and more — Odell also adds in layers of context, be it personal or professional, which deepen the reader's understanding of these incidents could occur without excusing them. There are invaluable glimpses into the roles she takes on in her private life as well: as a mother , a daughter, a friend, a romantic partner.
I got the first call about writing this book from my agent in the summer of 2018. My publisher had had the idea to do a biography about Anna Wintour; I immediately got chills at the idea, and I think that's because Anna is someone who's in an unprecedented position of power. Her influence and power in the business world is really unmatched. Her longevity is tremendous.
She may be known as this icy, inscrutable figure, but in the book, we get to see her adopting a puppy when her children are little, and the puppy tearing up her garden in her new townhouse. You see that she grapples with these failures atand at Condé Nast. You see that she has a warm relationship with her family and her friends. You see that she can be a gracious hostess in her home, be it in her Manhattan townhouse or in her estate out in Long island.
The access, I think, is what makes this book special, even though she didn't speak to me. But in the beginning, I thought I was going to have to give up on this book. I recall so many conversations with my husband and close friends about how it was so frustrating. I was just getting rejection after rejection for interviews, particularly in the beginning.
You must have gotten some really good gossip about behind-the-scenes things that we don't know happened, and I would love to know how you determined what made the book and what didn't.
I am excited to read this book.
Well