisters.