The Swans of Fifth Avenue

A Novel

By: Melanie Benjamin

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Paul Boehmer

Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller

The author of The Aviator's Wife returns with a triumphant new novel about New York's "Swans" of the 1950s - and the scandalous, headline-making, and enthralling friendship between literary legend Truman Capote and peerless socialite Babe Paley.

People’s Book of the Week • USA Today’s number-one “New and Noteworthy” Book • Entertainment Weekly’s Must List • LibraryReads Top Ten Pick

Of all the glamorous stars of New York high society, none blazes brighter than Babe Paley. Her flawless face regularly graces the pages of Vogue, and she is celebrated and adored for her ineffable style and exquisite taste, especially among her friends - the alluring socialite Swans Slim Keith, C. Z. Guest, Gloria Guinness, and Pamela Churchill. By all appearances, Babe has it all: money, beauty, glamour, jewels, influential friends, a prestigious husband, and gorgeous homes. But beneath this elegantly composed exterior dwells a passionate woman - a woman desperately longing for true love and connection.

Enter Truman Capote. This diminutive, golden-haired genius with a larger-than-life personality explodes onto the scene, setting Babe and her circle of Swans aflutter. Through Babe, Truman gains an unlikely entrée into the enviable lives of Manhattan's elite along with unparalleled access to the scandal and gossip of Babe's powerful circle. Sure of the loyalty of the man she calls "True Heart", Babe never imagines the destruction Truman will leave in his wake. But once a storyteller, always a storyteller - even when the stories aren't his to tell.

Truman's fame is at its peak when such notable celebrities as Frank and Mia Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, and Rose Kennedy converge on his glittering Black and White Ball. But all too soon, he'll ignite a literary scandal whose repercussions echo through the years. The Swans of Fifth Avenue will seduce and startle listeners as it opens the door onto one of America's most sumptuous eras.

Praise for The Swans of Fifth Avenue

“Exceptional storytelling...teeming with scandal, gossip and excitement.” (Harper’s Bazaar)

“This moving fictionalization brings the whole cast of characters back to vivid life. Gossipy and fun, it’s also a nuanced look at the beauty and cruelty of a rarefied, bygone world.” (People)

“The era and the sordid details come back to life in this jewel of a novel.” (O: The Oprah Magazine)

©2015 Melanie Benjamin (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"The strange and fascinating relationship between Truman Capote and his 'swans' is wonderfully reimagined in this engrossing novel. It's a credit to Benjamin that we end up caring so much for these women of power, grace, and beauty - and for Capote, too." (Sara Gruen, New York Times best-selling author of Water for Elephants)

"Benjamin convincingly portrays a large cast of colorful historical figures while crafting a compelling, gossipy narrative with rich emotional depth." (Library Journal)

“Shamelessly gossipy...a catty, juicy read that’s like a three-martini lunch.”(USA Today)

Lovely glimpseInto a different world

The narrator did an impressive job of making this story come to life. It was initially hard for me to get into as high society of that era is not my world but as I caught up I came to care for the swans and Capote. It wasn't my favorite book ever, but it was a good listen.

Too long

Interesting background story but it felt like a more detailed retelling of a gossip column series. Way too many descriptions of Babe Paley's makeup routine and overuse of the swan metaphor. I found the authors note at the end most frustrating when she states that all her subjects were liars in real life, so she can make up whatever she wants about them. Disrespectful to her subjects. Disappointed in the book overall. Should have been about 1/3 shorter.

Great!

Loved the female voice, male's was somewhat distracting. Great story, I wanted to learn more of the background after reading

Tremendously entertaining - a confectionary tale!

I listen to books while walking. This one may have cost me what remains of the cartilage in my knees. I did not want it to end.

I look forward to searching this author’s works for the next one. I’ll save it for when I want to drop another 5 pounds!

Love this book!

Absolutely loved every minute of this book did not want it to end!!!!! Beautifully written!

Good book, annoying performance

I was really looking forward to this book, but the performance kind of ruined it for me. It's a fascinating story and that kept me going up to the very end. Unfortunately, other than Babe, most of the characters are underdeveloped. On top of that, their flatness is just exaggerated but the odd, caricature voices the actors put on throughout. I probably would have enjoyed this more if I'd just read the book myself.

went on a road trip to finish audible! Fantastic!

It took me a few chapters, then I was immersed in their lives. Made me nostalgic for something...Beauty, art, culture, murder with good bloodlines.

Good Gossip, better than an old People Magazine

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, great narration using 2 different narrators.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Swans of Fifth Avenue?

Truman's Black & White Party - what a fascinating event. Both my mom and I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the online images of the Swans and others at Truman's Black & White Party after we finished the book. And I was interested to see they're making a movie about the party!

Have you listened to any of Cassandra Campbell and Paul Boehmer ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no-

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

not at all. Wanted to take a bath in between listenings... Icky...

Any additional comments?

My mom doesn't often recommend books she's read, since our tastes don't diverge often. But she thought I might enjoy this one. "It's not my favorite", she explained, "but it was ok, and you might enjoy it." And, it was on my "to read" list based on other friends' recommendations, so when it was available through Audible's BOGO sale, I thought I'd give it a try so I had something to discuss in depth with my mom.

I do agree with my mom - it's not my favorite, but you might enjoy it, especially if you love celebrity gossip (from 60 years ago), designer fashion, and insight into the lives of the ridiculously rich and famous. It's all based on real-life relationships and events surrounding Truman Capote and his society "swans", which was really interesting, but I felt like taking a shower after reading many sections of this book; their lives were so icky and very sad in many ways, in my opinion.

I'd give this 3.5 stars. A captivating train-wreck of a novel.
Very good narration on the Audible Audiobook, by two narrators.

(I thought all along that this was probably the same author of one or more other "novels" I've read about famous people... if you are a friend I shared that it might be the same author who wrote about the loves of Frank Lloyd Wright (Loving Frank) or Ernest Hemingway (The Paris Wife) nope, it's in the same genre but different authors. I didn't read anything by Melanie Benjamin before, but have since found out she's a friend of a sorority sister of mine, so will likely read more by her!)

Good for my car ride.

If you know Copote's work you'll enjoy the social background..... Even though it's FICTION
Give it a try

Fantastic!

At almost 70, I have been reading about these people forever. So great to get a sensitive and detailed story.

I enjoyed this a lot — especially the detailed information about the relationship between Babe Paley and Truman Capote.

What seems to onlookers to be glamorous and dramatic can be heartbreaking to earnest and sensitive participants.

Really enjoyed this narration.