AS HEARD ON RADIO 4 WOMAN'S HOUR

Captivating . . . a brilliant many-layered social history of women's ambition. – Observer

Fascinating . . . a piece of forgotten female history. – Sunday Times

Deeply researched history, leavened with gossip. – TLS

WELCOME TO THE BARBIZON, NEW YORK'S PREMIER WOMEN-ONLY HOTEL

Built in 1927 as a home for the 'Modern Woman' seeking a career in the arts, the Barbizon became the place to stay for ambitious, independent women, who were lured by the promise of fame and good fortune. Sylvia Plath fictionalized her time there in The Bell Jar, and over the years, its 688 tiny floral 'highly feminine boudoirs' also housed notable figures such as Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, Joan Didion, and Liza Minnelli, among many others. Mademoiselle boarded its summer interns there - perfectly turned-out young women, as did Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School its students - in their white-gloves and kitten heels.

THE BARBIZON is a colourful, glamorous portrait of the lives of the young women, who -- from the Jazz Age New Women of the 1920s to the Liberated Women of the 1960s -- came to New York looking for something more.

'A treat, elegantly spinning a forgotten story of female liberation, ambition and self-invention.' – Guardian

'The story of the Barbizon is in many ways the story of American women in the twentieth century.' – Economist

'Illuminating . . . this vivid, well researched account is testament to its vibrant history and the women who made it such a powerhouse.' – Daily Express

Pages: 336, Year of Publication: 0208, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm