Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.

From the second I opened Sam Wasson’s highly addictive work of literature, I felt as if I had stumbled onto a film set, or into some exclusive club in which deeply interesting bits of pop culture knowledge are revealed with the aloofness of casual conversation. Not only does Wasson describe in great, entertaining detail the making of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but he gets to the bottom of why its star, Audrey Hepburn, was such an enchanting girl, and why she still is today. The cast of characters within the volume is vast. Everyone from Truman Capote, to Edith Head, to Marilyn Monroe pops up. If they had some influence on Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or Audrey Hepburn’s life, a snippet of their story is told. The text reads like a novel destined to be a classic. I found myself turning pages late into the night and even as my eyes drooped, didn’t want to stop. Wasson’s prose would have the same affect on film buffs, celebrity enthusiasts, and especially fashionistas. My favorite story within the story was the tale of how Audrey became muse to Hubert de Givenchy and how she and his Little Black Dress reinvented fashion. This book seems like such a necessity, I’m surprised there are not more like it. I would recommend this to almost anyone. If you are interested in films, Broadway plays, actresses, Hollywood, costume, history, feminism, fashion, etc. (It is a never-ending list.) you would enjoy this book. Even if you’re not a reader and would rather look at pictures, check the middle for exclusive shots taken before and during the production of the iconic film. It is undeniable that Sam Wasson’s book should be on the shelf of every fashionable lady with a little Audrey in her.