Of Diamonds and Diplomats: An Autobiography of a Happy Life

by Letitia Baldrige

Secretary to diplomats and President's wives, Letitia Baldrige's memoirs are full of her adventures in Paris, Rome and Washington, D.C.

337 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I knew the late Christian Dior and Jacques Fath, and went to parties with towering, handsome Hubert de Givenchy. I followed every model off the drawing boards of Madame Grès, Jean Desses, Castillo, Nina Ricci.

I would buy exquisite material wholesale from the husband of a French girl who had gone to Vassar, Hilaire Colcombet of Bucol. The façon for making a dress or suit at my friends’, the big couture houses, never cost me more than $40.00.

Now it would cost me $2000 for a single evening dress.

Returning to life in the United States, having to buy clothes off the rack that never fit my tall frame, and which I see coming from every

[Vasilena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this early version of Balridge's autobio. At the time she couldn't reveal much, especially from her time with the Kennedys, since she was still in business and you have to tone down the honesty for vagueness at the point and time. However, her force-of-nature personality, ambition and brilliance shines, and the one liners are incredible. Really useful account of the time and place, especially for women in public relations.

[Vickie Nailing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life will never be the same. This was an era where ladies were ladies and men were gentlemen. We need to get back to etiquette.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing memoir by Letitia Baldrige, who served as Social Secretary at both the French and Italian embassies, public relations director at Tiffany's in New York, and then the social secretary for Jacqueline Kennedy during the JFK White House years. When this book came out in 1968, Ms. Baldrige was still working for the Kennedy family, at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. She wrote a considerably more frank book about the famous people in her life much later on, but this one is still very entertaining.

**#121 of 120 books pledged to read/review in 2016**

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this earlier autobiography by Letitia Baldrige. It was fun to compare the similarities and differences with her much later published memoir. In this book in particular, Baldrige seemed to go into more detail about her time working in The White House. I highly recommend both books for a fascinating glimpse of a time long passed.

[Marilynn]

Ms. Baldrige was Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis's social secretary in the Camelot years. Fascinating read into the behind the scenes of life in the White House.