A.L.T.: A Memoir by Andre Leon Talley Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of A.L.T.: A Memoir
Book Review: A gentle tribute to two formidable women
Summary: 5 Stars
I didn't know much of Andre Leon Talley aside from mentions in the Andy Warhol diaries and his occassional TV appearances providing commentary on celebrity fashions. A stereotypical shallow and superficial TV fashion personality, I thought.Well this book set me straight. I was expecting a bitchy expose about Talley's career in the fashion world but it turns out there many more layers to the flamboyant Talley than he lets the public see. Lovingly recounting his childhood with his grandmother in North Carolina, Talley salutes the foundations which shaped the core of his personality. One can visualize his grandmother's sheets, feel themselves in Talley's home church and taste the after church dinners just by turning the pages.
After receiving degrees from North Carolina Central State and Brown University, Talley sets off to pursue his destiny in New York. His life and career are forever altered when he meets fashion legend Diana Vreeland. Talley remembers his grandmother and Vreeland with a great deal of love. His writing reveals a real fondness for women which doesn't always seem to be the case with males in the fashion business. So while I didn't get the expose I was expecting particularly about his Warhol days, I did learn that Talley is a man of spiritual and intellectual substance.
I would have liked to read more about his experiences as a Black male in the predominantly White fashion industry but that's only a minor quibble. I highly recommend this book.
Book Review: A worthwhile read for any fashion follower
Summary: 4 Stars
That luxury and style can be found in many places is the resounding message in this book. While the flow of the writing is occasionally choppy, the content makes reading this book an enjoyable experience. Every time I put this book down, I anxiously looked forward to the next time I could get back to Andre's remarkable story. How an African-American boy in 1950/60s North Carolina evolved from spending his 9-year-old's allowance on Vogue magazine to his critical break after college landing a volunteer position under the direction of Diana Vreeland at the Costume Institute is truly a page-turning read. This is a fast, easy read; suitable for anyone interested in fashion. Makes me want to go out and purchase a pair of buttery-soft Kislav gloves!Book Review: Fab!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Devil Wears Prada will get more attention than A.L.T. which is too bad becuase this is the real thing. ALT's memories of NYC, and the world of fashion are just too good to pass up. In this book you have a facinating person talking about his life and his love for two equally amazing women, Diana Vreeland and his grandmother. Buy this one. It's a keeper.Book Review: Fabulous!
Summary: 5 Stars
If only everyone in the fashion world were like A.L.T.! This book is interesting, well-written, and a great summer read. Mr. Talley is truly a gentleman who has class, dignity, and style. For anyone who reads Vogue and knows about StyleFax, this is a must!Book Review: So happy I bought it.
Summary: 5 Stars
I fell in love with the book after the first review I read about it. I'd, probably, would have never picked it myself, though very much follow the fashion and did know who A.L.T. was. If you think the book is about fashion...Wrong-Wrong-Wring. It's about the beauty of living a decent life and the luxury of experiencing human love; the luxury of lacking something in your life and as a result, treasuring everything you are blessed with. It's such a memoir jewel, at times I felt like I was reading about my own childhood. Don't even question - grab it and enjoy.
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