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

by David Grafton

Book Overview

Babe Mortimer Paley, Betsey Roosevelt Whitney, and Minnie Astor Fosburgh--if they weren't real people, Dominick Dunne would have invented them. The glamorous, tragic, and shocking story of the beautiful people's most glittering doyennes. 16-page photo insert.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394584163
• ISBN13: 9780394584164
• Release Date: February 1992
• Publisher: Villard Books
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Fabulous times in a bygone age

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.

A Fascinating Family

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.