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The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens: A Memoir of the Beales, the Maysles Brothers, and Jacqueline Kennedy
The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens is Jerry Torre’s touching and at times haunting memoir about his teenage days as caretaker of Grey Gardens, the now-celebrated mansion chronicled in the iconic documentary Grey Gardens and two feature-length films. The book is a behind-the-scenes look at “Big Edie” and “Little Edie” and their bizarre and reclusive life of squalor amidst the tremendous wealth of East Hampton, the family bond that developed between Jerry and them, and the afternoon everything was turned upside down forever with the arrival of documentary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles.
What begins as a teenager coming upon what he assumed was an old, abandoned house takes on new dimensions when suddenly Edie appeared on the porch draped in a shower curtain with an apron tied around her head. “You must be the Marble Faun,” she told the stunned Jerry. Rather than chasing him away as he at first feared, she invited Jerry to meet her mother upstairs.
So begins a strange and unusually close friendship with the two women as Jerry takes on the task of volunteer gardener of their estate, often sleeping nights in their living room and staying out of the way of mother-daughter arguments. The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens is Jerry’s look back on the filming of Grey Gardens but also how the notoriety the movie achieved changed his life along with the Beales’s as their private world was shared with audiences everywhere.
What begins as a teenager coming upon what he assumed was an old, abandoned house takes on new dimensions when suddenly Edie appeared on the porch draped in a shower curtain with an apron tied around her head. “You must be the Marble Faun,” she told the stunned Jerry. Rather than chasing him away as he at first feared, she invited Jerry to meet her mother upstairs.
So begins a strange and unusually close friendship with the two women as Jerry takes on the task of volunteer gardener of their estate, often sleeping nights in their living room and staying out of the way of mother-daughter arguments. The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens is Jerry’s look back on the filming of Grey Gardens but also how the notoriety the movie achieved changed his life along with the Beales’s as their private world was shared with audiences everywhere.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2018
92 people are currently reading
821 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
July 16, 2019
Oh for goodness sakes!!
If you’re a fan of the documentary film Grey Gardens, you really need this book in your life. Period!!
I read almost the entire thing in either Big Edie’s or Little Edie’s voice.
If you’re a fan of the documentary film Grey Gardens, you really need this book in your life. Period!!
I read almost the entire thing in either Big Edie’s or Little Edie’s voice.
December 25, 2018
Normally I'm not one for memoirs thinking them as a bit of a necessary evil when wanting to read as much as possible about subjects I'm particularly interested in. However, not this time. I was, quite frankly, blown away with Jerry Torre's simple, beautiful, raw, touching, and highly engrossing memoir of his life with the Beales, and the after-effects of said relationships. I strongly feel this is required reading for fans of Grey Gardens, and those two incredible women, Mrs. Beale and daughter Edie; and also, "Little Jerry".
March 2, 2019
A wonderfully satisfying story
The story mirrored the film but from a real world perspective so to speak. If you’ve seen the film then you know it was out of this world.
Jerry’s story is touching and well told. His life beyond Grey Gardens was interesting but he was able to fulfill my curiosity about the sights and smells within the craziness of the house that lives on in history.
The story mirrored the film but from a real world perspective so to speak. If you’ve seen the film then you know it was out of this world.
Jerry’s story is touching and well told. His life beyond Grey Gardens was interesting but he was able to fulfill my curiosity about the sights and smells within the craziness of the house that lives on in history.
February 1, 2021
I am a huge fan of Grey Gardens, so reading the Marble Faun's AKA (Torre) was a must-read! I found the book full of love and sorrow. However, my biggest pet peeve were all the GRAMMAR errors I found throughout the book.
May 22, 2021
The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens is a candid, honest, open-hearted discourse on one of the most profound experiences a person can have - that of exploring and discovering light in the darkness. It shows what can happen when one has the courage to venture into the unknown, and the beauty within the eye to behold such in the rough of any stone. Reading this book is like peering into a window from the other side of the house, to see an angle of the room more exquisite than you knew existed. It follows the third and most silent, yet deeply observant figurehead of Grey Gardens, Jerry Torre, through his untold adventures with Mrs. Beale and Little Edie. It details the myriad ways they touched and enriched his life in East Hampton and beyond. It is full of the same unorthodox, bohemian adventurism you would expect from any member of such a daring and passionate triad. If Grey Gardens has captured your heart, this story will endear the whole experience to you in a much more intimate way, and make it more delectable to you than ever before. You will be torn between devouring it in one juicy bite and savoring each page like a delicacy. If you love Grey Gardens, you will treasure this book. It is a vital piece for every serious Grey Gardener's collection.
May 26, 2024
I thought this a very sweet & touching memoir; bringing tears to my eyes during a few passages. It goes a bit into Jerry’s life after the Beales which I found interesting. A few times it did feel a wee repetitive. But I enjoyed the read & I’m glad Jerry shared memories of his life & his time at Grey Gardens. I’ve read some negative comments about this book so let me just say two things about that; memory is a funny thing as it’s not always 100% accurate but how we remember things is our truth no matter what, and the measure of how close we feel to someone or how much of an impact they have on us is not measured by time alone. I felt the book was an honest memoir and his love for Big Edie (& Little Edie too) was very evident in this book. During a time when so many people turned their backs on these women it warms my heart to know Jerry was there & that he still speaks of them with kindness, respect, & love.
July 29, 2024
I am OBSESSED with Grey Gardens (I’ve probably watched the documentary 10 times since first seeing it earlier this year), so to be able to read a personal account from The Marble Faun himself, Jerry, was absolutely amazing.
I could tell in the movie that Jerry cared about the Beales and wanted to help them as much as he could. I loved the scenes he was in (“he always compliments me on the way I do my corn”). To hear that he not only helped them clean up the house but also lived there half the time was so interesting and made me love Jerry even more.
And honestly I NEEDED to know what he thought about the “to hell with the Marble Faun!” comment and I always suspected Edie was falsely accusing him of stealing books.
Jerry’s life story beyond Grey Gardens is also fascinating, heartbreaking, and ultimately heartwarming at the end. If you’re also a super fan of Grey Gardens, read this book!
I could tell in the movie that Jerry cared about the Beales and wanted to help them as much as he could. I loved the scenes he was in (“he always compliments me on the way I do my corn”). To hear that he not only helped them clean up the house but also lived there half the time was so interesting and made me love Jerry even more.
And honestly I NEEDED to know what he thought about the “to hell with the Marble Faun!” comment and I always suspected Edie was falsely accusing him of stealing books.
Jerry’s life story beyond Grey Gardens is also fascinating, heartbreaking, and ultimately heartwarming at the end. If you’re also a super fan of Grey Gardens, read this book!
December 19, 2023
Grey Gardens fans rise up!! Grab your phone!! Download Hoopla!! Listen to this audiobook!!
(Definitely not for everyone, but definitely for you if you're into Grey Gardens already.)
I was expecting this to be interesting, I wasn't expecting it to make me laugh, cry, die, resurrect as a better being, etc.
Easily in my top 3 reads of the year. There's something so special about the story of found family, unquestioning acceptance, & eccentric women arguing in New England accents!!
"In this room, Mrs. Beale sang, Edie danced, and a lonely boy found a family to call his own." <3
Jerry is an earnest, kind, & generous storyteller. His story makes me want to travel back in time to 1975 just to squeeze his cheek (affectionately).
+ Tony Maietta went hard asf in his reading of the audiobook. This is a man who understands the meaning of an exclamation point!!
In short, perfect to me.
(Definitely not for everyone, but definitely for you if you're into Grey Gardens already.)
I was expecting this to be interesting, I wasn't expecting it to make me laugh, cry, die, resurrect as a better being, etc.
Easily in my top 3 reads of the year. There's something so special about the story of found family, unquestioning acceptance, & eccentric women arguing in New England accents!!
"In this room, Mrs. Beale sang, Edie danced, and a lonely boy found a family to call his own." <3
Jerry is an earnest, kind, & generous storyteller. His story makes me want to travel back in time to 1975 just to squeeze his cheek (affectionately).
+ Tony Maietta went hard asf in his reading of the audiobook. This is a man who understands the meaning of an exclamation point!!
In short, perfect to me.
January 14, 2025
A good follow-up to watching the 'Grey Gardens' documentary. Provides a new perspective, and a little more context.
It does feel a little sugar-coated, as in the author was careful not to say anything negative about the Beales. However, I appreciate his attempt to paint them in the most positive light possible, and its clear that he did care about them. Towards the end, it does come across like he's trying to 'clear his name' from the accusations that Edie cast at him in the documentary, but it isn't the focus of the whole book, at least not directly.
Well written, and an interesting read. If you haven't seen the documentary, this will absolutely make you want to watch it.
It does feel a little sugar-coated, as in the author was careful not to say anything negative about the Beales. However, I appreciate his attempt to paint them in the most positive light possible, and its clear that he did care about them. Towards the end, it does come across like he's trying to 'clear his name' from the accusations that Edie cast at him in the documentary, but it isn't the focus of the whole book, at least not directly.
Well written, and an interesting read. If you haven't seen the documentary, this will absolutely make you want to watch it.
September 23, 2023
This is a must read for Grey Gardeners! It is a lovely insight into their world with little Jerry. If you listen on audible, it is narrated by Tony Maietta, a film historian who helped write the book.
August 12, 2021
This book is a must read for fans of the documentary Grey Gardens.
July 1, 2025
Written by the marble faun , Jerry Torres’s. This is a memoir of Jerry Torres. Loved the photos:) It seemed that Jerry enjoyed his time at Grey Gardens, he was 17. His dynamic , (In this book) with the Edie’s is very different than what was portrayed on the documentary, Grey Gardens. Definitely not a memoir about Jackie Kennedy, or the Edie’s. Like the book cover would like you to believe. That’s shady Jerry, and it seems that checks .
February 29, 2020
I stumbled across the Maysles documentary “Grey Gardens” on Youtube and was curious to read this book. Grey Gardens is a documentary about a former wealthy socialite Mrs Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith ( Little Edie).Edith Bouvier Beale is the sister of Jack Bouvier, the Father of Jackie Kennedy. Long story / short...the Beale women were eccentric and free spirited which did not always conform to the standards of how wealthy women in society should be like back in that era.So Mr Beale divorced his wife, leaving her with the mansion in the Hamptons.Eventually her money was running out and since she was no longer able to finance Little Edie’s pursuit of her own dreams of becoming a model and dancer, Little Edie moved back home into the mansion with her mother. Abandoned by family they secluded themselves in this falling down house,not allowing anyone inside. The author of this book describes how he stumbled upon this huge house with its overgrown lawn and gardens and was shocked to realize someone lived in it. The Beale’s let him in and eventually they formed a strong bond. Jerry was very devoted to Mrs Beale and looked upon her as a mother figure. He writes about his days with the Beale’s, the conditions of the once grand mansion, the feral cats and raccoons that roamed thru the house from rotten holes in the roof of the house. I found these parts of the book interesting, but probably not much more info than I learned from watching the documentary or reading articles about it.Then it got weird...which is why I only gave it 2 stars. Once the Author,Jerry, leaves Grey Gardens the rest of the book is all about his sexuality and how he wildly explored it. I am not homophobic or a prude but I really didn’t understand how describing his sex life was relevant to the subject of this book. Especially him talking about a 3 some with Wayland Flowers and Madam( yes a ventriloquist doll) , I don’t even want to know how the doll was incorporated into that?!😨Anyway....the 1st part was interesting, the 2nd part seemed over the top odd and maybe a bit opportunistic in trying to promote his website and sell his sculptures.
June 6, 2018
It’s been said we can’t go home again...
And yet for those of us who loved the film, Jerry Torre has made that possible. Lovingly composed & heartwarming, The Marble Faun takes us back in time to an East Hampton that exists only on film & in memory.
All too often, these books become the kind of tell-all that is written by one who holds a grudge. Unlike those authors, I never got that impression. I loved learning how Jerry discovered Grey Gardens, the Beales, & eventuality became a part of their quirky little family.
Mrs. Beale’s relationship with Jerry was beautiful on screen, yet reading more of the backstory & how she & Edie took him in, was beautiful. The depths of poverty in which they lived is still unfathomable & all the same, their positive outlook & genuine love of one another—even as we watch the spats & mental illness—is ultimately a beautiful thing.
While The Marble Faun is definitely geared to the fans of Grey Gardens, if you know the history, you may enjoy it. Personally speaking, I’d say the documentary is an absolute must-see before reading the book. Not only will it make more sense, but upon viewing again after, you’re likely to see through different eyes.
I’m thrilled to have this as yet another memory of Grey Gardens. Thank you to Jerry Torre/The Marble Faun for going back in time to share these treasured memories. The Beales & the Faun will forever be in a category all their own.
And yet for those of us who loved the film, Jerry Torre has made that possible. Lovingly composed & heartwarming, The Marble Faun takes us back in time to an East Hampton that exists only on film & in memory.
All too often, these books become the kind of tell-all that is written by one who holds a grudge. Unlike those authors, I never got that impression. I loved learning how Jerry discovered Grey Gardens, the Beales, & eventuality became a part of their quirky little family.
Mrs. Beale’s relationship with Jerry was beautiful on screen, yet reading more of the backstory & how she & Edie took him in, was beautiful. The depths of poverty in which they lived is still unfathomable & all the same, their positive outlook & genuine love of one another—even as we watch the spats & mental illness—is ultimately a beautiful thing.
While The Marble Faun is definitely geared to the fans of Grey Gardens, if you know the history, you may enjoy it. Personally speaking, I’d say the documentary is an absolute must-see before reading the book. Not only will it make more sense, but upon viewing again after, you’re likely to see through different eyes.
I’m thrilled to have this as yet another memory of Grey Gardens. Thank you to Jerry Torre/The Marble Faun for going back in time to share these treasured memories. The Beales & the Faun will forever be in a category all their own.
January 20, 2019
Heartfelt and honest recollections of historic Gray gardens
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and never wanted it to end Heartfelt honest and intimate story of a New York kid who grew up in the seventies and eighties. His life was forever impacted by his time spat at Grey gardens with Mrs. Beale's and her daughter Edie . Thank you should Jerry for sharing and as Mrs. Beale's professed in her last days, The author Jerry would always Be the caretaker of Grey gardens in one way or another.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and never wanted it to end Heartfelt honest and intimate story of a New York kid who grew up in the seventies and eighties. His life was forever impacted by his time spat at Grey gardens with Mrs. Beale's and her daughter Edie . Thank you should Jerry for sharing and as Mrs. Beale's professed in her last days, The author Jerry would always Be the caretaker of Grey gardens in one way or another.
October 14, 2018
A delightful and entertaining memoir.
I'd just watched the documentary of Grey Gardens and was anxious to know more. Finding this memoir was a gift as delightful as the film, if not more so from Jerry's perspective. His caring and love for the Beales was so underrated and genuine. This was a delight to read and I plan on reading again.
I'd just watched the documentary of Grey Gardens and was anxious to know more. Finding this memoir was a gift as delightful as the film, if not more so from Jerry's perspective. His caring and love for the Beales was so underrated and genuine. This was a delight to read and I plan on reading again.
May 6, 2020
3.5 Stars
I did see the documentary of the Beales which is what drove me to read this book. I found this story fascinating. Jerry's sweet innocence when he arrived and the love he had for these ladies was endearing.
It is difficult to understand how, with the wealth in this family, rarely did anyone come to their aide.
I did see the documentary of the Beales which is what drove me to read this book. I found this story fascinating. Jerry's sweet innocence when he arrived and the love he had for these ladies was endearing.
It is difficult to understand how, with the wealth in this family, rarely did anyone come to their aide.
July 12, 2019
If you love Grey Gardens this is a must read. What a sweet, caring person Jerry is. This book is just charming!!
May 2, 2020
Extreme eccentricity
And love and domesticity.
And love and domesticity.
February 13, 2020
This past month I read the book, “The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens: A Memoir of the Beales, the Maysles Brothers, and Jacqueline Kennedy.”
What urged me to read this book was because I finally saw the documentary on Gray Gardens for the first time, even though I had heard about it over the years and decades. After seeing it, I looked up on the internet on who this young man was in the film, finding out it was Jerry Torre. I was fascinated on why he was living there in this broken down mansion with these two women who were recluses! All three of these people are sad, lonely, and desperate...two women living in their own world and a sad and abused boy searching for safety, in home and love!
It is Jerry Torre's touching and at times haunting memoir about his teenage days as a gardener/caretaker of the summer home/mansion named Gray Gardens in East Hampton, Long Island, N. Y. from 1970 till early 1977!
In the summer of 1970, a 14 year old Jerry Torre, working as an assistant gardener for the Geddes estate in East Hampton, while riding his bike on his day off from work saw what looked like an old deserted mansion overrun by vines, scrubs, and trees taking over the yard and the whole house that had broken windows and holes in the roof as well.
This curious young teenager decided to approach this decaying old house to see who lived there, knocking timidly on the door... and to his amazement, an attractive woman in her 50’s dressed in a very bizarre outfit answered, and speaking idiomatically exclaimed that she is visited by “the Marble Fuan”, implying that he was the “Marble Fuan!”
When Jerry was invited in, he was overwhelmed by the heavy smell of cat urine, mold, dust, and decaying piles of garbage piled high to the ceilings which had huge holes exposing the rooms upstairs! Thus began the 7 year relationship between Jerry Torre and the two occupants of this home... Mrs Edith Beale and her daughter Eddie.
The elderly Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale, the owner of the home was an American socialite known for her reclusive and eccentric lifestyle. Known as "Big Edie", she was a sister of John Vernou Bouvier III, the father of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Her daughter was, Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale who was an American socialite, fashion model and cabaret performer. She was a first cousin of Jacqueline Onassis.
Jerry “The Marble Faun” Torre, running away from an abusive father and family who was from Brooklyn found a new home and love from this new family... especially the motherly affection from Mrs Beale, something he never had in his life.
The house, known as Gray Gardens, that Jerry now called home, fell into disrepair decades ago and was overtaken by nature due to the lack of funds. The Beale’s continued to inhabit the house, where they kept a large number of feral cats and wild raccoons too!
In 1972, the Suffolk County, New York Health Commission issued a notice of eviction, stating the Beales would be unable to live in the house until it was cleaned and basic utilities restored. The news of the order and of the squalor in which the two women lived received international attention because "Big" and "Little" Edie were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of former US President JFK and was the current wife of Aristotle Onassis.
Jacqueline and her husband donated money to make the house habitable and return it to a standard which would allow her Aunt and first cousin to stay.
The author of this book lived through all of this turmoil helping to clean up the house, the landscape, and take care of the Beale’s ....he did this in his off hours for free. Jerry was still employed by the Geddes at this time.
He is best known for his appearance in the 1975 independent documentary films Grey Gardens and The Beales of Grey Gardens by Albert and David Maysles.
Jerry was also portrayed in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Grey Gardens in 2006 and in the 2011 film The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens.
What urged me to read this book was because I finally saw the documentary on Gray Gardens for the first time, even though I had heard about it over the years and decades. After seeing it, I looked up on the internet on who this young man was in the film, finding out it was Jerry Torre. I was fascinated on why he was living there in this broken down mansion with these two women who were recluses! All three of these people are sad, lonely, and desperate...two women living in their own world and a sad and abused boy searching for safety, in home and love!
It is Jerry Torre's touching and at times haunting memoir about his teenage days as a gardener/caretaker of the summer home/mansion named Gray Gardens in East Hampton, Long Island, N. Y. from 1970 till early 1977!
In the summer of 1970, a 14 year old Jerry Torre, working as an assistant gardener for the Geddes estate in East Hampton, while riding his bike on his day off from work saw what looked like an old deserted mansion overrun by vines, scrubs, and trees taking over the yard and the whole house that had broken windows and holes in the roof as well.
This curious young teenager decided to approach this decaying old house to see who lived there, knocking timidly on the door... and to his amazement, an attractive woman in her 50’s dressed in a very bizarre outfit answered, and speaking idiomatically exclaimed that she is visited by “the Marble Fuan”, implying that he was the “Marble Fuan!”
When Jerry was invited in, he was overwhelmed by the heavy smell of cat urine, mold, dust, and decaying piles of garbage piled high to the ceilings which had huge holes exposing the rooms upstairs! Thus began the 7 year relationship between Jerry Torre and the two occupants of this home... Mrs Edith Beale and her daughter Eddie.
The elderly Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale, the owner of the home was an American socialite known for her reclusive and eccentric lifestyle. Known as "Big Edie", she was a sister of John Vernou Bouvier III, the father of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Her daughter was, Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale who was an American socialite, fashion model and cabaret performer. She was a first cousin of Jacqueline Onassis.
Jerry “The Marble Faun” Torre, running away from an abusive father and family who was from Brooklyn found a new home and love from this new family... especially the motherly affection from Mrs Beale, something he never had in his life.
The house, known as Gray Gardens, that Jerry now called home, fell into disrepair decades ago and was overtaken by nature due to the lack of funds. The Beale’s continued to inhabit the house, where they kept a large number of feral cats and wild raccoons too!
In 1972, the Suffolk County, New York Health Commission issued a notice of eviction, stating the Beales would be unable to live in the house until it was cleaned and basic utilities restored. The news of the order and of the squalor in which the two women lived received international attention because "Big" and "Little" Edie were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of former US President JFK and was the current wife of Aristotle Onassis.
Jacqueline and her husband donated money to make the house habitable and return it to a standard which would allow her Aunt and first cousin to stay.
The author of this book lived through all of this turmoil helping to clean up the house, the landscape, and take care of the Beale’s ....he did this in his off hours for free. Jerry was still employed by the Geddes at this time.
He is best known for his appearance in the 1975 independent documentary films Grey Gardens and The Beales of Grey Gardens by Albert and David Maysles.
Jerry was also portrayed in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Grey Gardens in 2006 and in the 2011 film The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens.
May 6, 2025
Nicely written, with great detail and in a plain language that effectively works its way into your heart…I found myself moved to tears many times in the back half of the memoir. It was so nice to get to know Jerry better, his background in an abusive Brooklyn home, the way he gradually found his way into the house (through “adolescent nerve and naivety”) containing Edith and Edie, the amount of hard labor he put into making their house safe – from the elements and decay, and more importantly from the Suffolk county authorities.
Jerry fills in a few biographical details about Edie: Edith had encouraged her daughter’s artistic aspirations and from a young age made her a companion at lunches, charity events, theatre, and shopping sprees in Paris. Mr. Beale, however, expected her to either go into a respectable profession if she wanted to be independent, or preferably just be the wife of someone respectable. Jerry writes, “To assure this end, he curbed her literary aspirations by criticizing her grammar and diction. In order to quash her dreams of being a great dancer, he ordered that she wear clunky, unattractive orthopedic shoes.” Jerry expands our view of Edith after her marriage: “She rejected her family’s Catholicism, refused to have her name included in the social register, chose with whom she wished to associate regardless of their standing in society.”
Jerry loved Edith profoundly. He called her mother. He loved Edie too, but she was mercurial and mistrusting, and he was shattered to see what she said about him in the documentary. He writes fondly of holidays spent together; his trying too hard to force a Thanksgiving feast, and their annual enjoyment of a cooked Christmas dinner that was always left on the doorstep by someone. His writing about Edith’s funeral brought me to tears. He’s such a sincere person!
Edith hadn’t been too interested in the Maysles at first – she asked them how long they had worked in ‘moving pictures’ – but once she realized that these were talking pictures, and that she was welcome to sing on camera, she was much more keen. The details of the great cleanup are amazing, whether it’s the giant iron stove they called “Perfection” that was sinking through the floor, or Gould’s piano that was still in working order, or the six foot tall cone shaped thing that looked like gray cotton candy (it was a Christmas tree, possibly decades old). Jerry was around for everything, but he often avoided the cameras. He was a great help to the Maysles, always figuring out which outlets could power their equipment.
Jerry confirms that the nature of their chatter and their arguments in real life were very similar to the film, but that Edie did seem to amplify her grievances slightly, as she had a lot of pent up energy related to her circumstances and disappointments. Jerry states that after Edith saw the finished film, she seemed to cool on Edie a little. He guesses that Edith was disappointed that Edie went so overboard for the cameras, but I also wonder if she felt the same sting as Jerry, wondering how Edie truly felt about her.
Jerry lived an incredible life afterwards, had interesting career paths, relationships, etc. But he was the exact age of someone whose world was completely decimated by the AIDS crisis. He eventually got his life back on track, and driving a cab eventually (miraculously!) put him back in touch with the film world, Albert Maysle, and the restored Grey Gardens mansion. More tears from me! If you only read one book to supplement your Grey Gardens experience, this should be the one. But if you also plan on reading the diary by Lois Wright, “My Life at Grey Gardens”, I recommend you read this one first, as it covers the period before and during the filming, and Lois’ book covers the period after.
Jerry fills in a few biographical details about Edie: Edith had encouraged her daughter’s artistic aspirations and from a young age made her a companion at lunches, charity events, theatre, and shopping sprees in Paris. Mr. Beale, however, expected her to either go into a respectable profession if she wanted to be independent, or preferably just be the wife of someone respectable. Jerry writes, “To assure this end, he curbed her literary aspirations by criticizing her grammar and diction. In order to quash her dreams of being a great dancer, he ordered that she wear clunky, unattractive orthopedic shoes.” Jerry expands our view of Edith after her marriage: “She rejected her family’s Catholicism, refused to have her name included in the social register, chose with whom she wished to associate regardless of their standing in society.”
Jerry loved Edith profoundly. He called her mother. He loved Edie too, but she was mercurial and mistrusting, and he was shattered to see what she said about him in the documentary. He writes fondly of holidays spent together; his trying too hard to force a Thanksgiving feast, and their annual enjoyment of a cooked Christmas dinner that was always left on the doorstep by someone. His writing about Edith’s funeral brought me to tears. He’s such a sincere person!
Edith hadn’t been too interested in the Maysles at first – she asked them how long they had worked in ‘moving pictures’ – but once she realized that these were talking pictures, and that she was welcome to sing on camera, she was much more keen. The details of the great cleanup are amazing, whether it’s the giant iron stove they called “Perfection” that was sinking through the floor, or Gould’s piano that was still in working order, or the six foot tall cone shaped thing that looked like gray cotton candy (it was a Christmas tree, possibly decades old). Jerry was around for everything, but he often avoided the cameras. He was a great help to the Maysles, always figuring out which outlets could power their equipment.
Jerry confirms that the nature of their chatter and their arguments in real life were very similar to the film, but that Edie did seem to amplify her grievances slightly, as she had a lot of pent up energy related to her circumstances and disappointments. Jerry states that after Edith saw the finished film, she seemed to cool on Edie a little. He guesses that Edith was disappointed that Edie went so overboard for the cameras, but I also wonder if she felt the same sting as Jerry, wondering how Edie truly felt about her.
Jerry lived an incredible life afterwards, had interesting career paths, relationships, etc. But he was the exact age of someone whose world was completely decimated by the AIDS crisis. He eventually got his life back on track, and driving a cab eventually (miraculously!) put him back in touch with the film world, Albert Maysle, and the restored Grey Gardens mansion. More tears from me! If you only read one book to supplement your Grey Gardens experience, this should be the one. But if you also plan on reading the diary by Lois Wright, “My Life at Grey Gardens”, I recommend you read this one first, as it covers the period before and during the filming, and Lois’ book covers the period after.
January 23, 2020
Jerry Torre was only a teenager when he quite literally stumbled upon the dilapidated old mansion known as Grey Gardens. Fascinated and compelled to learn more about the house and its possible occupants, Jerry approached the front door and was surprised to be greeted by the eccentric Edie Beale, who proclaimed him "the marble faun" and invited him upstairs to meet Mother. Thus began a five-year familial relationship with the mother and daughter, who would become famous after documentary film makers, Albert and David Maysles, showed up to film and photograph the property for an entirely different project, but ended up with the cult classic, Grey Gardens. A lonely teen who was estranged from his biological family, Jerry was nonetheless a hard-working, determined young man and he set about trying to clean up the property by clearing out brush, trimming trees and the like only to become a part of the family, which consisted of the elderly Mrs. Beale and her daughter, Edie. Soon Jerry was living at the house, despite the wretched conditions and when the Board of Health threatened to remove the Beales from their beloved yet unsafe home, he jumped into action to get the house cleaned up, enabling them to remain. Soon after, the Maysles showed up to begin recording the material for the iconic film and thus began a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the small, but close friends who had become a family. Jerry recalls with great affection his time spent with the Beales, particularly Mrs, Beale, whom he formed an extremely close, mother and son relationship with. Although he experienced occasional friction with Edie, he speaks of both of them with love, respect and admiration. After striking out on his own, Jerry lived a very interesting life in New York and Manhattan, finally able to embrace and enjoy himself as a gay man who threw himself into the hedonistic 1970s and 1980s with abandon, as did everyone else. Although Grey Gardens became somewhat of a distant memory, Jerry's years there made an indelible impression on him and over time, the experiences he had there would keep coming back to reshape his life. I enjoyed this book very much, especially Jerry's vulnerability, honesty and his obvious love for the Beales, however, as others have mentioned, the editing and proofreading left much to be desired. If you can get past this, the book is very entertaining.
October 4, 2020
Whether you've heard of Grey Gardens and the eccentric ladies who lived there or not, this book is a great read. Grey Gardens is the name of a mansion in the very ritzy, ultra chic area of East Hampton on Long Island, New York. In it's heyday it was alive with parties and get togethers of many extremely wealthy and famous individuals. The lady of the house was Edith Bouvier Beales. She was "Black Jack" Bouvier's sister...... Black Jack was Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis's father. Edith married a very wealthy man and they had 2 sons and a daughter also named Edith (Edie). Years went by and the Beales's ended up divorcing with Big Edie and Little Edie remaining at Grey Gardens. Everybody else move to Manhattan and basically never went back, or even thought of the two women. Little stipend checks were sent monthly but nowhere near what they should have been because they were a very wealthy family.
About 20 years or so go by and Grey Gardens became a dilapidated wreck and looked like a haunted house. The roof and walls were caving in and tons of cats and racoons had run of the house. Big Edie and Little Edie had lived there the whole time! This book was written by a 16 year old boy who became a gardener and caretaker for the Beales. He gives you his version of the story from inside the house, up close and personal. NO HOLDS BARRED. The book is unbelievable but strikingly true.
There is a documentary called Grey Gardens that was made in the 1970's. You can see these two women in full force (they had lived there all that time and NEVER left). A little crazy perhaps? There is also a movie starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lang. Dive in head first...... you can't believe something like this could really happen!
About 20 years or so go by and Grey Gardens became a dilapidated wreck and looked like a haunted house. The roof and walls were caving in and tons of cats and racoons had run of the house. Big Edie and Little Edie had lived there the whole time! This book was written by a 16 year old boy who became a gardener and caretaker for the Beales. He gives you his version of the story from inside the house, up close and personal. NO HOLDS BARRED. The book is unbelievable but strikingly true.
There is a documentary called Grey Gardens that was made in the 1970's. You can see these two women in full force (they had lived there all that time and NEVER left). A little crazy perhaps? There is also a movie starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lang. Dive in head first...... you can't believe something like this could really happen!
February 8, 2024
If you’ve not seen the films Grey Gardens (1975), and the follow-up The Beales of Grey Gardens (2006), which is made up of footage shot during the original filming in 1973 but not included in the original, well, you probably should. And after you do, you definitely need to read this book to grasp the full context of what you saw.
For example, without this book I would still be scratching my head over Edith and Edie having the teenaged gardener come upstairs and lie down in their shared bedroom to listen to records. I mean, it’s still peculiar, but not anymore so than usual.
Context is everything.
Jerry Torre isn’t a great writer and the book suffers a little from lapses in basic editing, but he is kind and generous and so full of love for these two amazing, bold, loud, selfish, crazy, loving women who inhabit the otherworldly mess that is Grey Gardens. He softened my harsh opinion of Edith Bouvier Beale and aroused such pity and sympathy for Little Edie Beale that I know I won’t be able to watch either film again without weeping for the loss of her hopes and the death of all her small dreams.
Interestingly the one person he has no sympathy for is Beale family friend Lois Wright, who also wrote a book* about her time living at Grey Gardens. Torre’s antipathy towards her is so great that he tells us that, upon his early 2000s reunion with filmmaker Albert Maysels, they two are the only ones left of the old GG gang, despite Lois still being very much alive and active in the New York art scene.
Albert is gone now and Lois passed last year, leaving Jerry Torre the sole guardian of the memory of the Beales at Grey Gardens. Based on this book, it couldn’t be in better hands.
*I’ve not read it yet but am expecting a copy to arrive in the next 10 days or so.
For example, without this book I would still be scratching my head over Edith and Edie having the teenaged gardener come upstairs and lie down in their shared bedroom to listen to records. I mean, it’s still peculiar, but not anymore so than usual.
Context is everything.
Jerry Torre isn’t a great writer and the book suffers a little from lapses in basic editing, but he is kind and generous and so full of love for these two amazing, bold, loud, selfish, crazy, loving women who inhabit the otherworldly mess that is Grey Gardens. He softened my harsh opinion of Edith Bouvier Beale and aroused such pity and sympathy for Little Edie Beale that I know I won’t be able to watch either film again without weeping for the loss of her hopes and the death of all her small dreams.
Interestingly the one person he has no sympathy for is Beale family friend Lois Wright, who also wrote a book* about her time living at Grey Gardens. Torre’s antipathy towards her is so great that he tells us that, upon his early 2000s reunion with filmmaker Albert Maysels, they two are the only ones left of the old GG gang, despite Lois still being very much alive and active in the New York art scene.
Albert is gone now and Lois passed last year, leaving Jerry Torre the sole guardian of the memory of the Beales at Grey Gardens. Based on this book, it couldn’t be in better hands.
*I’ve not read it yet but am expecting a copy to arrive in the next 10 days or so.
July 30, 2024
Anyone (most anyone) who loves documentaries, has watched the documentary "Grey Gardens", filmed in 1975. If you haven't watched it yet, you should 😊.
This is the story of Jerry, who when he was 16, moved out of his house and became a caretaker for the Geddes, and stumbled upon Big Edie and Little Edie's house while doing so. The house looked like it was vacant, having weeds grown everywhere and trees taking over the property. An old car was in front of the house with the door open to animals and weeds.
Until Jerry saw a light on on the 2nd floor of the house and realized that there were people actually living inside. Eventually he was greeted by Edie (the cousin of Jackie Kennedy), who was full of life, and introduced him to her mother- Mrs. Beale, Edith. Mrs Beale was a recluse, never wanted to venture outside of her estate. There were cats and raccoons all throughout the estate, trash (and cat food cans) was piled high in all areas of the house, and I'm sure the smell would hit one hard.
Jerry thought of the Edies as his sister and mother (since his father was very abusive and that's why he moved away). He tended to their yard as much as he could and stayed with them for several years.
Throughout the book, I got to read about the eccentric ways of Edie and her many outfits, her love of singing and dancing, and her hot and cold personality. You can see this in the documentary as well.
Unfortunately, Lois Wright, who also lived at the mansion (for several years) and was friends with the Beales, claimed that Jerry told many lies about living there and that hardly anyone even knew him. So I'm unsure what to believe. But I know that I did enjoy reading the book. It was heartfelt and even made me want to watch the documentary again.
This is the story of Jerry, who when he was 16, moved out of his house and became a caretaker for the Geddes, and stumbled upon Big Edie and Little Edie's house while doing so. The house looked like it was vacant, having weeds grown everywhere and trees taking over the property. An old car was in front of the house with the door open to animals and weeds.
Until Jerry saw a light on on the 2nd floor of the house and realized that there were people actually living inside. Eventually he was greeted by Edie (the cousin of Jackie Kennedy), who was full of life, and introduced him to her mother- Mrs. Beale, Edith. Mrs Beale was a recluse, never wanted to venture outside of her estate. There were cats and raccoons all throughout the estate, trash (and cat food cans) was piled high in all areas of the house, and I'm sure the smell would hit one hard.
Jerry thought of the Edies as his sister and mother (since his father was very abusive and that's why he moved away). He tended to their yard as much as he could and stayed with them for several years.
Throughout the book, I got to read about the eccentric ways of Edie and her many outfits, her love of singing and dancing, and her hot and cold personality. You can see this in the documentary as well.
Unfortunately, Lois Wright, who also lived at the mansion (for several years) and was friends with the Beales, claimed that Jerry told many lies about living there and that hardly anyone even knew him. So I'm unsure what to believe. But I know that I did enjoy reading the book. It was heartfelt and even made me want to watch the documentary again.
April 12, 2023
Probably 3.5 stars. If you're someone who has an interest in this subject, check it out. If you're casually curious, you may not love this book.
Like a lot of other people, I've had a mild obsession with Grey Gardens and the Edies who resided there for a good chunk of my life. I stumbled upon The Marble Faun recently and knew I needed to add it to the list of to-read, or to-listen, in this case.
I'm not sure I loved the narrator of the audiobook- it felt like he was being a little over the top with a lot of his delivery (which... you'd think over the top would work when you're talking about Big and Little Edie) and it felt very insincere. That said, there were quite a few little factoids that I picked up about the reclusive Beale women and I'm not mad that I spent the time reading this book.
When Jerry Torre describes stumbling upon Grey Gardens for the first time, it was so easy for me to visualise- a long-held dream of mine was exactly what Jerry's story was- to discover a chunk of life that had managed to stay hidden away from the rest of the world and then to INVESTIGATE and be invited in.
Like a lot of other people, I've had a mild obsession with Grey Gardens and the Edies who resided there for a good chunk of my life. I stumbled upon The Marble Faun recently and knew I needed to add it to the list of to-read, or to-listen, in this case.
I'm not sure I loved the narrator of the audiobook- it felt like he was being a little over the top with a lot of his delivery (which... you'd think over the top would work when you're talking about Big and Little Edie) and it felt very insincere. That said, there were quite a few little factoids that I picked up about the reclusive Beale women and I'm not mad that I spent the time reading this book.
When Jerry Torre describes stumbling upon Grey Gardens for the first time, it was so easy for me to visualise- a long-held dream of mine was exactly what Jerry's story was- to discover a chunk of life that had managed to stay hidden away from the rest of the world and then to INVESTIGATE and be invited in.
February 6, 2023
Definitely a must-read for any Grey Gardens fan, however, there's some things Jerry writes that are easily proven false. Like Little Edie putting a clause in the sale of the house that states the buyer cannot change anything about it. The truth is that the clause stated the house cannot be torn down, which Jerry or his ghostwriter should've fact-checked. He also claims Lee Radziwill wasn't allowed past the landing, but in the film That Summer you see Lee all over the house, including the bedrooms.
The love Jerry has for Mrs. Beale is apparent and very sweet, but it does blind him to how much Mrs. Beale manipulates both him and Edie in order to keep Edie codependent. I don't blame him, but it's notable that he's definitely a biased narrator.
There's some fantastic details about finding Tiffany lamps and Faberge eggs under the accumulated stuff, and it's interesting to hear Jerry's story of his life before and after Grey Gardens. Just keep in mind to take some things with a grain of salt.
The love Jerry has for Mrs. Beale is apparent and very sweet, but it does blind him to how much Mrs. Beale manipulates both him and Edie in order to keep Edie codependent. I don't blame him, but it's notable that he's definitely a biased narrator.
There's some fantastic details about finding Tiffany lamps and Faberge eggs under the accumulated stuff, and it's interesting to hear Jerry's story of his life before and after Grey Gardens. Just keep in mind to take some things with a grain of salt.
March 5, 2025
The memoirs of Jerry Torre, "the Marble Faun", as Little Edie called him. I applaud the effort of additional Grey Gardens information. The little snippets we glean from Jerry's memories are like gold nuggets unearthed after years in the shadows. However, I do think that some of Jerry's memories are taken directly from the films, as these are produced almost word-for-word. In another instance, Jerry mentions Lee Radziwill and Peter Beard and their filming project which preceded Grey Gardens. He said that they only came for one day. However, when you watch their project "That Summer", you quickly realize that it would have been impossible for them to be there in only one day. In this instance, I feel that Jerry's memories are incomplete and in some cases clash with Lois Wright's book about the Beales. Another drawback for me was reading about Jerry's sexual life. I don't think this should have been included in the book. Still, it's a worthwhile read for anyone hungry for more of the Beales of Grey Gardens.
June 9, 2025
This is Jerry (The Marble Faun) Torre's story written with the help of Tony Maietta and I'm so glad they did it this way. His thoughts are detailed and well organized making the story flow seamlessly. I am a big fan of the Grey Gardens documentary along with the movie starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as the Beale women. When I first watched the documentary I was transfixed and thought that this couldn't actually be real but it was. Recently I watched it again with my daughter who has never seen it before and it was just as fascinating to me and also fun to see how she would react to it. We immediately had to watch the movie together and now she's a fan as well. Once I saw that Jerry Torre wrote a book I had to read it as soon as possible and I'm so glad I did. We learn a little about Jerry's childhood and how he ended up in the vicinity of Grey Gardens when he was 16 and then how he came upon the house where his friendship with the Beale's began. Jerry gives us so many more details than the documentary ever could have and I just couldn't put it down. His friendship with the Beale's ran deep and when he left Grey Gardens he writes about what he was doing with his life, his jobs and relationships, then eventually going back to Grey Gardens after it was renovated and how he felt being back again. This book was fantastic and I will probably read it again at some point which is rare for me to do but it was that good.
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