Debutante: Rites and Regalia of American Debdom (Cultureamerica)

Rating:
Summary: Silly, repetitive book
Review: The book shows us the history of American debdom from the colonial era to the present day. I thought it was going to be more interesting than it was. The more I read, the sillier the whole concept of being a debutante seemed. I also felt like the author copied the style of the reporters who used to report on debutante balls. She would breathlessly describe fabrics for paragraphs, or tell us that so and so had shown up at this ball. It was sort of like reading a trashy magazine you can buy at the supermarket.

Rating:
Summary: Okay, but it should have been longer
Review: This book was a fun and quick read, but it wasn't really what I had expected. Since it is published by a University press, I assumed that the book would be a serious history of a rather fun subject. However, I was disapointed that there was no analysis whatsoever on anything that Marling discusses. Instead, it was basically a list of anecdotes, many of which we've heard before.

In addition, I felt that she glossed over some pretty key points: such as the fact that the more ostentatious debutant balls are still alive and well, instead of just having transformed into the democratic prom. There was, for example, no mention of Lauren Bush's debut at the Bal de Debutantes, the party and event circuit that goes on in places like the Hamptons every summer was not mentioned, nor was there any discussion of the "it's for charity" line that the wealthy now use as an excuse to party.

The book is certainly not terrible: it is a quick and simple and fun read. If you ever wanted to be a debutante, the book is definately worth reading. However, the book would have been much better if Marling had gone one way or the other: either made it a picture book filled with historical photos and anecdotes; or made it a serious history that offered some analysis.

Rating:
Summary: Okay, but it should have been longer
Review: This book was a fun and quick read, but it wasn't really what I had expected. Since it is published by a University press, I assumed that the book would be a serious history of a rather fun subject. However, I was disapointed that there was no analysis whatsoever on anything that Marling discusses. Instead, it was basically a list of anecdotes, many of which we've heard before.

In addition, I felt that she glossed over some pretty key points: such as the fact that the more ostentatious debutant balls are still alive and well, instead of just having transformed into the democratic prom. There was, for example, no mention of Lauren Bush's debut at the Bal de Debutantes, the party and event circuit that goes on in places like the Hamptons every summer was not mentioned, nor was there any discussion of the "it's for charity" line that the wealthy now use as an excuse to party.

The book is certainly not terrible: it is a quick and simple and fun read. If you ever wanted to be a debutante, the book is definately worth reading. However, the book would have been much better if Marling had gone one way or the other: either made it a picture book filled with historical photos and anecdotes; or made it a serious history that offered some analysis.