Welcome, everyone! Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder: Inside the Minds of History’s Great Personalities is now in bookstores and I am absolutely thrilled to share it with all of you. This book delves into the lives and minds of 12 famous individuals, from Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin to Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana. My hope is that these stories will put a face on the complexities of the mind and unravel the mental health conditions that affect so many people.
Writing a book about historical figures means that your primary sources are no longer available for interviews. But each one of these individuals lives on in some unique way. Darwin left behind a trove of letters and journals, beautifully written and deeply honest. I spent quite a few lovely afternoons drinking tea and poring over his writings. Albert Einstein died in 1955, but slices of his brain tissue are on display for all to see at the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. I paid him a visit. When I toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House in Alexandria, VA, with its stunning mix of glass, brick, and wood, I could easily imagine the architect holding forth on his aesthetic vision. And thanks to the Internet, I was able to listen to George Gershwin play "Rhapsody in Blue," watch Marilyn Monroe sing "Happy Birthday" to President Kennedy, and see Princess Diana walk down the aisle at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
These are just a few of the many wonderful experiences I had while researching this book. Enjoy the tales of these remarkable people. I hope you’ll take solace in their challenges and find inspiration in their triumphs.
People's Pick For "Book of the Week"
What a wonderful surprise! People names Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder "Book of the Week."
New York Times Sunday Book Review
Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder is featured in "Group Portraits" in the New York Times Sunday Book Review!
"Without presuming to analyze them, Kalb presents psychological profiles of a dozen iconic figures. Was Andy Warhol a hoarder? He crammed his Manhattan townhouse with collectibles and debris, ranging from a Picasso to 175 cookie jars. By the time he died he was living mainly in his bedroom, while the rest of his dwelling served as a storage closet. Recent research, we learn, says that hoarding is distinct from but related to obsessive-compulsive disorder."
--Amy Finnerty
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NPR Weekend Edition interview with Rachel Martin
Listen to the story in the player above, and Click Here to read the full interview at NPR.