Belle Burden
Belle Burden | |
|---|---|
| Born | Flobelle Fairbanks Burden 1969 or 1970 (age 56–57)[1] New York, U.S. |
| Education | Harvard University New York University |
| Occupations | Author Lawyer |
| Notable work | Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Amanda Burden, Carter Burden |
Flobelle Fairbanks Burden,[2] better known as Belle Burden, is an American author and lawyer. She is best known for her book, Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage.
Early life and education
[edit]Belle Burden was born to Amanda Burden, an urban planner in New York City, and Carter Burden, a philanthropist and politician.[3][1] Through her mother, she is the granddaughter of Vogue editor and socialite Babe Paley and Stanley G. Mortimer Jr, an advertising executive.[4][2] Through her father, she is the granddaughter of photographer Shirley Burden and actress Flobelle Fairbanks Burden (otherwise known as Florence Fair), and is a descendent of the Vanderbilt family.[4][3] Burden grew up on the Upper East Side of New York.[4]
Burden graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy, where she won prizes for her creative writing. She would later attend Harvard University, pivoting from an interest in creative writing to law.[1] Burden graduated cum laude from Harvard and later received a law degree from New York University.[3]
Career
[edit]Burden started her law career as a corporate attorney at the New York-based law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell. She later served as general counsel for Digital Telemedia, an internet service provider in New York, and was a trustee of the Pierpont Morgan Library.[3] Burden has taken on pro bono immigration cases alongside other lawyers,[1] focusing on juvenile and immigration law.[5]
Following Burden's divorce, in 2023, she submitted an essay to the New York Times Modern Love column, titled "Was I Married to a Stranger?" After its release, Burden fielded interest from multiple editors before signing with Dial Press. In 2026, Burden released her book, Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage.[1] The book became a New York Times Best Seller, debuting at #1 on the hardcover nonfiction list.[6][7] After Netflix acquired the film rights to the book, it was announced that Burden would be played by Gwyneth Paltrow.[5][8]
As an author, Burden is represented by The Book Group and UTA.[8] She has made appearances on Good Morning America[5] and Oprah Winfrey's podcast.[4]
Bibliography
[edit]Personal life
[edit]Burden married Henry Patterson Davis in 1999[3] and went on to raise three children with him. They would divorce after twenty years, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Burden detailed the divorce in her book, Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage.[5] Burden owns homes in Manhattan and Martha's Vineyard.[9]
In March 2024, Burden wrote an opinion piece published in the New York Times, criticizing the portrayal of her grandmother, Babe Paley, in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Soloski, Alexis (January 11, 2026). "Her Gilded Marriage Imploded. Now, She's Ready To Tell All". New York Times.
- 1 2 Blair, Anthony (January 14, 2026). "Heiress reveals how stranger's call exposed husbands affair". News.com.au.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Belle Burden And Henry Davis". New York Times. June 6, 1999.
- 1 2 3 4 Finn, Natalie (April 20, 2026). "Who Is Belle Burden's Ex-Husband? Inside the Strangers Author's High-Society Family". E News.
- 1 2 3 4 Weingarten, Marc (March 31, 2026). "Her buzzy divorce memoir is a must-read and soon a must-watch starring Gwyneth Paltrow". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Jones, Allie (2026-04-17). "She Almost Lost Everything in Her Divorce. Now Women Are Learning From Her Mistakes". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2026-04-18.
- ↑ "Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Feb. 1, 2026". New York Times. February 1, 2026.
- 1 2 Donnelly, Matt (March 25, 2026). "Gwyneth Paltrow to Star in 'Strangers' as Netflix Wins Movie Rights to Belle Burden's Blockbuster Memoir". Variety.
- ↑ Polacko, Amy (June 10, 2026). "Belle Burden should have known: the more money, the more brutal the divorce". The Guardian.
- ↑ Gowtham, Swarna (March 5, 2024). "Babe Paley's Granddaughter Denounce's 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans'". L'Officiel.