Kitty Kelley Dazzles in Georgetown
Alan and Nancy Taylor Bubes host bestselling investigative biographer.
“What brought you to Georgetown?” asked moderator Carrington Tarr. “Two husbands” replied Kitty Kelley.
The internationally acclaimed author regaled neighbors and friends Thursday evening with recollections about her prominent subjects, and calling Georgetown home for more than three decades.
The Citizens Association of Georgetown sponsored the very special evening hosted by Alan and Nancy Taylor Bubes in their stunning home overlooking the Potomac River. And yes, with the sun shining bright, sunglasses and umbrella de rigueur.
She started every book believing the subject was important and fascinating, something essential before embarking on years of meticulous research.
From landing the interview and getting people to talk freely (just keep asking and asking), learning how to be tough (Frank Sinatra tried to sue her for writing about him), to the question she would never ask someone (how much they weigh), Kelley shared a passion for writing and protecting herself (tape record everything).
“What I did after every interview is send a detailed thank you note and kept a copy. It has saved my life. I have never ever been sued.”
From her time working at The Washington Post, Kelley recalled with affection that Katharine Graham gifted her a red velvet suit she had admired. She still has it.
Because she’d read everything that had ever been written about Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Kelley initially said no to her publisher. “But I had just written a book on fat farms in America that sold 14 copies.”
“You learn something from every subject you write about. When I started the book on Elizabeth Taylor, I got divorced,” she said with a grin.
Fear of reprisals following her controversial book on Nancy Reagan (she didn’t think Ronald Reagan could have ever been elected without her) nixed the idea of KKELLEY vanity plates on her Mercedes.“With MEOW, now people wave at me.”
And how has Georgetown changed? “We need one way streets. Cars are getting fatter.”
Biographies. She writes them and she reads them. A longtime supporter of Biographers International Organization, Kelley recently donated $1 million to promote the work of biographers worldwide.