Susan Lucci hosted a book party at the Four Seasons to mark the publication of What Jackie Taught Us: Lessons from the Remarkable Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (Perigee Books), by Tina Santi Flaherty. Guests included: Tony Ingrao, Randy Kempner, Arnold Scaasi, Parker Ladd, Beth deWoody, Steven Valentine, and, to the surprise of many, Ron Galella (the paparazzo against whom Jackie obtained a court order in the late 70s, when she believed he was stalking her).

Flaherty, a former vice president of Colgate-Palmolive, GTE, and Grey Advertising, released the book just before the 10th anniversary of Jackie’s death from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. A lifelong admirer, she even lives in the same building that Jackie did, for over 30 years. By reflecting on Jackie in her various roles — daughter, student, wife, mother, First Lady, and working woman — Flaherty is able to share lessons with her readers that can be applied to anyone’s life.

Joan Rivers, the evening’s emcee, presented the Lessons in Living Awards, inspired by the book, to Oleg Cassini (for Image and Style), to Lucci (for Men, Marriage, and Motherhood), and to the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy (for Vision), accepted by Norma Dana.

“I don’t know if you know,” said Cassini, 81, Jackie’s longtime “official” designer of choice, in his acceptance speech, “but I dressed some of the most important women in movies, in Hollywood, and I had the reputation of having the best lot of anybody. I had the great girls. That doesn’t mean I had anything personal with them .… Sometimes it happened.”

The author believes that the world has yet to sufficiently acknowledge Jackie’s intellect and leadership skills, focusing instead on her looks and decorum. “As with many attractive women whose intelligence and accomplishments are often hidden behind their glamour and style, Jackie’s keen intellect was often obscured by her jet-setting image and her big, dark sunglasses,” said Flaherty. “What she achieved in her 1,000 days in the White House was monumental in scope.” And how did Jackie manage to accomplish all that she did? With her father’s patented “lighthouse stare”: “She had the ability to not only lock eyes with you,” said Flaherty, “she had the ability to lock into your mind.”

Style, poise, intellect, and maturity beyond her years. It’s hard to believe that Jackie was our First Lady at the age of 31!

At her funeral, John Kennedy Jr. listed three of his mother’s attributes: “love of words, the bonds of home and family, and her spirit of adventure.” These are inspiring qualities we all strive for ….