Paulina Bren

A fascinating book on so many levels - a feminist story without being didactic, a fond history of New York City without being ponderous, flavored with gossip and scandal without being cheap - the Barbizon Hotel (now Barbizon/63) still proudly stands 23 stories tall and, in Bren's homage, "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety."

Fascinating history of the Barbizon Hotel, or 'Club Residence for Professional Women', in New York - and other associated topics, including Mademoiselle magazine - which opened in 1928 and weathered nearly 80 years of famous residents, changing trends and declining fortune before being turned into designer condominiums in 2005.

Not the first but one of the most famous female-only residences, the Barbizon was the home of writers including Sylvia Plath and Joan Didion, winners of the show more Mademoiselle 'guest editor' contest, actresses Grace Kelly and Ally McGraw, but also many determined but unknown young women claiming independence from men and marriage in the 1920s and 1930s, including Gibbs Girls and Powers models. Sadly, this pioneering spirit later turned into the 'marriage market' of the 1950s: Yet all the women at the Barbizon, from the debutantes to the Carolyns, shared the same goal: marriage. As bold as one might be, however big one might dream, as a young woman you knew that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was marriage. Had to be marriage. Even if a part of you longed to be an actress, a writer, a model, an artist.

Paulina Bren admits that there are few surviving archives for the Barbizon - I would have loved to see more photos of the original interiors! - but she has certainly done her research and exhausted all available sources, including interviewing a wide selection of past residents. The memory of Sylvia Plath features prominently, combining the symbiotic relationship of the Mademoiselle's guest editors and the safe retreat of the Barbizon - The Bell Jar is a fictionalised account of her stay at the hotel, which she renamed the Amazon (and which I now want to read!)

I would normally be sad to read about the decline of such a memorable establishment in all its Art Deco glory but honestly, after pages of men-mad women, suicides and ageing hangers-on (a small group of original residents clung onto their rooms through numerous renovations and rebuildings, even after men were admitted in the 1980s), I was kind of glad when money moved in and independence moved out. The 1950s were definitely the most depressing era, however!

An entertaining and accessible history of an iconic building, which I sadly hadn't heard of before reading this! show less

Audiobook read by Andi Arndt

Subtitle: The Hotel That Set Women Free

I remember reading Mademoiselle magazine when I was a teen, anxiously poring over the “College” issue and imagining myself on some distant campus, dressed “just so.” I never saw myself in New York City, however, HAD I imagined that I would have imagined myself living at the Barbizon.

Bren has done her research and chronicles the history of the iconic hotel from its conception and construction in 1927 to its eventual show more conversion to multi-million dollar condominiums in 2007. As she tells the story of the hotel, she tells the story of women in America, of their hopes, dreams and aspirations as contrasted with society’s expectations and the structured roles assigned to “proper” women. The list of famous women who lived there is impressive, from writers such as Joan Didion and Sylvia Plath, to film stars (Grace Kelly and Ali McGraw), but it is the countless others who grabbed the chance for independence and success who should really be celebrated. Brava, ladies!

The audiobook is narrated by Andi Arndt and she does a marvelous job of it. Even my husband got hooked on the story when he listened as we drove to dinner one evening. show less

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This was an extremely well-researched book that was for the most part fascinating. I read it just as Women's History Month 2021 launched - perfect timing! This nonfiction historical memoir described the history of the Barbizon Hotel in New York as well as the birth of the feminist movement, primarily focusing on the movement's growth in the 1960's and 1970's. Another focal point show more of the book was the growth of the modeling industry in New York, which I really enjoyed learning about. The book captured the cultural double standard of how men and women were treated in a variety of areas - employment, dating/sex, marriage/childcare, centering mainly on the 1950's and 1960's.

Beginning in the late 1930's through the 1980's, the hotel had an arrangement with Mademoiselle magazine, which allowed a group of 20 young college girls to stay at the Barbizon for a month each summer as a Mademoiselle Guest Editor. Many of the chapters spotlighted one particular woman who had stayed at the hotel, including Joan Didion, Grace Kelly, Gael Greene, and Sylvia Plath. In addition to working at Mademoiselle Magazine, several of the other women who stayed at the Barbizon were models, actors, and dancers. And many attended Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School. Using interviews, letters, books, and articles, the author was able to vividly describe the lifestyle of these young women - their frustrations, limitations, successes and disappointments related to the cultural restrictions of the 1950's and 1960's.

I think this is "must" reading for anyone who wants to know about the birth of the feminist movement. show less