Few Americans born after the mid-1970s will know the name Perle Mesta, but she was once "The Hostess with the Mostest," famous enough in her day to have a Broadway musical (and, later, a feature film adaptation) written about her. Between her 1885 birth in Sturgis, Mich., (though she often lied about her age) and her 1975 death in Oklahoma City, Okla., Mesta saw society completely transform, and she was determined to be a part of it. In The Woman Who Knew Everyone, New York University journalism professor Meryl Gordon (Mrs. Astor Regrets) tracks Mesta from childhood and adolescence to her marriage to Pittsburgh steel tycoon George Mesta (he died eight years later), and the biography quickly becomes a who's who of the 20th-century U.S. political elite.
In gossipy and conversational prose, Gordon brings readers to lavish parties with pink champagne, celebrations in Luxembourg with Mesta serving as U.S. minister to the country, and overtly political operations at party conventions--including one with Eddie Fisher as entertainment. Woven throughout are reminders of why Mesta threw such parties: of course, she loved them, but she was also devoted to promoting causes such as the Equal Rights Amendment.
Filled with fascinating tidbits and cameos by famous and infamous figures, The Woman Who Knew Everyone is neither a political nor a society biography; instead, it bridges the gap in enthralling ways. Gordon's deep research includes historical news articles, letters, and interviews with people who knew Mesta, so readers will feel they're getting the inside scoop. An excellent choice for those interested in 20th-century U.S. history, The Woman Who Knew Everyone brings the name Perle Mesta into the 21st century. --Alyssa Parssinen, freelance reviewer and former bookseller