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lagerlout's review against another edition
3.0
As crazy and mad as Peggy herself must have been. The memoirs are a complete mess, but somehow still wonderfully endearing. The writing isn't much, however I did get a sense of Peggy, how she must have spoke and how she must have lived.
Her life is enviable. Enough money to do as she pleased, swanning about Europe, London, New York - each time with a different lover or husband. Her life wasn't dull and I wished to sit in the cafes and galleries with her, talking until 4am about art and life and all her different men.
At times a difficult read, bogged down in names and events and occasions (and SCENES! So many scenes!), but always charming and unique. Much like Peggy Guggenheim must have been.
Her life is enviable. Enough money to do as she pleased, swanning about Europe, London, New York - each time with a different lover or husband. Her life wasn't dull and I wished to sit in the cafes and galleries with her, talking until 4am about art and life and all her different men.
At times a difficult read, bogged down in names and events and occasions (and SCENES! So many scenes!), but always charming and unique. Much like Peggy Guggenheim must have been.
rachelevolve's review against another edition
3.0
Because I had already read "Art Lover" I gave this only 3 stars.
theatabby's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.75
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
3.0
Whether you'll enjoy Peggy Guggenheim's autobiography or not depends on what you're after. If you want deep insight into her life and reflections on art, you're bound to be disappointed. If you enjoy reading about rich, eccentric bohemians gallivanting around Europe in the first half of the century, forever hunting for summer houses, you're in luck. Guggenheim is not a gifted writer, and some may find her prose off-putting. I found her laconic delivery amusing, intentional or not. Every shocking, shattering thing is presented with the same matter-of-fact tone.
On her childhood:
My childhood was excessively unhappy: I have no pleasant memories of any kind.
On her father drowning on the Titanic:
From then on we avoided the White Star Line like the plague.
On her violent first husband who beat her up regularly:
I was taken by the shoulders and hurled against the wall. I did not in the least relish this treatment because I was pregnant again.
You get the picture. There are also many interesting, awkward and cringeworthy tidbits about famous artists and writers. Hilariously, she mentions that her editor completely rewrote the book (the first one, this is a combination of one published in the sixties and another tracking her later years) so that she had to put everything back the way it was.
She does not come across well. If this is due to lack of self-awareness or not giving a damn, I couldn't tell.
On her childhood:
My childhood was excessively unhappy: I have no pleasant memories of any kind.
On her father drowning on the Titanic:
From then on we avoided the White Star Line like the plague.
On her violent first husband who beat her up regularly:
I was taken by the shoulders and hurled against the wall. I did not in the least relish this treatment because I was pregnant again.
You get the picture. There are also many interesting, awkward and cringeworthy tidbits about famous artists and writers. Hilariously, she mentions that her editor completely rewrote the book (the first one, this is a combination of one published in the sixties and another tracking her later years) so that she had to put everything back the way it was.
She does not come across well. If this is due to lack of self-awareness or not giving a damn, I couldn't tell.
abaddon287's review against another edition
No self-reflection by the author. Simple language; chronological re-telling of a privileged life.
_dunno_'s review against another edition
4.0
Being in the proximity of Modernism feels like a backstage pass to your favourite band's gig. Which is kind of awesome.
I was quite intrigued by Peggy's life and choice of men, but I eventually arrived at the conclusion that one mustn't say too much about other people's memoirs and definitely mustn't judge based on their own value system. So there you are: if you're into Cubism, Abstract Expressionism and Surrealism, give it a try and don't be too harsh on her.
I was quite intrigued by Peggy's life and choice of men, but I eventually arrived at the conclusion that one mustn't say too much about other people's memoirs and definitely mustn't judge based on their own value system. So there you are: if you're into Cubism, Abstract Expressionism and Surrealism, give it a try and don't be too harsh on her.
kecordell's review against another edition
2.0
This book poorly wrote about an interesting topic. Guggenheim's life was probably fascinating, but her lack of explanation and disjointed chapters prevented the story from flowing in a readable way. The pictures throughout the book were placed with no regard to what was happening in the story, and the black-and-white images did not lend themselves to the colors described throughout her life.
emma_ireland's review against another edition
5.0
Great literature it's not, but for the pleasure it gave me, five stars. Because that's what it's all about in the end.