Cruising with Kate: A Parvenu in Xanadu

by Bernard F. Conners

Overview

Buckle up and enjoy a rollicking ride with Bernard and "Cool Kate," his unflappable wife, on a memorable trip behind the scenes at diverse places such as corporate boardrooms, The Paris Review, and the FBI, with jaunts to Hollywood and the Hamptons and points in between. Watch for the bold-faced names as you rove through Manhattan, from the staid and proper 21 Club to dining with the stars at Elaine's.

Marvel at the challenges confronting Bernard as publisher of The Paris Review, while mixing with New York's literati, including Norman Mailer, Truman Capote, Gore Vidal, and George Plimpton. Shiver with Bernard's "Butterflies" as he struggles to balance his day job surveilling top hoods under the watchful eye of J. Edgar Hoover with his nighttime frolics as an arriviste among Manhattan's haute monde. 

Hang on as Bernard authors and publishes best-selling books while negotiating with Hollywood auteurs and producing award-winning films. Feel his uncertainty during the dreaded author tours as he appears on the Today Show and the BBC. Follow the insecure Bernard's nouveau riche climb up New York's social ladder from a tiny two-room penthouse to the board of a Fifth Avenue residence and—finally—to a lavish upstate Xanadu.

Be forewarned, however, this trip is not for the faint of heart.  Those offended by Truman Capote-esque revelations about the high and mighty, by tawdry gossip, or by jolting faux pas may want to avoid the trip!

For the daring, however—those ready for a whimsical fling—fasten your seatbelt and prepare for a rag-to-riches literary joyride with A Parvenu in Xanadu.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780945167570
Publisher:	British American Publishing, Limited
Publication date:	03/07/2015
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Bernard F. Conners, former publisher of The Paris Review, has had a distinguished career in government, business, publishing, and film. He is the best-selling author of Dancehall, Tailspin, The Hampton Sisters, and Don't Embarrass the Bureau. Mr. Conners lives in Loudonville, New York. 
 

Table of Contents

Part I 1

1 Meeting God 2

2 Sex with Amelia 11

3 Confessional Jitters 15

4 Butterflies and Smoking Machos 20

5 Jews and WASPs 24

Part II 27

6 Self-Pity 28

7 Duking It Out with Windmills 33

8 Troopship 37

9 Waltzing in the Alps 40

10 George Plimpton 45

11 General Jitters 51

Part III 55

12 Steeplejack 56

13 Cool Kate 60

14 Cooler Mother-in-Law 66

15 Quarterback No More 68

16 G-Man versus Army Officer 75

Part IV 77

17 Introduction to J. Edgar 78

18 Through the Looking Glass 84

19 Underwater at "Acapuico" 92

20 Close Call 95

21 Chicago Nights with Cementhead 102

Part V 109

22 Big Leagues 110

23 Riptide 116

24 Newlyweds 122

25 Unarmed in Harlem 127

26 The Tragedy of Julius and Ethel 131

27 Disorganized Crime 136

Part VI 141

28 Coast Guard Rescue 142

29 Payne Whitney Yacht 148

30 DeWitt and Lila Wallace of Readers Digest 151

31 High Winds to Hillsdale 154

Part VII 159

32 Wrath of the Righteous 160

33 Scribner's Acceptance and Rejection 163

34 Publication and Reaction 167

35 Today Show 178

36 Minor League Football 184

37 Al Capp Cabal 187

38 Hoover's Reaction 195

39 Writing Ethics 199

Part VIII 205

40 Saving The Paris Review 206

41 Shoot-Out at The Paris Review 216

42 The Hampton Sisters 225

43 "Delectation and Delight" with Donald Fine 234

44 Boldfaced Names 247

Part IX 251

45 In Xanadu a Parvenu 252

46 Fireworks with Plimpton 260

47 Self-Publishing versus the Orphanag 264

48 Slighted in Southampton 267

Part X 271

49 Social Climbing 272

50 British American Entertainment 278

51 The Honeymooners 287

52 The Hermeneutic Principle 292

53 Kate as Prison Guard 296

54 Death of George 299

55 Requiem for a Writer 307

Acknowledgments 317

About the Author 318

Index 319