Red Leather Diary The

RescuedfromaDumpsterontheUpperWestSideofManhattan,adiscardeddiarybringstolifetheglamorous,forgottenworldofanextraordinaryyoungwoman.Formorethanhalfacentury,theredleatherdiarylaysilent,languishinginsideasteamertrunk,itsworncovercrumblingintolittleflakes.WhenacleaningsweepofaNewYorkCityapartmentbuildingbringsthislosttreasuretolight,boththediaryanditsowneraregivenasecondlife.RecoveredbyLilyKoppel,ayoungwriterworkingattheNewYorkTimes,thejournalpaintsavividpictureof1930sNewYork–horsebackridinginCentralPark,summerexcursionstotheCatskills,andanobsessionwithafamousavant-gardeactress.From1929to1934,notasingleday'sentryisskipped.Openingthetarnishedbrasslock,Koppelembarksonajourneyintothepast,travelingtoaNewYorkinwhichwomenofprivilegemeetforteaatSchrafft's,danceattheHotelPennsylvania,andtoastthenightatElMorocco.Assheturnsthediary'sbrittlepages,Koppeliscaptivatedbytheheadstrongyoungwomanwhoseintimatethoughtsandemotionsfillthepalebluelines.WhowasthislovelyingénuewhoadoredtheworksofBaudelaireandJaneAusten,whowassexuallycuriousbeyondheryears,whotraveledtoRome,Paris,andLondon?Compelledbythehopesandheartachescapturedinthepages,Koppelsetsouttofindthediary'sowner,heronlycluetheinscriptiononthefrontispiece–"Thisbookbelongsto...FlorenceWolfson."AchancephonecallfromaprivateinvestigatorleadsKoppeltoFlorence,aninety-year-oldwomanlivingwithherhusbandofsixty-sevenyears.Reunitedwithherdiary,Florenceventuresbacktothegirlsheoncewas,rediscoveringalostselfthatburnedwithartisticfervor.Joiningintimateinterviewswithoriginaldiaryentries,KoppelrevealstheworldofaNewYorkteenagerobsessedwiththestateofhersoulandherappearance,andmusesontheserendipitouschainofeventsthatreturnedthelostjournaltoitsowner.Evocativeandentrancing,TheRedLeatherDiaryre-createstheromanceandglitter,sophisticationandpromise,of1930sNewYork,bringingtolifethetruestoryofaprecociousyoungwomanwhodaredtofollowherdreams.