COCO CHANEL: An Illustrative Biography

Zena Akayat & Nina Cosford

Chronicle Books LLC., San Francisco, USA

Year 2016

Pages 116

Coco Chanel’s history is difficult to pin down. Accounts of her life vary wildly, not least because she herself was apt to tell different versions of her own story. The author has taken care to be accurate and faithful to the truth throughout. There are, however, two scenes within the book that are known to be reported rather than confirmed. First is the idea that the nickname “Coco” was the result of Chanel singing revue standards. The second is the oft-reported account of her traveling to the site of Boy Capel’s car accident on the day of his funeral.