Noelle Ashley on André Leon Talley

Noelle Ashley has given Beatrice readers on-the-scene reports before, but after this account from a recent New York Historical Society event, I may have to make her my permanent red carpet reporter. As long, of course, as there’s always a literary angle, as in this spotlight on André Leon Talley…

There are two sides to the Vogue editor and New York icon André Leon Talley.

When Naomi Campbell, Donald Trump and Vera Wang joined him at the New York Historical Society benefit the other night, I expected a breathtaking presence to stand before us. Often caught on camera in flamboyant fashions, Talley delivered a surprisingly subtle look, with black on black simplicity. The only hint of color peeked from his pocket in the form of a cranberry silk handkerchief.

Co-chairing the event were Pat Aschul and the pregnant Melania Trump, in a cleavage-baring, gorgeous black gown, who stopped by with her husband en route to the premiere of “King Kong.” Unlike Melania, Talley looked like he wanted to blend in—but his height didn’t let him. Talley is too tall for anonymity, and too graceful to slouch.

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13 December 2005 | guest authors |

Robert Sheckley, 1928-2005

When I was a teenage science fiction fan, avidly catching up with about five decades worth of stories from the Astounding era onward, Robert Sheckley was one of my favorite discoveries. His stories had a wonderfully twisted sense of humor—sci-fi isn’t always the easiest genre to pull off satire in, but Sheckley knew how to do it, over and over again. Likewise absurdism: Long before there was Douglas Adams, there was Sheckley. One of my favorite short stories was “Bad Medicine,” which just happens to be available from Project Gutenberg; there are a few more stories available as well.

9 December 2005 | obituaries |