Posted on 08/25/2009 6:38:56 PM PDT by franksolich
I just got done reading a book about the death of Henry R. Luce in 1967, which of course made me want to cry, asking why such people leave this time and place when their work on earth is hardly begun. It was very sad.
Anyway.
After Henry Luce handed over the reins of his publishing empire to others, in 1964, he and his wife, Clare Boothe Luce, one of the most remarkable women of the 20th century, sold their home in Connecticut and moved to Arizona.
They probably should have remained in Connecticut, because Arizona seemed to have a deteriorating effect on their tastes and values. Henry Luce, for example, relentlessly played golf (as compared with his previous preoccupation of enlightening people), and Clare Boothe Luce, once famous for her sewing, embroidery, and needlework, began buying styrofoam balls by the gross, and using material, fabric, velvet, lace, and fake jewels, made Christmas tree ornaments of them.
(Excerpt) Read more at conservativecave.com ...
Ping for the list.
“She used to donate them to an exclusive department store in New York City, which sold them at $10 each (in 1960s dollars, by the way), on behalf of a charity for crippled children.”
What a Blessed Lady.
You gonna take the Bobcats to a bowl this year?
A next door neighbor helped me make some when I was about 12 or 13. Still have them and cherish them.
parsy, who has fond memories of that, 40+ years ago.
I don’t know much about the Luces. Could you give a quick synopsis of their lives? I Googled a bit and found this quote from Dorothy Parker about Claire Booth Luce:
“And where does she find them?” (Dorthy Parker, when told that Claire Booth Luce was invariably kind to her inferiors)
Another Google search result says that Claire Booth Luce was a CIA asset. Anything about that in the book?
Oh now, Clare Boothe Luce, as mentioned, was one of the truly remarkable women of the 20th century, oozing class and grace and elegance and wit out of every pore in her skin.
That is very sweet Parsy!
One of Dorothy (I must get out of these wet clothes and into a dry martini) Parker's better comments. Notwithstanding, of course, that Parker was AT LEAST as anti-American as the rest of them.
She was a very nice lady. Had MS. Her son was in Vietnam for a while and then he came back. So I hang these big ornaments on Douglas Fir, the singing Christmas tree I got at Walgreens. And put out the “bear” nativity scene with Joseph and Mary Bear, two angel bears, and a little Jesus bear in the manger.
Its cute. The kids love it.
parsy, who likes it too
I think I like it too!
Some of them are on this. The little angel bears have hooks and hang on trees.
parsy, who loves this silly stuff
Cool Frank. You have great stories.
Let me try it with the link.
parsy, whose raccoons are on the porch eating
Oh how cute!
We have Hershey Elf ornaments.
Nothin' says "Christmas" like bacon and pickles.
You’re a delightful writer! Have you published a book? If not, you should, you’re fun to read. :)
Arizona will rot your brain. /s
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