Earlier this year PALMER editor-at-large Michael Gross released his latest tome, Flight of the WASP: The Rise, Fall and Future of America’s Original Ruling Class. The smash hit has been drawing crowds ever since.
In July, he presented a John J. Slocum, Jr. Memorial Lecture at Newport’s Redwood Library on the book. Gross is the fourth Slocom lecturer following Christopher Buckley, Bob Woodward and Steven Schwarzman. His talk recounted the “twisty road” that brought him from writing about rock bands to becoming the authoritative historian on America’s upper class. “Thankfully, I never once wrote about Newport, which is why I guess I’m welcome here,” he joked.
Michael Gross signing a copy of his book for Joan Tobin.
The packed crowd was rapt as Gross traced the figures central in his book, and how their stories relate to our turbulent present. Flight of the WASP covers four centuries of American history, beginning with Colonial times, through the Gilded Age to the present day. The subject matter left attendees thrilled, to the point that the post-lecture Q&A period had to be cut off due to time.
Attendees included the Redwood Library’s executive director Benedict Leca, Dede Wilsey, Diana Slocum, Janet Pell, George and Nannette Cavanaugh Herrick, Kimberly Skeen, Joan Tobin, and John and Jae French, among others. See photos from the event, below.
Benedict Leca.
Dede Wilsey.
Professor Leora Maltz-Leca with a guest.