On Friday evening, July 29th the beautifully restored Canoe Place Inn in Hampton Bays was the setting for a celebration of the publication of Growing Up Getty: The Story of America’s Most Unconventional Dynasty by James Reginato. Hamptons.com spoke with the author about his background and his new book. Mr. Reginato has a distinguished career in publishing, having been with Vanity Fair Magazine for 15 years. Previously, he served as features editor of W Magazine.
When asked how he came to write Growing Up Getty, Mr. Reginato explained that his editor at Vanity Fair is now with Simon & Schuster and the idea for book was sparked during a conversation with her. It took 3 years to come to fruition, he said, “one year of research, one year to write and another year for editing.”
The book is a picture of the Getty family. During his research Mr. Reginato interviewed numerous members of the family. The scion, J. Paul Getty, was once the richest man in the world, having made his fortune from oil. “He had 16 grandchildren and his descendants today are spread over four continents,” explains Mr. Reginato. Some of them are well known, including Mark Getty, who co-founded Getty Images, and Anne G. Earhart, who is an award-winning environmentalist. A new generation of the family is also beginning to make their mark, in diverse fields including fashion design, acting and directing, LGBTQ rights activism and singing/songwriting.
Mr. Reginato’s extensive research and excellent writing skills have produced a mesmerizing look into one of America’s best known and most unconventional families. Find it at your local bookstore or Amazon.
