When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines

Graydon Carter recounts his career as an editor during the peak era of print magazines. After working at Time and Life and cofounding Spy, Carter became editor of Vanity Fair in 1992, tasked with transforming the long-established publication into his own vision. Over the next two and a half decades, he built the magazine into a major success. Carter's memoir covers his work assembling a notable roster of writers and photographers, his efforts to position Vanity Fair as a center for art, culture, business, and politics, and his role in creating the magazine's legendary Oscar party in Los Angeles. The book draws on his experiences at high-profile events and dinners with prominent figures from America, Britain, and Europe, offering an insider's perspective on print journalism and glamour during its final golden age.