De a r Li b r a r i a n , TheFr i c kCol l ec t i oni sunus ua la mongNe wYor kCi t ymus eums .Unl i k et hes pr a wl i ngMetort he s wi r l i ngGugg enhei m,t heFr i c kma ns i onhous edaf a mi l yf i r s t ,s t a r t i ngi n191 4,bef or ei twa s dubbedt heFr i c kCol l ec t i ona ndopenedt ot hepubl i ci n1935. Andwha taf a s c i na t i ngf a mi l yl i v edwi t hi ni t swa l l s :s t eelma g na t eHenr yCl a yFr i c k —auni onbus t i ng,a r t l ov i ngpa t r i a r c h;hi ss i c kl ywi f e,Adel a i de ;a ndhi sa dul tda ug ht er ,Hel en,whowa s des c r i bedi na1939NewYor k erpr of i l ea sawoma nof“ e x t r emel yr obus tpr ej udi c es , ”knownf or dr oppi ngf r i endsi ft heybobbedt hei rha i r ,a ndwhos t ea df a s t l yr ef us edt oempl oyGer ma nsl ong a f t erWWI . Thi swa sahous ehol doft hr ees er v edbyas t a f foft went y s e v en, s ur r oundedbys ome oft hemos tbeaut i f ular ti nt hewor l d,y ethaunt edbyat er r i bl et r agedyt hatoccur r edy ear s bef or et heya r r i v edi nNe wYor k. Bef or eIs t ar t edwr i t i ng,Iwasl uc kyt og etamar v el ousbehi ndt hes c enest ouroft he bui l di ng .Wewa nder edpa s tt heTur ners ea s c a pesa ndVer meerpor t r a i t sont hema i nf l oor s , downi nt ot heba s ementwi t hi t ss t a t eof t hea r tbowl i nga l l ey( c i r c a191 4)a ndupt ot het op f l oor sbur s t i ngwi t hf urv a ul t sa ndt r unkr ooms .AsIl ef t ,Iwa ss t r uc kbyt henudef i gur ec a r v ed i ns t onea bov et hemus eum’ sent r ance.Aqui cks ear chuncov er edt hathernamewasAudr ey Muns on,andt hats hewa sc ons i der edt hes uper modeloft he1910s ,heri ma g eg r a c i ngmor e t ha nadoz ens t a t uesa c r os sNe w Yor kCi t y .Unf or t una t el y ,Muns onwa sdr a wni nt oas or di d s c a nda la tt hehei g htofherf a me,a nde v ent ua l l ydi edi na na s y l um i n1996a tt hea g eof104. Hel enCl a yFr i c ka ndAudr eyMuns onwer et wov er ydi f f er entwomen,f r om v er ydi f f er ent wa l ksofl i f e,connect edbyt hi sgl or i ousFi f t hAv enuemans i on.AsIheadedhomeaf t ert hat f i r s tt our ,Ic oul dn’ thel pbutwonder ,“ Wha twoul da nenc ount erbet weent hef r ees pi r i t ed Audr eyMuns ona ndt henot or i ous l ypr i c kl yHel enCl a yFr i c kha v ebeenl i k e ?” Thepl otf orTheMa g nol i aPa l a c equi c kl yunf ol de df r om t he r e .Wi t ht hehe l poft her e ma r k a bl e s t a f fa nda r c hi v i s t sa tt heF r i c k,Iwa sa bl et odoade e pdi v ei nt ot hehi s t or yoft hebui l di nga ndt he f a mi l y , a c c e s s i ngdi nne rpa r t yme nus , e mpl o y e epa y r ol l s , a ndphot osof t heor i g i na l r ooms . Ar medwi t h e v er y t hi ngIl ea r nedf r om t hes edoc ument s ,Idec i dedt os ett hes t or yi n1 91 9,whent hema ns i on wa sar es i denc e,a nda l s oi n1 966,a f t eri tha dbec omeamus eum. Thi sbook,mys i x t h,pi t st wos t r ong hea ded,v er ydi f f er entwomena g a i ns tea c hot her ,whi l e e x pl or i ngi dea sofbea ut ya ndwoma nhood,a ndhowt hey ’ v ec ha ng ed( ornot )ov ert hepa s tma ny dec a des .I ’ ms ot hr i l l edt obea bl et os ha r ei twi t hy ou.
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