Pure Moxie

The impetuous Leda Sanford abandoned secure suburbia in the 1960s in exchange for a life on the edge as a top magazine editor and publisher in the competitive and male-dominated Manhattan publishing world. Unorthodox entrepreneurs hired Leda at a time when women rarely occupied corner offices. Leda’s memoir, Pure Moxie, recreates a world of jet-setting opulence-private planes, five-star hotels, and a state dinner at the White House-plus a headline-making affair. Leda became the first female publisher of American Home, a major U.S. magazine with a circulation of more than one million. She focused on the emerging liberated woman’s demanding lifestyle and challenged the traditional formula of women’s magazines. From her American Home launch pad, Leda pushed the industry’s standards as she directed the creation and reinvention of magazines that included Chief Executive, Attenzione, Modern Maturity, and Get Up and Go! In the early 1990s, Leda shifted focus to promoting a new attitude toward aging, emphasizing that it’s never too late to explore new horizons and enrich one’s quality of life. With wit and candor, Pure Moxie provides a unique glimpse into Leda’s career and offers insight into women’s changing roles as key players in the magazine publishing business.