During the summer of 1945, Marjorie Hart and her best friend Marty Garrett, sorority sisters from the University of Iowa, decide to move to New York City for a summer of adventures. After several unsuccessful attempts to find jobs, they are able to secure positions as pages at Tiffany & Co. Marjorie Hart's memoir, Summer at Tiffany, chronicles their time in this great city during a pivotal time in our nation's history. This book was not published until 2007 but you would have thought that Hart wrote this book as a young girl. She successfully captured the excitement and naivety of her younger self, which I think would be difficult to do! You could just sense the wide-eyed wonder of the author as she described their day to day experiences!Hart and her best friend had so many "once in a lifetime: experiences. They joined the celebration in Times Square on VJ Day. They were working the day that Judy Garland came into the store with her fiance to select a piece of jewelry. Hart met Mr. Charles Lewis Tiffany II, grandson of the founder of Tiffany.
Life wasn't all joy and bliss during this time, though. After all, a war was being fought. Hart shared what it was like to find out a relative had been killed; she spoke of the anxiety of opening letters from home, fearing what news her parents would be sharing.
All in all, it was a fun, light, summer read. I believe I read it in about 2 days, so it is a quick, engaging read. It will leave you dreaming of 1940's fashion and the beautiful jewelry of Tiffany & Co.
I received this book through TLC Book Tours and I'd like to give away my copy! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment and tell me about the best summer job you've had. You have until 8 pm on Tuesday, June 15th to leave your comment. I will then announce the winner on Wednesday, June 16th!
Best summer job I ever had was when I was in college working at the bridal store. I was also a conference assistant checking in camps for App so all around it was a summer of great jobs!
ReplyDeleteOoh this book sounds great! Hmmm...best summer job I had. Oddly enough it was the summer after my freshman year of college - I worked for a moving company as a packer. (I continued to work for that company the following summers and after college, but in the office).
ReplyDeleteIt was hard work but I met so many different people - I still think about some of the families sometimes. I wonder if the General we packed up who was really concerned about his huge TV has retired, I wonder how the family (some of the nicest people I met) who moved to Alaska were able to stay there like they wanted, and I wonder about how the dishes arrived on the other end of the lady who's kitchen took 4 hours to pack. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything!
Sounds like a perfect summer read!!!
ReplyDeleteBest summer job I've ever had was probably when I was a nanny; pool days, trips for ice cream, soccer games, me carting the kids around in a mini-van (yes, seriously). On rainy days we'd have movie days and play with play-doh. Moments of sweetness from kids who occasionally slipped up and called me mom which oddly was rather endearing. (I spent about 40 hours a week with them so not really a big surprise.) The hours were decent, the pay was amazing and it was rewarding on multiple levels. Plus, I could wear whatever I wanted =)
That sounds like a really good book! This is DEFINITELY going on my "to read" list after I'm done with studying!!! :)
ReplyDeleteMy best summer job would have to be when I worked at the Old Brick Inn. Until the cooks started throwing hot pieces of chicken at me and being absolute assholes.
But, I enjoyed waitressing -- loved the tips! My day would go so fast because I'd be so busy. Plus, I was living at the lakes! How wonderful is that.
Sometimes I look back to that summer and say "Can't I do that again for just like 1 week???"
I think that books sounds like a great light summer read.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite summer job I started just after graduating from high school. I worked at a local golf course at the bar. I met all sorts of interesting people. I loved it so much I stayed for 3 years working not only summer buy year round.
My best summer job was working at the Parkette in Chahinkapa Park! We sold soft serve ice cream and all sorts of burger and chicken baskets - even made cotton candy! And the favorite was snow cones! That was a dandy summer and I worked for my cousin, so that was fun, too!
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds good! I've never had a "Summer Job" but the biggest work-related ADVENTURE I had came from when I thought I could hack a summer job. I interviewed for a position at a 5* resort for the summer where we'd be serving wine and food to businessmen who came up to go fishing and stay in the middle of nowhere - there was literally NOTHING for at least an hour outside this place, no computer, one phone and no cellphone reception - I had to room with 16 other girls on top of the kitchens, work split shifts (5 AM to noon, then 7 PM 'til midnight), and try and memorise wine names and features and menus having never served before in my LIFE! It definitely made me realise I missed home, and that money wasn't more important than spending the summer with loved ones and creature comforts. I lasted about 3 weeks and then begged my dad to drive the 4 hours to come and bring me home!!
ReplyDeleteI never really had only a summer job...through high school I worked at a grocery store year around and then I worked in a restaurant throughout university.
ReplyDeleteOk, I lied, I forgot about painting houses in the summer of 2007...wasn't the greatest job and my boss was wacky!
My best summer job was babysitting! I actually baby sat for a mom with 4 kids and they had a outdoor pool and a cupboard filled with all the best snacks!! We used to play hide and seek a lot and I would always hide in the cupboard and eat the yummy food!
ReplyDeleteOh exciting! I need more books in my future, I am plowing through them like crazy since being done school and Eric leaving :) Hehe
ReplyDeleteWhoopsie - forgot to leave my best summer job. Consider this part of my first comment!!!!
ReplyDeleteProbably lifeguarding. Some parts I hated but I had fun co-workers and got to spend my days teaching little kids how to swim (i.e. playing in the water with kids). It was a good experience for me for sure. And great money!!
The best summer job I have ever had was doing the Pepsi Challenge at the Iowa State Fair. Remember the challenge where you had two unmarked cups and one was Coke and one was Pepsi? I was in charge of it the summer before my freshman year of college. It was so much fun!
ReplyDeleteMy best summer job was working in a wee cafe by the beach. the people I work for also owned the mini-golf and things near it, and sometimes my job was to look after it. And I could eat as much ice-cream as I wanted!
ReplyDeleteThat would have to be the summer I was a research assistant in college and met my future husband!
ReplyDeleteI've seen this book around, and do think it looks fun. Glad to know its worth picking up.
ReplyDeleteAs for my best summer job, well that's easy because I've only had one! I spent several years a camp counselor, which I loved. And honestly would still be doing if I could!
I MUST read this book! I wouldn't say working at Herbergers was a dream job during my hs days but being able to study abroad for three months in college was the best summer ever!
ReplyDelete“you would have thought that Hart wrote this book as a young girl” – that is quite a compliment! I love that the author seems to have captured her youthful enthusiasm in this book. I’m really looking forward to reading it now.
ReplyDelete