Bill Cunningham Books

Growing up in a lace-curtain Irish suburb of Boston, secretly trying on his sister's dresses and spending his evenings after school in the city's chicest boutiques, Cunningham dreamed of a life dedicated to fashion. When he arrived in New York in 1948, he reveled in people-watching. He became a photographer for The New York Times, and after two style mavens took Cunningham under their wing he made a name for himself as a designer. Taking on the alias William J.-- because designing under his family's name would have been a disgrace to his parents--he became one of the era's most outlandish and celebrated hat designers, catering to movie stars, heiresses, and artists alike. Written with his infectious joy and one-of-a-kind voice, this memoir was polished, neatly typewritten, and safely stored away until after his death in 2016 -- adapted from jacket.

The narrative explores the tumultuous history of the Kentucky State Penitentiary at Eddyville, highlighting notorious events like murders, escapes, and riots. A significant focus is the 1923 Tex Walters shoot-out, where inmates killed guards and held a standoff for four days, drawing national attention. The dramatic involvement of the National Guard and the subsequent trial of Lillian Walters, who was accused of smuggling weapons to her husband, adds a gripping courtroom element to the story, showcasing the prison's dark legacy.