A Lady, First; My Life in the Kennedy White House and the American Embassies of Paris and Rome

New York: Viking, 2001. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. Very good/Good. xii, 292 pages. Illustrations. Index, DJ has wear, tear and some soiling. DJ is price clipped. Inscribed and date by the author on the fep. Letitia "Tish" Baldrige (February 9, 1926 - October 29, 2012) was an American etiquette expert, public relations executive and author who was most famous for serving as Jacqueline Kennedy's Social Secretary. Known as the "Doyenne of Decorum", she wrote a newspaper column, ran her own PR firm, and, along with updating Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Book of Etiquette, she published 20 books and appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and the cover of Time magazine. In this fascinating memoir, she reveals a career sparkling with a host of other achievements: embassy work overseas, becoming the first female executive at Tiffany & Co., and founding one of the first companies run by a female CEO. Derived from a Kirkus review: A vivacious memoir by etiquette and style maven Baldrige that recounts, with humor and personal insight, her experiences in the diplomatic corps, the White House, and as a Tiffany senior executive, among others. Baldrige chronicles her life from her Depression-era childhood in Omaha through an illustrious career that included serving as personal assistant to the US Ambassadors to France and Italy, and as White House Social Secretary to Jackie Kennedy. Baldrige with luck, pluck, and drive forged an adventurous and inspiring career at a time when women were expected to be stenographers or to get married. The numerous anecdotes are the highlight here, many of which include Baldrige's own foibles. The author's personality and charm make for engaging reading. Her energy and will to tackle new experiences as well as the exciting company she keeps, has given her much worth communicating. Vibrant and delightful-but a humanizing look at the rich and famous of the past six decades above all.