Peggy

Godfrey’s (Under the Bridge) posthumous literary historical novel, completed by her friend Leslie Jamison (Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story) after Godfrey’s death in 2022, explores the life of art collector and heiress Peggy Guggenheim. In 1958 Venice, Guggenheim reflects on her life, including her privileged childhood in New York and the journey that transformed her into a bold cultural icon. Marked forever by her father’s death on the Titanic when she was 14 and constantly frustrated by societal expectations, Peggy seeks a life of passion and personal freedom. Listeners follow her as she navigates the often misogynistic and antisemitic art world in New York and Europe. Rebecca Lowman and Jamison narrate; Lowman is the primary narrator, while Jamison reads the author’s note and provides a closing interview. Lowman’s measured pace is a steady backdrop for Peggy’s many experiences—balancing family loyalty with a desire for independence, navigating relationships with men, and struggling to be recognized for her talent rather than her wealth. In addition to channeling Peggy, Lowman also delivers nuanced characterizations for other figures who came into her life.