DOC American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit; Stanford White; the Birth of the "It" Girl and the Crime of the Century by Paula Uruburu in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. America Eve chronicles the life and wild love triangle of Evelyn Nesbit; Stanford White and Harry Thaw which led to murderBy C. M MillsAmerica Eva is the sobering account of the life and wild career of Evelyn Nesbit. Nesbit was a famous model and minor actress who was the most photographed ingénue in America a century ago. Evelyn was born in a small town near Pittsburgh. Her father was a feckless lawyer who died when she was a young lass. Her brother Howard and she grew up with an ambitious mother. Evelyn was a beautiful and nubile stunner. She was soon modeling for well known artists and photographers. She became the mistress of Stanford White the famous architect. She wed the erratic Harry K. Thaw a Pittsburgh millionaire. Thaw murdered White blaming him for taking away Evelyn's virginity. The two Thaw trials were the most famous legal cases in the early twentieth century. Thaw spent a few years in a mental institution. He and Evelyn divorced in 1915. She lived into her eighties suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. She remarried a showman but that marriage did not last. This book shows us the rise of the cult of celebrity and how modern media made a star out of Evelyn. Nesbit was the first It girl and a famous Gibson girl. The sensational murder trial of Thaw set the pattern for tabloid journalism in the new century. Dr. Paula Uruburu of Hofstra University has written a readable and well researched story of a female Horatio Alger whose life was destroyed by sexual intrigue. A good book. Well worth a read.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Too InnocentBy Book WomanWhat a beauty! Evelyn; the young showgirl and model who became famous at 14; shines in the photos of this book. She could; by turns; look sultry or innocent and that intoxicating combination brought her fame. Her likeness was sold on postcards and she adorned many of the advertisements of her day. It also brought her men; one being Stanford White. He was a married man with an eye for young girls; the designer of Madison Square Garden. He approached Evelyn and her mother in an avuncular way; dispelling any mistrust with his thoughtfulness and open wallet. This went on for a while; and Mama Nesbit relaxed her parental protectiveness which was never strong to begin with. So one night White plied Evelyn with champagne and raped her in his tower apartment above MSG when she passed out. As atrocious as this sounds; it was probably worse then than it would be now. Young women; especially of dubious trade like Evelyn was; had only one hope for their future. If they kept their virginity intact; they might hope to make a decent marriage to a man who would support them and elevate their status. Once robbed of that; a girl would be considered damaged goods and likely be consigned to an uncertain and disgraced future. Even more than that; however; White had won Evelyn's trust and his betrayal stunned her beyond measure. For a while; she continued the liaison; hoping that he would leave his wife and take her on. But his eye continued to roam for new conquests; and her appeal to him waned once he had taken her prize. She tried to move on with her life.Enter Harry K. Thaw of Pittsburg; a millionaire of sadistic habits. Metal illness ran in his family; and Harry ran hot and cold in his courtship of Evelyn. She put him off; knowing her shameful secret; but he browbeat it out of her. This gave him new power in their relationship and fueled his hatred of White; which was already blooming. At 17; Evelyn was raped by Thaw as he beat her with a dog whip. Nonetheless; she married him; thinking that no one else who knew her past would ever have her. Poor dear.But it gets worse. Thaw's fixation on White reaches epic heights; to the point where he demands that Evelyn have the cosmetic dentistry paid for by his predecessor replaced by work that he pays for--leaving her with subsequent damage. Then one night in 1906 (with Evelyn present) he shoots White to death during a performance at the Garden. He shouts to the crowd; "I did it because he ruined my wife!" His trials (there were two) made her a key witness; having to tell the world her sordid tale in Harry's defense. His family promised her a million dollars and a divorce if she testified; but she only got the latter. Harry was declared not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to a facility for the criminally insane. Evelyn went on to raise the son that she claimed was Thaw's; although he disavowed the boy; and spiraled down into alcoholism after the trial. In her time; Evelyn was portrayed as a villainess; a seductress who lured men to their doom. But she is more correctly understood as a victim; of her times and her men and her mother. Read the book to understand HER . . . she really was quite nice.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. One of the best trial books I have ever read!By book lover from PAI could not put down this book on the role of Evelyn Nesbit in the Harry K. Thaw murder of architect Stanford White. This book; on the first Trial of the Century in the 20th century; is compelling reading. The author has mastered all of the literature and complicated testimony and stories about the murder; and tells the story in a way that the reader can decide whether Thaw was guilty or not (he used one of the first "innocent by reason of mental illness defenses). I was fascinated by all of the twists and turns in a story that I knew only a little about when I began; and highly recommend this book for anyone interested in high profile trials; or law.