American Eve
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4.7 • 9 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
The scandalous story of America’s first supermodel, sex goddess, and modern celebrity—Evelyn Nesbit.
By the time of her sixteenth birthday in 1900, Evelyn Nesbit was known to millions as the most photographed woman of her era, an iconic figure who set the standard for female beauty, and whose innocent sexuality was used to sell everything from chocolates to perfume. Women wanted to be her. Men just wanted her. But when Evelyn’s life of fantasy became all too real and her insanely jealous millionaire husband, Harry K. Thaw, murdered her lover, New York City architect Stanford White, the most famous woman in the world became infamous as she found herself at the center of the “Crime of the Century” and a scandal that signaled the beginning of a national obsession with youth, beauty, celebrity, and sex.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Uruburu, an associate professor of English at Hofstra who has consulted for the History Channel, examines the notorious life of model and chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit (1885? 1967), whose rise to stardom was as spectacular as her subsequent fall. Born in rural Pennsylvania, Florence Evelyn Nesbit was an "exceedingly pretty infant" who by 15 had achieved success as an actress and model in New York City, where her blend of sultry sexuality and unspoiled purity attracted the eye of famed architect and playboy Stanford White. But Pittsburgh heir and sexual sadist Harry K. Thaw wanted Nesbit for himself and vowed to expose White's "immoral" conduct with underage girls. Thaw went on to brutally rape and beat Nesbit, yet she agreed to marry him. Still consumed with jealousy, Thaw shot White to death in 1906, leading to a headline-grabbing trial. Uruburu's depiction of Nesbit's early life and career is richly detailed, but the book loses steam near the end and barely addresses Nesbit's post-trial tailspin into alcoholism. Still, readers will appreciate the parallels between Nesbit's "It Girl" status and our own celebrity-obsessed culture. Photos.
Customer Reviews
A Must Read
A fascinating story that is beautifully written. Never have I read a workof non-fiction that reads like a "can't-put-down" novel. Uruburu has a painter's eye for detail, and her graceful sentences transport the reader to another time. She also has a sharp wit, which is what makes this such a singular book -- and such a cut above most biographies. Buy this book. I guarantee you will LOVE it!