First published 1991
Dominick Dunne compiles his most revealing Vanity Fair essays into one sharp collection. He takes readers inside the gilded world of high society, examining both its glamorous figures and their spectacular downfalls. The book features portraits of socialites, billionaires, and cultural icons, from Phyllis McGuire's Las Vegas empire to Baron Thyssen's art obsessions. Dunne explores Adnan Khashoggi's financial collapse, the Rockefeller family's ballet world controversies, and Robert Mapplethorpe's final artistic statement. He dissects social hierarchies in Venice, follows the Windsor family aftermath, and chronicles Roberto Polo's grandiose schemes. Each essay peels back the veneer of wealth and privilege to reveal the human dramas underneath. Dunne writes as both insider and observer, using his access to expose the vulnerabilities behind the marble facades and designer gowns.
Genres: 20th-century, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-observer
Setting: Las Vegas, Venice
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
268 pages · Hardcover · Crown