The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

Life Lessons from the World’s Most Elegant Woman

By: Karen Karbo

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Delving into the long, extraordinary life of renowned French fashion designer Coco Chanel, Karen Karbo has written a new kind of book, exploring Chanel’s philosophy on a range of universal themes—from style to passion, from money and success to femininity and living life on your own terms.

Chanel is credited not simply with giving us the little black dress and boxy jackets, but with popularizing pants for women and easy, practical clothes that allowed women a chic freedom they’d never known before. In her strong-headed, elegant, opinionated, passionate, entirely French way, Coco Chanel helped bring women into the modern era, and because of this she was the only person in fashion to be named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century.

Karen Karbo weaves Chanel’s life story into chapter themes that subtly convey life lessons and leave the reader utterly entranced with Chanel’s amazing individuality, confidence, and determination. The story of the designer’s extraordinary life and rise to unprecedented success is both compelling and admirable. And while the great Coco may have launched her singular empire a hundred years ago, her methods, attitude, and élan are as relevant and modern as ever, and perhaps more appealing. Chanel was a self-made girl who knew how to make do with less until she had more, discover and stay true to her own style, problem solve using the tools at hand, and do it all with seemingly effortless flair. The Gospel According to Coco Chanel is a captivating, offbeat look at style, celebrity, and self-invention—all held together with Karbo’s droll Chanel-style commentary and culled from an examination of Chanel’s difficult childhood and triumphant adulthood, passionate love affairs, career choices, habits, eccentricities, and personal philosophies.

©2009 Karen Karbo (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Anyone with a good sense of humor should hugely enjoy, or should I say enjoie, Karen Karbo’s funny and stylish take on Coco Chanel. Like a little black dress, this handy life guide will take you from day into evening. K. K. on C. C.: oui, oui!” (Henry Alford, author of How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth))

“Wise, witty, and refreshingly colloquial, The Gospel According to Coco Chanel is an enchanting tour through the complex, often controversial life of fashion icon Chanel. Filled with relevant life lessons for the modern woman, this book is Karbo at her irrepressible best.” (Hilary Black, editor of The Secret Currency of Love: The Unabashed Truth about Women, Money, and Relationships)

A Fashion Icon way ahead of her time...

Africa, Antarctica, Paris, Milan, Japan, and Korea...no matter where you go, the legendary Coco Chanel has been heard of. An extraordinary fashion icon and innovator, this trailblazing Diva changed not only the way we perceive women's fashions, but also the very nature of how fashion is conceptualized by the masses. Intuitively understanding the power fashion possesses upon the human psyche, she challenged preconceived assumptions and societal norms, and altered the global fashion landscape forever.

Karen Karbo does an amazing job chronicling the many fascinating aspects of Chanel's life. Narrator Bernadette Dunne does an equally incredible job bringing Chanel's story to life, leaving the listener eagerly awaiting to hear the next juicy tidbit of Chanel's meteoric rise to international fame and stardom.

Overall, I rated this wonderfully engaging title 5 stars, but if I could, I would have gladly rated it a 10 because it simply was that good 👍 to listen to....

I highly recommend it...👌

Iconic story and performance

I am only 1/3 of the way in but I adore the writing and narration. They weave and perform Chanel's story beautifully into all things I wonder about a famous icon's true story.

Style, Fashion, our closets and life

Great thought provoking read, enjoyable fun and page turning!! Fashion eloquence and comfort .. are the SAME for all single great pieces of clothing that is in good style not the exceptions but the rule for a single garment of clothing, NO .... really, shut up and dress me!!

So Interesting

I stumbled upon this book by accident, knowing very little about Coco Channel and her life, and coming out on the other side intrigued, surprised, and satisfied. The author was charming, witty, and delightful. I enjoyed this book greatly.

CC

Karen Karbo is a great story teller. I love fashion and it’s interesting to learn about different designers in their time period. WELL DONE.

love love love

Thank you! I love the story the way it was written and delivered. it's a bit of a inside of both the author and coco challenging the "norm" being woman femenin and passionate! Inspires to be the brightest you can be!!

Easy listen

I listened while spending the day at my own sewing machine and envisioned CC dashing through Paris snubbing her nose at the haute rich class all the while taking their money. A strong self-assured woman that could hold her own against the male dominated society yet unashamedly taking lovers. Determined to be her own woman and refusing to give up her identity for a man.
It takes you through her humble beginnings to her classy end, weaving a tale detailing her strengths without giving over to female dominance.

Wow - totally unexpected

This audio book was fantastic. I only downloaded this book because it was free with my subscription. I enjoy fashion, but I don’t own any Chanel. I think what drew me to this book is the overall theme of elegance and luxury. If you enjoy that, then you’ll get so much out of this book. I knew nothing of Chanel’s life or history before listening to this book. It turns out, she was pretty amazing. This author does a great job of keeping the book light and funny, even when discussing some heavy and serious topics. The narrator is phenomenal! This was an unexpected surprise and I’m so glad it came my way!

If You Love Fashion...

you need to experience this book! It was so much fun and so insightful! Chanel is is epic in so many ways.

perfection!

I adore this., like a spring breeze in monet's garden. I feel like I knew her .