Vanity Fair Jun-14

1 Monica Lewinsky Monica Lewinsky, a budding activist against online bullying, has a master’s degree in social psychology from the London School of Economics. Her story, “Shame and Survival” (page 120), is the first extended essay she has written since her White House days. “This is a look at today’s culture of humiliation through the lens of my own experience,” says Lewinsky. 2 Pippa Middleton Having served as Vanity Fair’s correspondent at such storied British sporting events as cricket at Lord’s and tennis at Wimbledon, contributing editor Pippa Middleton adds Royal Ascot to the series (“Ascot’s Fair Lady,” on page 126). Middleton, who attended for the first time last year, says it’s best to arrive early: “It’s a busy day trying to ft in horse racing, betting, picnics, and afternoon…

In this month’s issue, we try to do justice to two significant turning points in the culture—one seismic and liberating, the other just sort of depressing. The first took place on June 6, 1944, D-day, when, transported by a vast armada, 150,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, opening a Western front against Nazi Germany. The second milestone, if you can call it that, came almost exactly 50 years later. On June 17, 1994—20 years ago this month—O. J. Simpson, the Hall of Fame running back turned bit-part actor, held the country captive with the now infamous low-speed chase on Los Angeles freeways. While Simpson sat in the back of his white Bronco, a .345 Magnum pointed at his head and his friend Al Cowlings at the wheel, just…

David Beniof and Dan Weiss hooked me in the first season of Game of Thrones even though my interest had never been in the fantasy genre [“The Gathering Storm,” by Jim Windolf, April]. I’ve read all of the books and am a certified “Throner.” And then I see Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, Jaime Lannister, Cersei Lannister, and my personal favorite, Tyrion Lannister, right there on the cover of my favorite periodical. However, just as Benioff and Weiss are troubled by the show’s catching up with the books, we fans have those same concerns. Most of the readers of George R. R. Martin’s blogs are worried that he will die before completion; I’m worried that I will. SHERRY YOUNG DEATON White Plains, Georgia LIBERTÉ! ÉGALITÉ! INSANITÉ! There is so much hatred…

It’s all downhill after birth, according to our new poll—nearly 4 in 10 Americans say a child is more perfect as a newborn than at any point afterward. Let’s take a look at what that perilous, precipitous ride looks like. As our increasingly imperfect children grow up (having apparently peaked on day one—think of a new car depreciating in value as it pulls away from the dealer’s), we place a premium on good behavior: more parents would like to hear that their child is the most polite student in school, rather than the most popular. We wouldn’t spare the rod to achieve that end—nearly three-quarters of Americans say that spanking is “sometimes acceptable.” (Many of us adopt a D.I.Y. attitude toward discipline: we don’t like it when other parents scold…

PANOPLY OF ECCENTRIC BIOGRAPHICAL DATA RE: THE ESTEEMED AUTHOR AND AESTHETE Gay Talese’s distinctive persona appears to have been more or less bestowed at birth. The Ocean City, New Jersey–born writer began interviewing his peers while still a teen and went on to profile subjects ranging from opera singers to prizefighters over the next seven dec ades. To most, he likely seems the consummate insider (only Truman Capote may have had a fatter Rolodex), but, as the son of an Italian immigrant, he’s long considered himself an outsider—an “advantageous circumstance” that has proved to be a key to his success. Author of 12 books and often called a founder of the “New Journalism” movement, Talese will soon release two new works, including a re-written edition of his 1964 classic, The…

The Brando, a new eco-resort on the atoll of Tetiaroa, which comprises 12 idyllic islets that surround a lagoon in French Polynesia, opens next month. Accessible only by private plane, the remote sanctuary features 35 deluxe villas, each with its own private beach and pool. The resort offers Polynesianinspired and French cuisine, a luxurious spa, an ecological habitat, a beach bar, an organic garden, and a boutique. Tetiaroa, originally the summer retreat for Tahitian royalty, became the secret hideaway of actor Marlon Brando, who fell in love with the island while shooting the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty. Deepseawater air-conditioning, solar panels, and coconut-oil-fueled power help to make the island almost 100 percent energyindependent. (thebrando.com) —PUNCHHUTTON…