Inventing Elsa Maxwell : how an irrepressible nobody conquered high society, Hollywood, the press, and the world

The sun never sets on Elsa Maxwell -- The Duchess of Keokuk -- An oasis of civilization in the California desert -- Where were you at 5:13 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906? -- Now Voyager, sail thou forth -- Send me a tenor -- I've written a letter to mother -- Dickie -- A night at the suffragist opera -- Fifty million Frenchmen -- A perfect blendship -- A funny thing happened on the way to Versailles -- A footnote as big as the Ritz -- I love the nightlife -- Jean, Joy, and Noël -- Noblesse oblige -- Everything's coming up Elsa -- The guilty party -- We open in Venice -- Sunrise at Monte Carlo -- The rotunda of generous matrons -- How to become a movie star at fifty-five -- Upstaged by her own underwear -- When in doubt, give a party -- Put the blame on Elsa -- Enigma variations -- And say hello to my niece, Princess Margaret -- The Isles of Greece -- One God, one Callas -- Snakes on a plane -- Rome trembled -- "Jack's guests tonight are-- " -- Cocktails and laughter, but what comes after? -- When death occurs -- Renewer of hearts -- Dickie revisited -- Elsa's kingdom.;Chronicles the life and career of Elsa Maxwell, who was an actress, socialite and the queen of party giving.

Inventing Elsa Maxwell, the first biography of this extraordinary woman, tells the witty story of a life lived out loud.

With Inventing Elsa Maxwell, Sam Staggs has crafted a landmark biography. Elsa Maxwell (1881-1963) invented herself–not once, but repeatedly. 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. 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. 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. All the while, Elsa dashed off newspaper columns, made films in Hollywood, wrote bestselling books, and turned up on TV talk shows. She hobnobbed with friends like Noel Coward and Cole Porter. Late in life, she fell in love with Maria Callas, who spurned her and broke Elsa's heart. Her feud with the Duchess of Windsor made headlines for three years in the 1950s.

One of the twentieth century's most colorful characters is brought back to life in this biography by the author of All About All About Eve.

Inventing Elsa Maxwell , the first biography of this extraordinary woman, tells the witty story of a life lived out loud. With Inventing Elsa Maxwell , Sam Staggs has crafted a landmark biography. Elsa Maxwell (1881-1963) invented herself–not once, but repeatedly. 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. 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. 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. All the while, Elsa dashed off newspaper columns, made films in Hollywood, wrote bestselling books, and turned up on TV talk shows. She hobnobbed with friends like Noel Coward and Cole Porter. Late in life, she fell in love with Maria Callas, who spurned her and broke Elsa's heart. Her feud with the Duchess of Windsor made headlines for three years in the 1950s. One of the twentieth century's most colorful characters is brought back to life in this biography by the author of All About All About Eve . 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 With Inventing Elsa Maxwell , Sam Staggs has crafted a landmark biography. Elsa Maxwell (1881-1963) invented herselfnot once, but repeatedly. 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. 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. 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. All the while, Elsa dashed off newspaper columns, made films in Hollywood, wrote bestselling books, and turned up on TV talk shows. She hobnobbed with friends like Noel Coward and Cole Porter. Late in life, she fell in love with Maria Callas, who spurned her and broke Elsa's heart. Her feud with the Duchess of Windsor made headlines for three years in the 1950s. Inventing Elsa Maxwell , the first biography of this extraordinary woman, tells the witty story of a life lived out loud.

One of the most vivid personas of the twentieth century brought back to life in this biography by the author of All About All About Eve

 

Elsa Maxwell's life was one of great self-invention. Built like a bulldog, with a face to match, she rose from simple beginnings as an only child in San Francisco to take New York City society—at its most mid-century cosmopolitan—by storm. In London, Paris, Venice, and Monte Carlo, royalty, both genuine and aspiring, clamored for invitations to Elsa's legendary parties. At those glamorous happenings the titled, the talented, the monied, and those on the make all mixed together in let-'er-rip gaiety. Her guests expected the unexpected: black ties and paper plates, murder parties, treasure hunts, elephants, elaborate costumes. She fell in love with Maria Callas, and nursed a broken heart when the diva spurned her. Elsa's feud with the Duchess of Windsor made headlines for three years in the 1950s. An early and frequent guest on that new innovation, the TV talk show, Maxwell was also a bestselling author.

The first biography ever of Elsa Maxwell is an enthusiast's witty story of a life lived out loud.

The sun never sets on Elsa Maxwell The duchess of Keokuk An oasis of civilization in the California desert Where were you at 5:13 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906? Now voyager, sail thou forth Send me a tenor I've written a letter to mother Dickie A night at the suffragist opera Fifty million Frenchmen A perfect blendship A funny thing happened on the way to Versailles A footnote as big as the Ritz I love the nightlife Jean, Joy, and Noel Noblesse oblige Everything's coming up Elsa The guilty party We open in Venice Sunrise at Monte Carlo The rotunda of generous matrons How to become a movie star at fifty-five Upstaged by her own underwear When in doubt, give a party Put the blame on Elsa Enigma variations And say hello to my niece, Princess Margaret The Isles of Greece One God, one Callas Snakes on a plane Rome trembled Jack's guests tonight are Cocktails and laughter, but what comes after? When death occurs Renewer of hearts Dickie revisited Elsa's kingdom. Elsa Maxwell's life was one of great self-invention. Built like a bulldog, with a face to match, she rose from simple beginnings as an only child in San Francisco to take New York City society - at its most mid-century cosmopolitan - by storm. Maxwell was also a bestselling author. This biography tells her story.