• 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
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (627 ratings)

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The Gospel According to Coco Chanel  By  cover art

The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

By: Karen Karbo
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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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)

What listeners say about The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

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  • DG
  • 06-07-12

Karbo is Such a Mom

If you could sum up The Gospel According to Coco Chanel in three words, what would they be?

Best Feminism Ever!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Coco of course, but Karbo is quite interesting herself.

Have you listened to any of Bernadette Dunne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I loved her performance. She really creates an atmosphere and brings a lot of energy to the story. She makes it alive like I believe Karen Karbo intended.

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

The idea that some of the greatest people of our time have "created" themselves literally in their own minds and refused to let anyone correct them.

Any additional comments?

Great infusion of fashion history in a way that a none fashion buff can also relate to. In fact, I was able to give background info to my husband (who probably didn't care, but pretended very well) about a recent Chanel headline.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

She's one of my faves

What made the experience of listening to The Gospel According to Coco Chanel the most enjoyable?

This is a funny and accurate account of Coco Chanel. You can relate to Karen Karbo as if she were your friend. If you like Chanel this is a must for you. You will learn more about her and get a kick out of the perspective.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

COCO Chanel

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

A book that refers to photographs which we can't see in an audiobook, isn't a good thing..I only listened to a little bit, and noticed that since I couldn't see the photos, I was missing a great deal of the concept of her work.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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...👌

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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perfection!

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

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Disappointed

I was disappointed in this book. It just wasn't what I expected. I would like to return it for a refund if possible but I can't find the place to ask for a return credit.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous darling!

I loved this book from stem to stern. Pithy, fun, informative, just an overall hoot. I never knew queen Coco had such a start. I love her even more now because she was an innovative fighter to her core. Smart storytelling kept me riveted. Terrific narrator! Loved it. Do give it a listen, won’t you?

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyed thoroughly

An account of Coco told very even handedly...Well done
The only part of this telling that erred is the mention of "Sarah Palin" as comparable to Chanel. That was a monumental misstep of the author as so many others of the magnificent female (or male or otherwise) form would have been a better fit.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Makes you think

Love the history
Make you look at style different
Enjoyed listening to the book on my daily commute

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