A Mother's Story

by Gloria Vanderbilt

On a summer day in 1988, Carter Cooper, aged 24, dropped to his death from the 14th-floor terrace of his mother's New York City's apartment. Now, seven years later, Gloria Vanderbilt is finally able to set down the terrible events of that afternoon— to which she was a witness— in a book of overwhelming intensity, feeling, and beauty.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Biography, Autobiography

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 1996

About the author

Gloria Laura Vanderbilt was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite. She was a member of the Vanderbilt family of New York and the mother of CNN television anchor Anderson Cooper. Wikipedia

Gloria Laura Vanderbilt was the author of four memoirs and two novels. She contributed to various publications, including The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Elle, and has received two honorary Doctorates of Fine Arts. She lived in New York City.

Reviews

[With Butterflies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, there are some cold blooded people on Goodreads. I'll never be a mother or a millionaire, but didn't find it at all difficult to connect with Gloria Vanderbilt and her pain.

I thought she did a great job expressing the depth of her pain while celebrating the life of her child.

Very moving.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

VERY QUICK READ ABOUT A MOTHER'S LOSS OF HER SON. I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO CONNECT TO THE AUTHOR. SOMEHOW I FELT THE STORY SHOULD REFLECT MORE OF HER SON RATHER THAN HERSELF. DON'T KNOW SHOULD HAVE FELT MORE BUT I DIDN'T.

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this in one night. I thought it was going to be about just her son, Carter. It was more about Ms Vanderbilt's life and how she was in what she liked to call a Glass Bubble which is mentioned far too much in this less than 200 page novel.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gloria Vanderbilt writes with genuine clarity and openly speaks of her storied past and the gut wrenching suicide of her son. A very enjoyable book that I found well written.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I watch the new Anderson show and I never knew much about him and when he had his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt on his show, i was very intriged. I learned that his brother committed sucicide right in front of his mother so when I found out that she wrote a book about it I just had to read it. I read it in one day! It was such a quick read but I felt that the book is more for her than for other's. It seemed like a way for her to clear the air, so to speak. It really wasn't about Carter it was more about her and basically justifying actions and so on. When she did go on about Carter and how he came to die it was truly painful to read. I mean like, being a mom and being helpless to your child is just unbearable. How he did is just crazy! He wasn't even planning on it it was just his meds that made him do it and that is even worse. I can understand that if your life was miserable and you had to go (figuratively speaking) but just to do something because your high or because of your head not being in the right place, just hurts more. I can only imagine how much that had to suck for her.


I rating he book with 2 stars because it was simply OK. I mean, I felt that the book was her way of explaining to the world of her life and really not so much about Carter. I think she really wrote it to help herself. Get the weight lifted. But I truly felt sorry and really wished she was right and someone was going to tell her that he will be right back.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gloria Vanderbilt and I had plenty in common. Her lack of parental love or involvement and the tragic death of a beloved son are the two main things she spoke of in this book. I slowly read it to savor the story. Heart-breaking but the true words of living in a glass bubble resonated with me. I had to check this out from our local library because it was over $100 to purchase. Rest in peace Gloria and Carter.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an autobiography of Gloria Vanderbilt. It tells of her son's death. He jumped fourteen stories in his mother's home. They are almost certain it was a reaction to asthma medicine from an inhaler-theophylline marginal acute hypoxia. A very good book although heart wrenching.

[kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing Gloria Vanderbilt on her son Anderson Coopers show, i decided to read her book about her family. The book mostly is about her Son and her husband (Author Wyatt Cooper), she also talks about her childhood. A quick interesting read.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you spend 90 minutes waiting to be seen at a doctor's appt, you can finish this book. Interesting read. I've done quite a bit of suicide-related reading and I don't know how I feel about this. In 1988, Gloria Vanderbilt's eldest son lept to his death - before her eyes - from the terrace of their NYC apartment. For the most part I found the style of the book somewhat odd. Much of the book is about Gloria's emotional difficulties growing up (and not knowing much about Gloria Vanderbilt other than "jeans," I found myself on Google piecing together her family tree), and a very overwrought image of a glass bubble. (The decision to reference her husband as "Daddy" was also a bit creepy to me.) But her recounting of Carter's death, and the day leading up to it, is minutely detailed, with every minute and thought seared into her psyche for evermore. To read it is gut-wrenching and I found myself skimming it to lessen reading and bearing witness to someone else's intense and private pain. The inclusion of letters/remembrances from Carter's friends that were sent to her after his death all-too-familiar. It is unbearable pain, and I don't judge (at least not on this). I hope that pain has somehow lessened with the passage of time.

[Terri Durling · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written account by a mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, dealing with the suicide of her son, Carter Cooper, age 23. Her pain and torment is evident throughout the book as she struggles to come to grips with what most mothers fear most, the loss of a child. To lose a loved one to suicide must be horrendous and, in Carter's case, completely unexpected. Gloria witnessed it as well so this image and her inability to prevent it at the time haunts her. They were close and there were many memories of happier times with her beloved husband and Carters father, Wyatt, as well as her younger son, Anderson Cooper, that shine through and sustain her. A very poignant poem written by Carter seems almost eerie of his future even though everyone who knew and loved him, including himself, said he wasn't the type to take his own life. It appears his psychotic state at the time of his suicide may have been caused by a reaction to an allergy inhaler he had just started using. Gloria's epilogue is especially beautiful as she harkened back to happier times and how it never occurred to her they wouldn't last.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This small book is about the suicide of Anderson Cooper's brother (Gloria Vanderbilt was/is their mother.) I know Ms. Vanderbilt was the victim of a love deprived childhood and I imagine that might be why she is quite self-involved. As other reviewers have stated, she writes rather too much about herself.

The book is written in a somewhat dreamlike manner and the best chapter was easily Anderson's tribute to his late brother. The description of how her son jumped off their 14th floor terrace to certain death below was shocking, and she was able to depict that scene with vivid and arresting images.

[Laura Rosa-miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an easy read to a very hard experience It let me into a life of a famous and iconic person she wrote about herself her son her life and that tragic day it was done fine and although she is a famous person in some way if anyone has a sad pass or a horrific experience as was hers we can all relate I think the book is a memoir and it is just that Makes you think that the grass is not always greener on the other side She wrote about real raw feelings that we all feel when it comes to our parents and to our children. Check it out and as I watch Anderson on his show She really did a good job as a Mom

[Clay Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely sad yet completely compelling account of the horrors Ms. Vanderbilt when one of her sons committed suicide right in front of her and the helplessness she felt and continues to feel years later. Written in such and honest and forthright way that had me turning the pages quickly even though some of the passages were hard to take because she puts you there with her and her son, in that room where it happened and you can't help but wonder how she found the strength to pull through and how unfortunate it is that her son wasn't able to find likewise strength before he left this earth.

Do what you can to track this one down.

[Elixxir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can understand a lot of other readers' frustration at how she chose to tell her story but the book is not called My Son's Death, it is A Mother's Story. What she chose to share of her life and how is just as telling and it was a much easier read than I expected it to be from an emotional standpoint. A solid reminder of how uncertain our future is, whether that makes now precious or pointless is open for debate.

[Denise Meine-Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

A raw, real story about losing your son to suicide. It was written in 1996 so the language... "committed suicide" is included. It includes some details about her son's actual death that may be very hard for some to read.
Gloria Vanderbilt speaks of her remaining son - Anderson Cooper - being the only reason she was able to keep living. This is hard to hear and not a very hopeful message.
An okay book but proceed with caution. It is a very quick read.

[alana · Rating 1 out of 5]

...well. i was able to read this in one-sitting. while i found it interesting, and definitely a sad story, it was tough to relate to. plus it annoyed me that it was mostly about herself and not so much about her son.

...also, not a big fan of referring to my husband as "daddy". kind of freaked me out.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm drawn to the stories of mother's surviving the loss of their children...Gloria's book is poignant and a journey through her own grief over the death of her 20something son, Carter. I read it in one day.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gloria Vanderbilt shares her feelings about dealing with loss. Her son (Anderson Cooper's brother) committed suicide. It is a small book that is surprisingly well written. Another glimpse into the life of the famous Vanderbilt family.

[Becca]

A wonderful book on losing a child

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gloria Vanderbilt wrote this story of trying to understand her son's suicide.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sensitive, life-affirming, memoir of rich and famous woman's dealing with her son's suicide and the other losses of her life. One bad word, in appropriate context.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting meandering account from Gloria Vanderbilt about her childhood, her husband and losing her son, Carter (Anderson Cooper's brother), to suicide.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a moving story. Broke my heart to read yet such a testament of deep love and surviving unspeakable hard times.

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even though it was well written I felt she spent more time writing about her husbands death than her sons. I mean the book is called a mothers story not a wifes.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read & insight to Gloria Vanderbilts family life, including the relationship with her son Carter who committed suicide.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read. A sad story .

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

a lot of the same that was in the other books

[Lettie Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since losing AJ, I am drawn to books about suicide.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read books by Gloria Vanderbilt before. This one is sadder since it involves her son's suicide. Priceless to hear her describe her son Anderson as a fat blue-eyed tadpole.

[Mohammed omran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I watch the new Anderson show and I never knew much about him and when he had his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt on his show, i was very intriged. I learned that his brother committed sucicide right in front of his mother so when I found out that she wrote a book about it I just had to read it. I read it in one day! It was such a quick read but I felt that the book is more for her than for other's. It seemed like a way for her to clear the air, so to speak. It really wasn't about Carter it was more about her and basically justifying actions and so on. When she did go on about Carter and how he came to die it was truly painful to read. I mean like, being a mom and being helpless to your child is just unbearable. How he did is just crazy! He wasn't even planning on it it was just his meds that made him do it and that is even worse. I can understand that if your life was miserable and you had to go (figuratively speaking) but just to do something because your high or because of your head not being in the right place, just hurts more. I can only imagine how much that had to suck for her.I rating he book with 2 stars because it was simply OK. I mean, I felt that the book was her way of explaining to the world of her life and really not so much about Carter. I think she really wrote it to help herself. Get the weight lifted. But I truly felt sorry and really wished she was right and someone was going to tell her that he will be right back.