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Summer at Tiffany: A Glimpse into 1940s New York City Jewelry Through the Eyes of Trailblazing Women
Do you remember the best summer of your life?
New York City, 1945. Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor--a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller's--and the envy of all their friends.
Hart takes us back to the magical time when she and Marty rubbed elbows with the rich and famous; pinched pennies to eat at the Automat; experienced nightlife at La Martinique; and danced away their weekends with dashing midshipmen. Between being dazzled by Judy Garland's honeymoon visit to Tiffany, celebrating VJ Day in Times Square, and mingling with Cafe society, she fell in love, learned unforgettable lessons, made important decisions that would change her future, and created the remarkable memories she now shares with all of us.
New York City, 1945. Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor--a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller's--and the envy of all their friends.
Hart takes us back to the magical time when she and Marty rubbed elbows with the rich and famous; pinched pennies to eat at the Automat; experienced nightlife at La Martinique; and danced away their weekends with dashing midshipmen. Between being dazzled by Judy Garland's honeymoon visit to Tiffany, celebrating VJ Day in Times Square, and mingling with Cafe society, she fell in love, learned unforgettable lessons, made important decisions that would change her future, and created the remarkable memories she now shares with all of us.
258 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
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5916 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,556 reviews
June 4, 2008
What a delightful read! My favorite thing to do this past week was wake up, make my cup of tea, and sit and read this while listening to the birds outside. The perfect beginning to summer days. It's hard to pinpoint what makes this book so good--it's really just the sweet, simple, humorous and touching reminiscences of one small-town Iowa college girl's summer with her best friend in NYC when they become the first female pages at Tiffany's in the final summer of World War II. Yet, as we all know, sometimes "everyday life" can be exciting, beautiful, and the stuff dreams are made on. Come along with Marjorie and Marty as they oooh and aaahh at the gorgeous diamonds, beautiful china, and stunning celebrities that fill Tiffany; as they splash in the ocean for the first time; as they experience VJ day in Time's Square--and as Marjorie finds a gentle, sweet summer romance with the cute-as-can-be Jim. Filled with humor—Marjorie is forever getting herself into tricky situations--this book is also more than a breezy summer read. It is touching, thoughtful and a lovely acknowledgment of the spirit of the era.
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I'm so excited about this one! Hoping for something along the lines of "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" but not sure if it will deliver. Sounds utterly charming and I'm hoping to spend part of my summer with "Summer at Tiffany!"
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I'm so excited about this one! Hoping for something along the lines of "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" but not sure if it will deliver. Sounds utterly charming and I'm hoping to spend part of my summer with "Summer at Tiffany!"
February 8, 2011
If you’ve ever wanted a short escape into the innocence and charm of bygone years, this is your book. In 1945, college student Marjorie and her friend have the amazing luck of spending the summer not in dullsville Story City, Iowa, but in the Big Apple! Their miniature apartment is a dream, seeing all the famous stores on Fifth Avenue is a dream, but the biggest dream of all is landing a job at Tiffany & Co! Can you imagine?!
They spend the summer working, window shopping, entertaining visiting sorority sisters, meeting boys, and occasionally going to famous hot spots. Marjorie’s wide-eyed enthusiasm for the glamour of New York is an endearing glimpse into a less jaded, more elegant time. People dressed up to shop. Dessert at a fancy restaurant was a treat. And for a Midwestern girl, the famous stores and skyscrapers of New York were a daily thrill. I found her joy to be contagious because it reflects a delightful appreciation, not pretentious materialism. Marjorie’s enthusiasm for the jewels and china at Tiffany is an extension of her enthusiasm for real quality and distant glamour. It reminded me of how the world has shrunk but human nature is the same – there may be a Tiffany & Co. ten minutes away from me at Stanford Shopping Center so it’s not that exciting, but I gasped OUT LOUD the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower and Hagia Sophia and Red Square (who doesn’t?). Somehow the thrill of seeing people and places you’ve always heard about outweighs any desire to appear sophisticated, and Marjorie perfectly captures that thrill – as a result she sweeps you along in the joy of seeing a famous bandleader or handling the fancy dishes on the second floor, not because she’s saying, “Look – I lead a glamorous life,” but because she’s saying, “Golly!!” How could you not be charmed?
Though this is not Great Literature, Marjorie’s writing style rings with her goodness and earnestness and grounds the memoir in traditional, Midwest values as much as any of the details. I wouldn’t say her reminisces are portrayed through rose-colored glasses – for many, life really was like that. Reading the book was an easy delight and made me yearn for more elegance – for ropes of pearls instead of sweat pants, and doormen instead of outlet malls. Sigh.
They spend the summer working, window shopping, entertaining visiting sorority sisters, meeting boys, and occasionally going to famous hot spots. Marjorie’s wide-eyed enthusiasm for the glamour of New York is an endearing glimpse into a less jaded, more elegant time. People dressed up to shop. Dessert at a fancy restaurant was a treat. And for a Midwestern girl, the famous stores and skyscrapers of New York were a daily thrill. I found her joy to be contagious because it reflects a delightful appreciation, not pretentious materialism. Marjorie’s enthusiasm for the jewels and china at Tiffany is an extension of her enthusiasm for real quality and distant glamour. It reminded me of how the world has shrunk but human nature is the same – there may be a Tiffany & Co. ten minutes away from me at Stanford Shopping Center so it’s not that exciting, but I gasped OUT LOUD the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower and Hagia Sophia and Red Square (who doesn’t?). Somehow the thrill of seeing people and places you’ve always heard about outweighs any desire to appear sophisticated, and Marjorie perfectly captures that thrill – as a result she sweeps you along in the joy of seeing a famous bandleader or handling the fancy dishes on the second floor, not because she’s saying, “Look – I lead a glamorous life,” but because she’s saying, “Golly!!” How could you not be charmed?
Though this is not Great Literature, Marjorie’s writing style rings with her goodness and earnestness and grounds the memoir in traditional, Midwest values as much as any of the details. I wouldn’t say her reminisces are portrayed through rose-colored glasses – for many, life really was like that. Reading the book was an easy delight and made me yearn for more elegance – for ropes of pearls instead of sweat pants, and doormen instead of outlet malls. Sigh.
July 20, 2010
I almost didn't write this review, because I picture the author as someone's grandmom and I hate hurting grandmoms. They're pretty much my favorite class of people, but while this book seemed like such a cute summery read - girls in the 40s going to the big city to take on the world - it was no substance, mostly fluff, and not even enough fluff to make it through the 150+ pages.
I was hoping for a memoir that would be like a real world Breakfast at Tiffany's. Instead, its a watered down nostalgic look that the author should've saved for her grandchildren and spared the wider audience. Its a shallow introduction to the times and the city, and while the main character's naive leaps off the page, the author doesn't provide any counterbalance or perspective that she hopefully should have gained in the 60 odd years since her summer as a Tiffany's page.
This book gets its second star because the tone is carefree and utterly readable, but no more than that.
I was hoping for a memoir that would be like a real world Breakfast at Tiffany's. Instead, its a watered down nostalgic look that the author should've saved for her grandchildren and spared the wider audience. Its a shallow introduction to the times and the city, and while the main character's naive leaps off the page, the author doesn't provide any counterbalance or perspective that she hopefully should have gained in the 60 odd years since her summer as a Tiffany's page.
This book gets its second star because the tone is carefree and utterly readable, but no more than that.
March 1, 2023
Summer at Tiffany is a wistful story of Marjorie Hart's reminiscences of the summer of 1945, when she and her best friend and fellow Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sister from the University of Iowa (Martha "Marty" Garrett) traveled to New York City in search of summer jobs and ended up working at Tiffany's and sharing an apartment in the heart of Manhattan.
The war in Europe had ended the previous May. But the Pacific War had yet to be won. As someone whose late parents are of the same generation as the author, this book I savored reading for its nostalgic value. I enjoyed learning of her and Marty's experiences in Tiffany's (where the reader becomes acquainted with some of the colorful employees with whom both women worked, such as Mr. T.C., a suave, urbane man with a deep, resonant bass voice who served as the supervisor on the 3rd floor, where "glistening crystal stemware, English flowered tea sets, gold-rimmed china, and gigantic ornate vases" were for sale; Marjorie is given the opportunity to work for Mr. T.C., who gives her a lesson in brandy sniffing on an especially rainy day when business was sparse, affording them this rare moment of leisure) and the famous and popular landmarks, bars, clubs, and restaurants they frequented that summer. (There is also summer romance.)
Marjorie's description of the sheer joy and happiness that overtook New York City on VJ-Day (Victory over Japan Day = August 14, 1945) is especially evocative and moving ---
"Caught in a chaotic stream of people, Marty, Carolyn [Marjorie and Marty's roommate] and I were driven up one block and down another. Where were we? We didn't know, we didn't care. Flowerpots were smashing. Firecrackers were tossed from fire escapes. Feathers from pillowcases floated through the air. Sidewalks were buried in confetti, shredded telephone books, and ticker tape. People were dancing on top of cars and every bar and nightclub overflowed in the streets, with celebrants shouting, kissing, and singing. Filled with that wild sense of exhilaration, we could have walked forever. Later, the three of us never recalled what streets we'd taken until we found our way home. When we finally reached our apartment at 3 o'clock in the morning, not even the desk clerk was surprised. The papers later reported that two million celebrants were in Times Square that night!"
This is a story that recaptures the flavor and spirit of youth during the best summer of one's life. Indeed, Summer at Tiffany has as its heart the question: Do you remember the best summer of your life? My answer is the summer of 1986, when I visited Los Angeles for the first time as a 21-year old recent college graduate from the Midwest. I spent eight of the happiest, most carefree weeks of my life (with a generous stipend to live on at UCLA) while involved in a pre-graduate program in Public Policy Studies at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA - just minutes away from the beaches, the Pacific Ocean, and Santa Monica Mountains.
Simply put, Summer at Tiffany is a keeper. I savored this book.
The war in Europe had ended the previous May. But the Pacific War had yet to be won. As someone whose late parents are of the same generation as the author, this book I savored reading for its nostalgic value. I enjoyed learning of her and Marty's experiences in Tiffany's (where the reader becomes acquainted with some of the colorful employees with whom both women worked, such as Mr. T.C., a suave, urbane man with a deep, resonant bass voice who served as the supervisor on the 3rd floor, where "glistening crystal stemware, English flowered tea sets, gold-rimmed china, and gigantic ornate vases" were for sale; Marjorie is given the opportunity to work for Mr. T.C., who gives her a lesson in brandy sniffing on an especially rainy day when business was sparse, affording them this rare moment of leisure) and the famous and popular landmarks, bars, clubs, and restaurants they frequented that summer. (There is also summer romance.)
Marjorie's description of the sheer joy and happiness that overtook New York City on VJ-Day (Victory over Japan Day = August 14, 1945) is especially evocative and moving ---
"Caught in a chaotic stream of people, Marty, Carolyn [Marjorie and Marty's roommate] and I were driven up one block and down another. Where were we? We didn't know, we didn't care. Flowerpots were smashing. Firecrackers were tossed from fire escapes. Feathers from pillowcases floated through the air. Sidewalks were buried in confetti, shredded telephone books, and ticker tape. People were dancing on top of cars and every bar and nightclub overflowed in the streets, with celebrants shouting, kissing, and singing. Filled with that wild sense of exhilaration, we could have walked forever. Later, the three of us never recalled what streets we'd taken until we found our way home. When we finally reached our apartment at 3 o'clock in the morning, not even the desk clerk was surprised. The papers later reported that two million celebrants were in Times Square that night!"
This is a story that recaptures the flavor and spirit of youth during the best summer of one's life. Indeed, Summer at Tiffany has as its heart the question: Do you remember the best summer of your life? My answer is the summer of 1986, when I visited Los Angeles for the first time as a 21-year old recent college graduate from the Midwest. I spent eight of the happiest, most carefree weeks of my life (with a generous stipend to live on at UCLA) while involved in a pre-graduate program in Public Policy Studies at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA - just minutes away from the beaches, the Pacific Ocean, and Santa Monica Mountains.
Simply put, Summer at Tiffany is a keeper. I savored this book.
August 28, 2015
This book was so delightful. Being a vintage and New York City fanatic, this was a magical read. Learning about Tiffany & Co behind the scenes (and in the forties) was so awesome, and the fact that the author and her best friend were the first female employees to work on the sales floor is amazing! I've never been inside the Tiffany's on fifth avenue but I have stood outside it and it is a magnificent building, I remember first learning about Tiffany's after watching "Breakfast At Tiffany's" and wishing that I could be like Holly Golightly and go eat a croissant in front of Tiffany's every morning. This book made me adore the company even more! If you want a light, fun, read I would definitely suggest this. If you love history, New York, or Tiffany's you'll fall in love with "Summer At Tiffany".
April 25, 2023
Oh what a breath of fresh air this book was! I read it in Spring ‘23 sitting in Bryant Park, surrounded by May blossom and the sounds of New York.
The colourful descriptions of the scenery and the clothing worn at the time grounded me in the memoir. I have read many novels set in WWII and it was interesting this time to see the American perspective on wartime. I also enjoyed the recollections of Hart’s Norwegian heritage and how the family still carried on their Scandinavian traditions. The passage about Marjorie and Marty’s trip to Jones beach was hilarious.
I loved the photos at the back of the book which helped bring the characters and settings to life.
I believe the author recently had her 99th birthday. I am so grateful that she decided to write this memoir, well into her 80s.
I have now added something to my bucket list - a visit to Tiffany’s!
The colourful descriptions of the scenery and the clothing worn at the time grounded me in the memoir. I have read many novels set in WWII and it was interesting this time to see the American perspective on wartime. I also enjoyed the recollections of Hart’s Norwegian heritage and how the family still carried on their Scandinavian traditions. The passage about Marjorie and Marty’s trip to Jones beach was hilarious.
I loved the photos at the back of the book which helped bring the characters and settings to life.
I believe the author recently had her 99th birthday. I am so grateful that she decided to write this memoir, well into her 80s.
I have now added something to my bucket list - a visit to Tiffany’s!
June 13, 2023
A marvelous memoir about college girl’s summer in the 1940s while working at Tiffany in NYC. Marjorie Hart’s writing style is simple, poignant, funny, and touching. She evokes the elegance and charm of a bygone era and reminds us the power of a good female friendship on the cusp of adulthood. One of my favorite reads in a while!
August 23, 2022
Christine, thank you so much for recommending this to me. I loved it! This is the true story of two college girls from Iowa who spend the summer of 1945 living in New York City and working at Tiffany.
This memoir captured so many things so well. It absolutely froths with Marjorie and Marty’s joyous college-age enthusiasm and naïveté. They are so young that everything they see is fascinating and they have no qualms about going into the thick of a crowd or meeting up with handsome midshipmen or getting by on rather meager salaries. They get into some hilarious scrapes, and I spent a good part of the book giggling helplessly (or occasionally gaping in amused horror — like when they’re drenched by the incoming tide because they had never been to the ocean!).
This, of course, was also the last summer of WWII before the Japanese surrender in August 1945 and Marjorie captures wartime life so well. There is rationing, men and women in uniform, the worry of family and friends in danger overseas, and the heartbreak of death. But there is also the exaltation of the war’s end when two million people, including Marjorie and Marty, pack into Times Square to await and then celebrate the announcement of Japan’s surrender. It’s so vividly written that I almost felt myself there.
I also loved how Marjorie describes her family back in Story City, Iowa, and the town itself with its Norwegian immigrant population with their own culture and traditions. I love Marjorie’s musicianship with her cello playing and her connection to her teacher back at college. She clearly had a devoted and a happy family and it’s a treat to read about. It’s also amusing what she does and doesn’t share with them. 😏
Finally, there is Tiffany itself with its opulence, its suited salesmen (not women!), and its famous clientele (like Judy Garland!). It was so fun to read about the famous people Marjorie sees, some of whom are quite surprising! Her coworkers are quite delightful too, especially Mr. T.C. This is a lovely ode to NYC as well and its cosmopolitan glitter and glamour.
Such a treat! A perfect summer read.
This memoir captured so many things so well. It absolutely froths with Marjorie and Marty’s joyous college-age enthusiasm and naïveté. They are so young that everything they see is fascinating and they have no qualms about going into the thick of a crowd or meeting up with handsome midshipmen or getting by on rather meager salaries. They get into some hilarious scrapes, and I spent a good part of the book giggling helplessly (or occasionally gaping in amused horror — like when they’re drenched by the incoming tide because they had never been to the ocean!).
This, of course, was also the last summer of WWII before the Japanese surrender in August 1945 and Marjorie captures wartime life so well. There is rationing, men and women in uniform, the worry of family and friends in danger overseas, and the heartbreak of death. But there is also the exaltation of the war’s end when two million people, including Marjorie and Marty, pack into Times Square to await and then celebrate the announcement of Japan’s surrender. It’s so vividly written that I almost felt myself there.
I also loved how Marjorie describes her family back in Story City, Iowa, and the town itself with its Norwegian immigrant population with their own culture and traditions. I love Marjorie’s musicianship with her cello playing and her connection to her teacher back at college. She clearly had a devoted and a happy family and it’s a treat to read about. It’s also amusing what she does and doesn’t share with them. 😏
Finally, there is Tiffany itself with its opulence, its suited salesmen (not women!), and its famous clientele (like Judy Garland!). It was so fun to read about the famous people Marjorie sees, some of whom are quite surprising! Her coworkers are quite delightful too, especially Mr. T.C. This is a lovely ode to NYC as well and its cosmopolitan glitter and glamour.
Such a treat! A perfect summer read.
July 19, 2010
It has the formula for a GOOD story, perhaps even a novel. But instead it's a (bleh) memoir. I loved the details about Tiffany & Co. circa 1945. And the descriptions of young women living in NYC at the time were also lovely. I felt nostalgic without having been alive then.
But the structure irked me. Some plot points were dropped entirely, two in particular that could have been embroidered into a truly interesting story: Jim and Yale!! The author dispenses with both as if they were of no importance! But the readers were made to think that Marjorie would have her chance at both. But then the story ended.
I was left wondering, "Huh?" When I was certain that there were no pages left that would explain things, I wondered, "Did the editor of this book pass out halfway through reading it, but then signed off on it anyway?"
I was left wanting more.
But the structure irked me. Some plot points were dropped entirely, two in particular that could have been embroidered into a truly interesting story: Jim and Yale!! The author dispenses with both as if they were of no importance! But the readers were made to think that Marjorie would have her chance at both. But then the story ended.
I was left wondering, "Huh?" When I was certain that there were no pages left that would explain things, I wondered, "Did the editor of this book pass out halfway through reading it, but then signed off on it anyway?"
I was left wanting more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2022
Excellent. And so sweet. 😊
April 15, 2010
What is not to love about this sweet book, written by an 82 year-old woman about her 1945 college summer as a page at Tiffany's? I loved all of the authentic references to the styles and events of that time.
Marjorie and Marty are college girls from Iowa, on an adventure in New York City and enjoying every minute despite the war. Hart details the enchantment of the city and the thrills the girls experience. From the way they landed jobs to their first glimpse of the ocean to the things that are omitted from the letters home, she gives the reader a special insight into the lives of these plucky young women.
Sixty years after that summer, Hart relives a special time in our nation's history and tells us what it was like. I kept thinking of how much my mother would have enjoyed this book.
Good job!
Marjorie and Marty are college girls from Iowa, on an adventure in New York City and enjoying every minute despite the war. Hart details the enchantment of the city and the thrills the girls experience. From the way they landed jobs to their first glimpse of the ocean to the things that are omitted from the letters home, she gives the reader a special insight into the lives of these plucky young women.
Sixty years after that summer, Hart relives a special time in our nation's history and tells us what it was like. I kept thinking of how much my mother would have enjoyed this book.
Good job!
July 3, 2017
I was drawn to this book given the author's Iowa roots. The way she describes a summer in New York between school years reminded me of myself during a summer internship in "Hollywood." Unfortunately her POV and tone of voice made me cringe more than smile at the similarities. Overall, this just felt like an unnecessary memoir with nothing unique to warrant its publishing.
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2017: A book with one of the four seasons in the title
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2017: A book with one of the four seasons in the title
June 10, 2019
This memoir was a like a breath of fresh air. It recounted the summer two college girls from Iowa spent in New York City in 1945. They landed jobs at Tiffany, saw quite a few celebrities and experienced a lot of US history in those three short months. They certainly had the summer of their life. This book is light, humorous and a delight to read.
January 12, 2023
This is my new favorite book. It's so simple but I never wanted it to end. It's a true story about two girls who moved to New York for the summer of 1945 and worked at Tiffany and they tell all of their dreamy stories from that summer. It really made me wish I had a time machine and could go experience the 40s.
September 13, 2010
First off, let me say that this book lived up to every expectation I had when I first bought it impulsively at a local bookstore. I am a huge Audrey Hepburn fan and love anything vintage. This book is so artistically appealing that everyone should be enticed to pick up a copy. I love the Tiffany blue on the cover and the historic Tiffany building in the background. I was fortunate enough three years ago to visit Tiffany & Co. in NYC, but was unable to step inside and gaze at the jewelry since it was well past closing time when I was there. I really don't want to say much about this book for fear of giving away the storyline. I will tell you this much though, it's a wonderful memoir written by an elderly lady who worked at Tiffany & Co. during a college summer in 1945. Her writing style truly captures the era of the time period and I love reading about all the celebrities she saw during her time as a page at the store. During it all she discovers more about herself and her friends who are all living in the Big Apple. Go out and buy or check out this book now. It's a must read for anyone who wants to take a trip back in time to the hustle and bustle of NYC and see it all through the eyes of a small town girl.
June 4, 2008
I really thought this was a delightful and charming book! It's the true-story of two girls from Iowa, best-friends Marjorie and Marty, who take a summer to find jobs in New York. It's mid 1940's (already a plus for me as it's one of my favorite eras for stories) and the war is coming to a close, so in addition to the story itself being simply lovely, there's a fair amount of historical information as well. Marjorie and Marty are loveable characters and it's easy to see why the make such great friends. The antics and adventures that ensure, the relationships that build, and the events that take place are all entertaining and heartwarming. Highly recommended! A great summer read!
December 29, 2013
I can't remember the last time I stayed up all night devouring a book in one sitting like I just did with this one. It took me back in time to 1945 and gave me as close a look as I've ever had into what my grandma's young life must have been like. To a sorority girl from the Midwest, a summer job at a fancy store in NYC must have felt the height of glamour, fashion and fun. BUT(in a weird and striking contrast), life also came with hardships as they made the most of what they had during WWII, and experienced the joys, tears and historic moments that came with its end. This book takes the reader through it all from a front-row seat.
June 16, 2022
This is such a delightful book to read especially during the summer!!! What an amazing summer Marjorie and her best friend "Marty" Martha had in New York Summer!!! All the first-hand accounts of what was happening in New York City in the summer of that year. Oh, how I wished I had friends like Marjorie and Marty when I was 21; actually I would love to have friends like that now. :)
June 20, 2022
An absolutely delightful read!
My mom and grandmother read this as well and it was so much fun to talk about with them!
I loved this and now really want to visit the Tiffany's Department store in New York City!
My mom and grandmother read this as well and it was so much fun to talk about with them!
I loved this and now really want to visit the Tiffany's Department store in New York City!
May 31, 2025
This was such a great summer read that read like fiction, but is actually the author's memoir of her summer in 1945 working at Tiffany & Co. as a summer job during her college years. The story reminded me of Mrs 'arris Goes to Paris and 84 Charing Cross Rd. It would have been a great story if it had been fiction, but to know this actually happened to someone was such a bonus!
October 22, 2017
Happy, superficial and short (though it could have been even shorter). It was an easy, not especially reflective glimpse into an 18yr-old girl’s life in the summer of 1945. She stretches the limits to turn some minor episodes into drama, but I could forgive this when I considered that in the adolescent protagonist’s mind, they would have felt dramatic.
I’ve often wished there were more novels that showed ordinary life in a more favorable light, rather than making the ordinary seem bleak or nonexistent. This novella shows that it is possible to write about an ordinary, happy life — but also why most don’t (too easily feels boring or trivial if you’re not the one living it).
I’m also reading A Gentleman in Moscow — another novel about a rather ordinary, mostly happy day-to-day life but one whose language and setting make it far more beautiful and fascinating. It’s at a whole other level of literature. Don’t come to this book with those expectations. This is more what your elderly neighbor would tell you about her exploits in nyc as a college girl at the end of WW2.
I happened to watch a few movies from the 40s and 50s while reading this, and that made it more fun, so I recommend that as a way to give the story a little more depth. I also find stories like this with very little drama good for when my life has enough drama of its own. 😏
I’ve often wished there were more novels that showed ordinary life in a more favorable light, rather than making the ordinary seem bleak or nonexistent. This novella shows that it is possible to write about an ordinary, happy life — but also why most don’t (too easily feels boring or trivial if you’re not the one living it).
I’m also reading A Gentleman in Moscow — another novel about a rather ordinary, mostly happy day-to-day life but one whose language and setting make it far more beautiful and fascinating. It’s at a whole other level of literature. Don’t come to this book with those expectations. This is more what your elderly neighbor would tell you about her exploits in nyc as a college girl at the end of WW2.
I happened to watch a few movies from the 40s and 50s while reading this, and that made it more fun, so I recommend that as a way to give the story a little more depth. I also find stories like this with very little drama good for when my life has enough drama of its own. 😏
August 4, 2010
I don't know about you - but when I think memoir I think of some of the more depressing stories I've read; stories of abuse and abandonment. I don't know when Memoir became synonymous with those subjects in my head but thank goodness Marjorie Hart was there this week to show me how different memoirs can be.
This book was one of the most pleasant, most nostalgic memoirs I've read. It almost felt like fiction in spots so fantastic were the names and the places being seen.
Tiffany has always been a magical name to me, I mean, what girl doesn't love at least looking at sparkling diamonds or watching Audrey Hepburn on the screen as she emerges from a taxi in front of the famous store. I loved getting an "inside" look at what was like in the 40's during wartime for these girls who made a place for women working in the established store.
Although there wasn't as much store talk as I had hoped there would be, I still wasn't disappointed. Marjorie has some amazing memories and brought goosebumps to my arms more than once as she described the scenes she was seeing in New York at the time of the Japanese surrender.
Overall the book was a very light, perfect summer memoir to read and I highly recommend it if you are looking for that perfect story to read on the beach.
This book was one of the most pleasant, most nostalgic memoirs I've read. It almost felt like fiction in spots so fantastic were the names and the places being seen.
Tiffany has always been a magical name to me, I mean, what girl doesn't love at least looking at sparkling diamonds or watching Audrey Hepburn on the screen as she emerges from a taxi in front of the famous store. I loved getting an "inside" look at what was like in the 40's during wartime for these girls who made a place for women working in the established store.
Although there wasn't as much store talk as I had hoped there would be, I still wasn't disappointed. Marjorie has some amazing memories and brought goosebumps to my arms more than once as she described the scenes she was seeing in New York at the time of the Japanese surrender.
Overall the book was a very light, perfect summer memoir to read and I highly recommend it if you are looking for that perfect story to read on the beach.
September 7, 2008
Such a delightful tale of two girls' adventures in New York! The 1940's setting was nice, and I enjoyed the many references to fashion and music. So neat that it is a true story as well! Great fun!
July 30, 2023
Marjorie Hart beautifully captures the excitement of spending a summer in New York before ending college. She also wonderfully relates the details of that war-time era.
I can’t help but recall the little old ladies we met at McDonald’s while preparing to compete for big Tiffany cups. We were a bit rowdy and apologized for ourselves. But they assured us that they had once been right in the middle of such debauchery. This memoir is a good reminder of how much we share with previous generations, though the circumstances and styles have changed.
I can’t help but recall the little old ladies we met at McDonald’s while preparing to compete for big Tiffany cups. We were a bit rowdy and apologized for ourselves. But they assured us that they had once been right in the middle of such debauchery. This memoir is a good reminder of how much we share with previous generations, though the circumstances and styles have changed.
May 18, 2024
Truly one of the best books I have ever read! Such heartfelt joy and wonder as a young woman goes through a challenging time in life (the last years of college) during World War 2. This biography offers a valuable insight into allowing honest emotions to be expressed in everyday life. I recommend everyone partake in this book and its historic place in literature!
June 24, 2025
A lovely summer memoir about the author’s time working for the summer in NYC in 1945. She and her friend were the first female employees to work on the floor of Tiffany’s. The audio is narrated by Julia Whelan which is a nice bonus.
August 12, 2021
"Isn't it amazing, no matter how tired you are-music always gives you a lift."
May 12, 2025
What a darling story. I find the 1940s so fascinating. One of the first women to work at Tiffany’s in NYC. Loved the history and Marjorie’s experience working at Tiffany’s during the war and being in time square during VJ Day. 🤍
February 9, 2017
An adorable and fresh coming of age tale. "Marge" recounts in vivid detail the B-25 Empire State Building crash, VJ Day in Times Square, and the magic and wonder of Tiffany. A sweet treat of a read!
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