All We Know: Three Lives

by Lisa Cohen

  Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data

  Cohen, Lisa, 1962–

  All we know : three lives / Lisa Cohen. — 1st ed.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references.

  ISBN: 978-1-4668-2010-4

  1. Murphy, Esther, 1898– 1962. 2. Acosta, Mercedes de, 1893– 1968. 3. Garland, Madge, 1896–1990. 4. Women— Biography. 5. Biography— 20th century. 6. Modernism (Aesthetics)—History— 20th century. 7. Women intellectuals— Biography. 8. Socialites— United States— Biography. 9. Women authors, American— 19th century— Biography. 10. Women fashion designers— England— Biography. I. Title.

  CT3235 .C64 2012

  920.72— dc23

  2011041055

  www.fsgbooks.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Contents

  Three Lives

  A Perfect Failure

  No Such Word as Fail

  To Fill up Her Knowledge in all Directions

  Bachelor Heiress

  The Rumble of the Tumbrels

  All Very Queer and a Little Depressing

  Too Late or Too Soon

  The Sublime Governess

  The Grave’s Intercom

  Fantasia on a Theme by Mercedes De Acosta

  Velvet Is Very Important

  I Absolutely Refused

  I Was Free

  Who Need Never Be Mentioned

  To Remake My Career

  Professor of Fashion

  Notes on Discretion

  Looking Is Not Vanishing

  Notes

  Acknowledgments

  Index

  A Note About the Author

  Copyright