Edie: American Girl

Very, very good, well researched book on Edie's life and the milieu in which she grew up. Her speed addiction is very well detailed with a few unforgettable, very descriptive telling moments told by her brother who was interviewed at length. There is a lot of detail of her family, the book paints a picture of just how dysfunctional the family was and the probability of that dysfunction molding her later life but it just tells the story letting the reader decide. I have read several books on her life and this was by far the most detailed and the best, for me this is the definitive Edie Sedgwick book.

Seems excessive to trace her family back to the 1700s. It’s difficult (and unnecessary, really) to keep track of the various family members from 100+ years ago. Edie is barely mentioned in the first 100 pages, but if you make it that far, the book picks up and her story takes off quickly. I like the oral history aspect - getting multiple perspectives of the same scenes, usually from people who were there. Very sad, but interesting story. It certainly takes the shine off the mythos of the Factory scene, that’s for sure.

The book definitely gave you a true feel of the sixties and Edie’s era. Edie comes across at first as a mover and someone who was capable of overcoming her mental instability and building herself a career. She appears likable and impressionable. As you get farther into the book, you see that she was not only faced with personal challenges but the whole group that she associated with hindered any chance that she might have had to get on track. It quickly moves toward the unfortunate climax and keeps your interest despite the fact that one knows how it will end. That always a good quality in a book. it would have been a bonus if there had been more photos of Edie and friends but that’s a minor point. This is was written years ago but it still is worth reading today. I have seen parts of Ciao! Manhattan, which was made shortly before her death and is mentioned in the book, and it shows the strain and desperation she suffered through in her New York years.

I enjoyed the style in which this book was written, with excerpts of conversations of siblings and friends, people who knew Edie personally and the Sedgwick family history and revelation of mental illness that ran through generations. This book is excellent in getting to know the truth and is well written by Jean Stein and George Plimpton and is articulate in exposing the dynamics of this complex family and dysfunctional problems that existed within the family long before Edie entered Radcliffe and moved to New York City. The authors did an excellent job of chronicling every aspect of this generation of the Sedgwick family and introduced the reader to the famous "Sedgwick Pie" and is a personal perspective of this family's lineage. Even though it was written in 1982, this book does not read dated at all. In recent years it has been suggested that Edie may have suffered from a type of personality disorder, but there is no denying the mental illness that affected her father and two brothers. Interesting pictures of family, Edie, and friends are included as well. This is probably the best book ever written about this troubled girl.

this book is definitely worth a read for those who are interested in the fabric of the sixties (r)evolution - edie sedgwick is not a particularly engagring person and represents much of the excessive, narcissistic fringe of the era. Her dna and incredibly abusive father seem to lead her onto a road of self-indulgence and ultimate self-destruction that is painful to observe, a saga well depicted by the dozens of her associates who narrate the various episodes of her life. I felt the insights and information about her dysfunctional family and the lengthy segment about Andy Warhol and the denizens of his Factory were the strengths of the book. The pace and authenticity of the narrative technique and the fascinating slice of American social history make this book well worth the read.

A name I've heard so much about, without any comprehensive understand of exactly who and what Edie Sedgwick really was, I eagerly read through this missive. A long prologue on the Sedgwick family does shed light on what made up her internal dynamic, and her story is certainly fascinating as a bright shooting star in the Sixties. The book relies extensively on attributed quotes and remembrances, showing how little of the real Edie was out there, how little we knew beyond the glistening exterior, the fame, the myth and the rumor. Still, I found it an enjoyable look into the life that (probably) inspired Dylan's "Rolling Stone" and possibly other classics. A sad, misunderstood life in and out of the fishbowl.

I read this book years ago and remember finding it fascinating. Reading it now I feel so sorry for the kids in the Sedgwick family. They were such a mess. The father was a total control freak and the mother just ignored them, especially Edie. Edie was surrounded by people like Andy Warhol who used her for his own purposes and then just abandoned her even after it was obvious that she was severely mentally ill. I can't believe he didn't even attend her funeral. The 60's wasn't all the fun it was made out to be. I remember because I was there too. This is a pretty sad story. The first time I bought it I think I paid close to $25 for it. This time it was $1.99. Times have changed!

Llegó bien, la calidad es buena en relación al precio. Una gran lectura.

Love it it's a thick book so many pages it will take a long time to read but I love it

Took me a little bit to get used to the format, but I loved this book. Very intriguing insight into the fabulous Edie Sedgewick.

Random input from various people. The reader has to piece it altogether. No real explanations. As another reviewer said, a very, very long (and boring) family tree explanation at the start - literally couldn't see the wood for the trees.For the most part it’s made up of random described scenes, comments and titbits about Edie and “the scene”. The impact of Edie’s physical beauty and financial inheritance on others are apparent. Regardless, a lot of the scenarios described were to me ugly, cynical, and joyless. Warhol comes across as a creep (who made some clever “soup can” paintings is all). And the Factory, for all its infamy and self-promotion - produced v little talent, when all is said and done. Lou Reed had a very brief association, but he and Velvet Underground would have been a success regardless. I scanned about half the book and sent it back. The photos weren’t much good either.

A classic book that brings the genius, wit and originality of Edie alive, with well researched interviews and wide range of photos. Sadly, as with many great women in history, Edie is often only depicted as Warhol's "muse" rather than the brains (and voice) behind his early empire, paving the way for the new wave that was Pop Art. This book has more depth and insight than others, but of course no account of Edie's life will ever be complete or true. The book celebrates Edie's unique, creative pure essence, but doesn't shy away from the dark shadow self, the hollow myth, the self-destructing mystery, which is why we'll always be fascinated by Edie, and why this book will always be a best seller. Essential Edie reading for fans old and new.