by Meryl Gordon
First published 2025
New York Times bestselling author Meryl Gordon presents the biography of Perle Mesta, the Washington socialite who commanded attention equal to Eleanor Roosevelt. Gordon traces how this wealthy widow transformed her talent for hosting spectacular gatherings into political influence. Mesta cultivated close relationships with Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and Lyndon Johnson through her famous parties that brought together politicians and celebrities. Her political acumen led Truman to appoint her as America's first female envoy to Luxembourg. Gordon documents Mesta's financial rescue of Truman's struggling 1948 presidential campaign and her pioneering advocacy for the Equal Rights Amendment as a major Democratic fundraiser. The author chronicles Mesta's glamorous lifestyle across Newport, Manhattan, and Washington while examining her significant but overlooked contributions to American politics and feminism. This thoroughly researched biography reveals how one woman's social connections became a powerful force in mid-century American political life.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, political-science
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: based-on-true-story, powerful-women
Setting: Luxembourg, Manhattan, Newport, Washington
Period: Mid-20th Century
496 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing