Estee Lauder: Beyond the Magic: An Unauthorized Biography

Israel is upstaged by Lauder, who has written her own thoroughly engaging life story in Estee (Nonfiction Forecasts, Oct. 25). Israel's data on the beauty industryand the recent trend toward emphasis on skin care through science, ""charmaceuticals,''are more interesting than her snipings at the cosmetic queen. She finds fault with Lauder for failing to admit her age, for hedging about her background, ruthless social climbing and perhaps about love affairs she had while she was divorced temporarily from her husband, Joe. Israel's more serious charges accuse Lauder of anti-Semitism and concealing her Jewishness, also of not compensating her chemist uncle who invented the cream on which Lauder's privately owned company is built. There are other titillating bits as well, garnered from interviews with people who know the Lauder family. Readers will decide whether the items are facts or gossip. 75,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo. December 2