Authority on the Good Life.

The 1980s were a decade of conservatism but also of materialism, if not excess. Yuppies climbed income brackets and social ladders, consumers sought out designer labels and exclusive products, and bumper stickers appeared pro-claiming that whoever dies with the most toys wins. Catering to America's growing taste for the good life but injecting an element of breeding and good taste, Martha Stewart emerged during the decade as America's foremost authority on entertaining and decorating.

Early Experiences.

Born Martha Kostyra in New Jersey, she began modeling in high school and learned gardening from her father, a salesman. Continuing to model while studying European history and architectural history at Barnard College, in 1960 she met Andrew Stewart, a student at Yale Law School. They married the following year. She continued to model, making as much as $35,000 a year. After the birth...