I came across The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free by Paula Bren accidentally while reading a discussion on Facebook. What a treat. My mother who had never been east of the Mississippi (if you don’t count Moline, Illinois) until she was 54, knew about the Barbizon. It came up somewhere when I was a kid, and I asked her if she knew about it. She was also married at 18, and she never wanted to be free, but she knew about this hotel. This hotel is a part of history. Whether your interest is in women’s history, the 20th century, feminist history, or the history of Manhattan this is of interest.
Women fought for the vote for decades before they got it in 1920. Women’s hotels were popping up throughout the country, certainly in Manhattan, but the Barbozon was the last and the star.  They accommodated the women who had been clambering to get out on their own before settling down to marriage. Many parents would only allow this if their daughters were going to be safe, with restrictions.
In the 1920s and decades after young women graduated college, even the prestigious Seven Sisters had to have secretarial skills if they ever wanted to get a job. Thus the famous Gibbs Secretarial School had two floors at the Barbizon dedicated to college grads who wanted a job before marriage. The Powers Modeling agency had a floor.
The residents were upper-class and white and had to supply several references before they were admitted. The Barbizon had standards. The rooms were Spartan; however, to the women on their own for the first time, even the rules felt like a freedom they had never dreamed of. There was luxury Outside the individual rooms, but no men were above the first-floor lobby.
The author did meticulous research about the invisible women who came and went (some never leaving) and a bevy of the famous including Grace Kelly and others you will know.
Sylvia Plath lived there while a Mademoiselle magazine college editor winner in June 1953, as did all the other winners throughout the history of this program. The Bell Jar, Plath’s only novel, begins at this hotel, which she calls the Amazon. Joan Didion wrote there.
It was a dream come true and a place for exploration. However, Bren also takes us to the downside. Just as college grads had to go to secretarial school, there was the knowledge that all would get married and desperation among those who were getting too old. Suicides were relatively common, although they were generally hidden.
We learn about the history of the Mademoiselle program. Those who grew up reading this magazine and wanting to be part of it will learn what it was like. We learn about the women who never left, who became a problem in the decades to come. I enjoyed that when the building was gutted and revamped into condos in the 21st century there were still women there, protected by the New York rent control laws, whose rent could not be raised, could not be moved out, and still had to be provided with complimentary maid service. These women beat the system.
The book did leave me with a few questions. We were told often that the only men who ever got above the first floor were doctors, and not just doctors, but gynecologists. I thought that the only reason women of that age would need that would be abortion, but it wasn’t stated. Later, she did mention that several women had abortions, but never tied the two together or even discussed it.
There was a chapter titled McCarthyism and Its Female Prey which really piqued my interest. It seems that those who were obsessed with Communists in our midst also believed that anything that would allow women any freedom was suspect. I was disappointed with this chapter as it seemed a little shallow.
However, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a well-written history of women in the 20th century, the women’s movement, and New York.
Book Club Questions:Â
These questions are generally for book clubs; however, they can also be used for contemplation or talking to a friend. Spoiler Alert: These questions are designed for people who have read the entire book. If surprises matter, do not read these now.
- Â Did the structure of the Barbizon speed up or ultimately hinder the freedom of women during those decades?
- Â Do you see the links between McCarthyism and feminism, certainly of the time?
- Would staying at the Barbizon or a similar residence have helped or hindered you?
- Is there a need for a women’s residence today? Perhaps with fewer rules and restrictions?
