![]() ![]() She set New York a-twitter with her soirees at the Waldorf, her costume parties, and her headline-grabbing guest lists of the rich and royal, movie stars, society high and low, and those on the make all mixed together in let-'er-rip gaiety. Shunning boredom and predictability, Elsa established herself as party-giver extraordinaire in Europe with come-as-you-are parties, treasure hunts (e.g., retrieve a slipper from the foot of a singer at the Casino de Paris), and murder parties that drew the ire of the British parliament. Built like a bulldog, she ascended from the San Francisco middle class to the heights of society in New York, London, Paris, Venice, and Monte Carlo. Elsa Maxwell (1881-1963) invented herself–not once, but repeatedly. ![]() With Inventing Elsa Maxwell, Sam Staggs has crafted a landmark biography. One of the twentieth century's most colorful characters brought back to life in this biography by the author of All About All About Eve ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |