Madam [eBook - NC Digital Library] : The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age

The compulsively readable and sometimes jaw-dropping story of the life of a notorious madam who played hostess to every gangster, politician, writer, sports star and Cafe Society swell worth knowing, and who as much as any single figure helped make the twenties roar—from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Most Famous Man in America . “Applegate’s tour de force about Jazz Age icon Polly Adler will seize you by the lapels, buy you a drink, and keep you reading until the very last page.... A treat for fiction and nonfiction fans alike." —Abbott Kahler, New York Times bestselling author (as Karen Abbott) of The Ghosts of Eden Park Simply put: Everybody came to Polly's. Pearl "Polly" Adler (1900-1962) was a diminutive dynamo whose Manhattan brothels in the Roaring Twenties became places not just for men to have the company of women but were key gathering places where the culturati and celebrity... The compulsively readable and sometimes jaw-dropping story of the life of a notorious madam who played hostess to every gangster, politician, writer, sports star and Cafe Society swell worth knowing, and who as much as any single figure helped make the twenties roar?from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Most Famous Man in America . "Applegate?s tour de force about Jazz Age icon Polly Adler will seize you by the lapels, buy you a drink, and keep you reading until the very last page....?A treat for fiction and nonfiction fans alike." ?Abbott Kahler, New York Times bestselling author (as Karen Abbott) of The Ghosts of Eden Park Simply put: Everybody came to Polly's. Pearl "Polly" Adler (1900-1962) was a diminutive dynamo whose Manhattan brothels in the Roaring Twenties became places not just for men to have the company of women but were key gathering places where the culturati and celebrity elite mingled with high society and with violent figures of the underworld?and had a good time doing it. ? As a Jewish immigrant from eastern Europe, Polly Adler's life is a classic American story of success and assimilation that starts like a novel by Henry Roth and then turns into a glittering real-life tale straight out of F. Scott Fitzgerald. She declared her ambition to be "the best goddam madam in all America" and succeeded wildly. Debby Applegate uses Polly's story as the key to unpacking just what made the 1920s the appallingly corrupt yet glamorous and transformational era that it was and how the collision between high and low is the unique ingredient that fuels American culture The compulsively readable and sometimes jaw-dropping story of the life of a notorious madam who played hostess to every gangster, politician, writer, sports star and Cafe Society swell worth knowing, and who as much as any single figure helped make the twenties roar—from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Most Famous Man in America . "A fast-paced tale of ... Polly’s many court battles, newspaper headlines, mobster dealings and society gossip.... A breathless tale told through extraordinary research.” — The New York Times Book Review Simply put: Everybody came to Polly's. Pearl "Polly" Adler (1900-1962) was a diminutive dynamo whose Manhattan brothels in the Roaring Twenties became places not just for men to have the company of women but were key gathering places where the culturati and celebrity elite mingled with high society and with violent figures of the underworld—and had a good time doing it. As a Jewish immigrant from eastern Europe, Polly Adler's life is a classic American story of success and assimilation that starts like a novel by Henry Roth and then turns into a glittering real-life tale straight out of F. Scott Fitzgerald. She declared her ambition to be "the best goddam madam in all America" and succeeded wildly. Debby Applegate uses Polly's story as the key to unpacking just what made the 1920s the appallingly corrupt yet glamorous and transformational era that it was and how the collision between high and low is the unique ingredient that fuels American culture. Meet The Real-life Figure To Rival The Fictional Great Gatsby. From The Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Of The Most Famous Man In America, The Compulsively Readable And Sometimes Jaw-dropping Life Of The Notorious Madam Who Played Hostess To Every Gangster, Politician, Writer, Sports Star And Cafe Society Swell Worth Knowing, And Who As Much As Any Single Figure Helped Make The Twenties Roar Simply Put: Everybody Came To Polly's. Pearl Polly Adler (1900-1962) Was A Diminutive Dynamo Whose Manhattan Brothels In The Roaring Twenties Became Places Not Just For Men To Have The Company Of Women But Were Key Gathering Places Where The Culturati And Celebrity Elite Mingled With High Society And With Violent Figures Of The Underworld--and Had A Good Time Doing It. As A Jewish Immigrant From Eastern Europe, Polly Adler's Life Is A Classic American Story Of Success And Assimilation That Starts Like A Novel By Henry Roth And Then Turns Into A Glittering Real-life Tale Straight Out Of F. Scott Fitzgerald. She Declared Her Ambition To Be The Best Goddam Madam In All America And Succeeded Wildly. Debby Applegate Uses Polly's Story As The Key To Unpacking Just What Made The 1920s The Appallingly Corrupt Yet Glamorous And Transformational Era That It Was And How The Collision Between High And Low Is The Unique Ingredient That Fuels American Culture. Everybody came to Polly's. Pearl "Polly" Adler was a diminutive dynamo whose Manhattan brothels in the Roaring Twenties became places not just for men to have the company of women. They were key gathering places where the culturati and celebrity elite mingled with high society and with violent figures of the underworld-- and had a good time doing it. As a Jewish immigrant from eastern Europe, Adler's life is a classic American story of success and assimilation. She declared her ambition to be "the best goddam madam in all America" and succeeded wildly. Applegate shows just what made the 1920s the appallingly corrupt yet glamorous and transformational era that it was, and how the collision between high and low is the unique ingredient that fuels American culture. -- adapted from jacket From a nobody to a legend -- Man plans, god laughs -- The jazz baby -- What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this? -- Liquor and lust -- Thumbs up with the mob -- The double standard -- The party girl racket -- The underworld complex -- The Jewish jezebel -- The female Al Capone -- Café society -- The big shot -- Madam emeritus "A biography of Pearl "Polly" Alder, New York City madam and icon of the Jazz Age"-- Provided by publisher