When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines

Carter reflects on libel battles he faced during his time at Vanity Fair. One of the biggest such cases involved Mohamad al-Fayed, the former Harrods and Paris Ritz owner. In 1995, Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth did a piece on Fayed’s alleged use of surveillance on his employees and his harassment of female employees specifically. Before the piece came out, Fayed was a more sympathetic character and seemed to be under attack by the British government simply due to his Egyptian background. Maureen’s research proved that Fayed was more nefarious. He sued Vanity Fair, but the case was easier for them to win because British libel laws are different from those in the States. Amidst the court proceedings, former Harrods employees came out with their stories of harassment and abuse—revealing that Fayed had silenced them using gag orders and bribery. Carter had to visit Paris at the time and uncovered new and disturbing information about Fayed. The magazine had to quiet the case, however, after Fayed’s son Dodi and Princess Diana died in the 1997 car crash. The full extent of Fayed’s crime wasn’t revealed until he left Harrods in 2010.

Another libel case revolved around Lewis Lapham (a Harper’s editor) and film director Roman Polanski (the husband of actress Sharon Tate, who was a victim of the Manson killings). In the Vanity Fair article, A. E. Hotchner wrote that Lapham and Polanski were seated together at Elaine’s; during the outing, Lapham saw Polanski harass a supermodel and invoke his late wife’s name and death. Polanski sued Vanity Fair, insisting that their reporting was false. The case went on for two years. Vanity Fair had to settle, as Polanski was “a forceful and disarming witness” (373). In retrospect, Carter feels frustrated with the magazine’s inability to handle the issue.

Carter describes his fruitful and complex relationship with Anna Wintour. Although she was often a challenging character, Carter is grateful to her for helping him orient himself to the Condé Nast world. He traces her rise to power in the industry, detailing her work with House & Garden before becoming the editor of Vogue. Over the years, Carter and Wintour developed a close relationship. Their children went to the same school and were often friendly. However, Wintour had odd habits that often bemused Carter. Her sunglasses and insistence on arriving early intimated others, but Carter felt he knew the real Wintour. At the same time, her moods often shifted unpredictably. Sometimes she was warm, but other times she’d act more distant towards Carter. It took time to navigate their relationship.

The biggest conflict Carter ever faced with Wintour involved Wintour’s ideas for restructuring the Condé Nast team. She wanted all of the editors, writers, and fact checkers to be pooled. Carter didn’t want to share his team with the other publications and argued against the change. Because the company sided with Wintour’s restructuring, Carter decided to retire. He and his wife Anna Scott spent some time abroad. While away, Carter began to plan his exit from Vanity Fair, determined “to control the narrative” (387).

Carter continues to reflect on his decision to leave Vanity Fair. While in the South of France with Anna, he kept mulling over whether to stay at the magazine. A friend suggested he buy Vanity Fair instead of retiring, but Carter imagined a different future for himself. Instead, he wanted to relocate to Opio, a tiny town on the French Riviera, with Anna and lead a quieter life. He settled on retirement and asked his friends and colleagues Chris, Aimée, and Beth for help. They made a plan for how he could leave gracefully. Finally, he returned to New York and went through with his retirement.

After retirement, Carter spent his days reading and napping. However, he quickly grew tired of this lifestyle and started to think about new projects. He soon got the idea for a new publication, Air Mail. With the help of friends and colleagues, he launched the magazine. Air Mail is an international dispatch that offers online coverage of overseas stories. Since its inception, the publication has operated independently of Google and Facebook. It has lasted for six years so far and even survived the pandemic.

Carter shifts his focus to his family and marriage. He is still happily married to Anna. He has good relationships with all of his five children and describes each of their accomplishments. He has been a car fanatic since he was young, and he describes his favorite cars and what he enjoys about them. He also muses on his love of canoeing. In his retirement, he has pursued these hobbies with more ardor. He also bought a new house with Anna and continues to own the Waverly Inn.

Carter reflects on his editorial career over the years. He lists the accomplishments he made and risks he took. He remarks on the lessons he learned, too. He lists some of his favorite issues, covers, and profiles he did while with Vanity Fair. He also reflects on his more recent work with Air Mail. Although it’s been difficult to start a new company in his older age, he’s done so because he loves editing. Sometimes he wishes he’d chosen a simpler life, but these regrets never last long.

In light of everything he’s learned from his editorial career, Carter has made a list of rules for living. His friend once recommended he write a book of these rules, but he’s decided to share some of them in his memoir instead. His rules involve how to choose the right romantic partners, how to form healthy connections, how to deal with conflict, how to value yourself, how to enjoy life, and how to be graceful and self-possessed. He also offers advice on learning from failure and valuing your time. His closing rule is to never leave home without a handkerchief; he then lists all of the reasons why a handkerchief can be useful.