I'd Rather Be Reading

Laurence Leamer on Truman Capote and the Swans—and the New Ryan Murphy “Feud” Show About Them


Listen Later

For our season nine finale I have a legendary journalist, Laurence Leamer, here to talk about his book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era, which is the basis for the new Ryan Murphy show on FX, Feud: Capote vs. the Swans. (I loved the first iteration of Feud—about Bette Davis and Joan Crawford—and I love everything Ryan Murphy does.) The show has a cast as deep as any ocean: Naomi Watts. Diane Lane. Demi Moore. Calista Flockhart. Chloe Sevigny. Molly Ringwald. And Tom Hollander as Truman Capote. It premieres on FX on January 31 (and the next day on Hulu) and it will be appointment television for me. Through this book, this series, and this conversation, we dip our toe into New York City high society, into the world of Truman Capote and his “Swans”—glamorous women who were Capote’s closest confidantes. Babe Paley, Slim Keith, CZ Guest, Gloria Guinness, Pamela Harriman, Lee Radziwell, and Marella Agnelli were not just beautiful and wealthy, but intelligent and interesting. Then, enter the “feud” portion of the program: Capote wrote a piece for Esquire called “La Cote Basque 1965,” in which he puts the Swans’ dirty secrets in black and white, and in print for the entire world to read. The women cut Capote off totally; it was social suicide, and it led to Capote’s downfall that ultimately resulted in his death. Why did he do this? He thought they’d be too dumb to know the piece was about them. It was one of the worst decisions he could have ever made. Here to tell us all about it is the legendary Laurence Leamer, who is regarded as an expert on the Kennedy family and who has written biographies of not just the Kennedys but also the Reagans, Johnny Carson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ingrid Bergman, and Donald Trump’s resort, Mar-a-Lago. By the way, I have to throw this detail in here—his book about Mar-a-Lago was controversial and banned him from the resort for life. Not unlike that detail, this book and this conversation are as compelling as it comes.


Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer


“La Cote Basque” by Truman Capote for Esquire

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

I'd Rather Be ReadingBy I'd Rather Be Reading

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

27 ratings


More shows like I'd Rather Be Reading

View all
Happier with Gretchen Rubin by Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

12,950 Listeners

A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica by Claire Mazur & Erica Cerulo

A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica

753 Listeners

The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast by Lauryn Bosstick & Michael Bosstick / Dear Media

The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast

14,910 Listeners

Next Question with Katie Couric by iHeartPodcasts

Next Question with Katie Couric

4,900 Listeners

Second Life by Second Life

Second Life

2,851 Listeners

The goop Podcast by Goop, Inc. and Audacy

The goop Podcast

6,727 Listeners

Totally Booked with Zibby by Zibby Owens

Totally Booked with Zibby

605 Listeners

The Dr. Hyman Show by Dr. Mark Hyman

The Dr. Hyman Show

9,358 Listeners

Everything is Fine by Jennifer Romolini and Kim France

Everything is Fine

881 Listeners

Chasing Life by CNN

Chasing Life

8,225 Listeners

Lipstick on the Rim by Sony Music Entertainment

Lipstick on the Rim

972 Listeners

Dear Gabby by Gabby Bernstein

Dear Gabby

6,089 Listeners

Here's Where It Gets Interesting by Sharon McMahon

Here's Where It Gets Interesting

15,330 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,713 Listeners

Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa by Kelly Ripa

Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa

3,998 Listeners