A witty, insightful, and delightfully snarky blend of pop culture meets memoir meets real-life Devil Wears Prada as readers learn the stories behind twenty-five years at Vanity Fair from the magazine’s former deputy editor “Dilettante offers the best seat in the house into the workings of one of the great cultural institutions of our time.”—Buzz Bissinger, New York Times bestselling author of Friday Night Lights Dana Brown was a twenty-one-year-old college dropout playing in punk bands and partying his way through downtown New York’s early-nineties milieu when he first encountered Graydon Carter, the legendary editor of Vanity Fair. After the two had a handful of brief interactions (mostly with Brown in the role of cater waiter at Carter’s famous cultural salons he hosted at his home), Carter saw what he believed to be Brown’s untapped potential, and on a whim, hired him as his assistant. Brown instantly became a trusted confidante and witness to all of the biggest parties, blowups, and takedowns. From inside the famed Vanity Fair Oscar parties to the emerging world of the tech elite, Brown’s job offered him access to some of the most exclusive gatherings and powerful people in the world, and the chance to learn in real time what exactly a magazine editor does—all while trying to stay sober enough from the required party scene attendance to get the job done. Against all odds, he rose up the ranks to eventually become the magazine’s deputy editor, spending a quarter century curating tastes at one of the most storied cultural shops ever assembled. Dilettante reveals Brown’s most memorable moments from the halcyon days of the magazine business, explores his own journey as an unpedigreed outsider to established editor, and shares glimpses of some of the famous and infamous stories (and people) that tracked the magazine’s extraordinary run all keenly observed by Brown. He recounts tales from the trenches, including encounters with everyone from Anna Wintour, Lee Radziwill, and Condé Nast owner Si Newhouse, to Seth Rogen, Caitlyn Jenner, and acclaimed journalists Dominick Dunne and Christopher Hitchens. Written with equal parts affection, cultural exploration, and nostalgia, Dilettante is a defining story within that most magical time and place in the culture of media. It is also a highly readable memoir that skillfully delivers a universal coming-of-age story about growing up and finding your place in the world.

Lusty career girls! Scandalous exploits! And guaranteed job satisfaction. "Madcap" Maxie Mainwaring has been leading a gay life in Bay City, courtesy of her wealthy parents' generous allowance. Then she's discovered in the powder room at the Daughters of the American Pioneers Annual Luncheon, boldly exploring new territory with a female attendee. Maxie gets an ultimatum: move back to the Mainwaring Manse, or pay her own way. Plenty of girls can testify to Maxie's enthusiasm and talent--but can the "dilettante debutante" earn a paycheck? Over the course of one adventurous summer, Maxie will hone her skills with the help of acquaintances old and new, including: Velma, a comely dry cleaning mogul with some dirty secrets Stella, the aspiring novelist who has a way with more than words Kathy, an FBI agent who views Maxie as a definite person of interest Lon, the laconic loner who knows more than she tells And Pamela, the businesswoman with a body made for pleasure From gritty school cafeterias to cosmopolitan magazine offices, Maxie is discovering new positions and getting valuable hands-on experience--and love could be the most exciting job perk of all. . .

The "as usual" was his own qualification of the act; a convenient way of bridging the interval—in days and other sequences—that lay between this visit and the last. It was characteristic of him that he instinctively excluded his call two days earlier, with Ruth Gaynor, from the list of his visits to Mrs. Vervain: the special conditions attending it had made it no more like a visit to Mrs. Vervain than an engraved dinner invitation is like a personal letter.

Originally published: Australia: Allen & Unwin, 2010.