55 pages • 1 hour read
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin is a 2016 historical novel that tells a fictionalized version of the social and literary rise of writer Truman Capote, his friendship with a group of wealthy New York women he dubbed the “swans,” and the subsequent breakdown of these relationships. At the center of the story is the friendship between Truman and Babe Paley, the most “perfect” of the swans. However, after Truman publishes his infamous short story, “La Côte Basque 1965” in the November 1975 issue of Esquire magazine, the swans turn against him, angry at the fact that he has exposed their gossip to the wider world through lightly fictionalized versions of people in their circle. The story unfolds as the swans look back on their glory days, when Truman was at the center of their lives—especially Babe’s.
The page numbers refer to the 2016 Delacorte Press e-book edition.
Content Warning: The book features antisemitism, anti-gay prejudice, sexism, suicide, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, domestic violence, and implied sexual assault.
Plot Summary
After a brief, fairy-tale preface, The Swans of Fifth Avenue opens with a conversation among several of the titular swans at a luncheon on October 17,1975.
Unlock all 55 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,850+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
Beauty
View Collection
Friendship
View Collection
Loyalty & Betrayal
View Collection
New York Times Best Sellers
View Collection
Popular Book Club Picks
View Collection
Popular Study Guides
View Collection
The Best of "Best Book" Lists
View Collection
The Power & Perils of Fame
View Collection
Truth & Lies
View Collection