Meryl Gordon

There's nothing like a book about a good scandal & this one has it all - money, a dysfunctional family, a matriarch beloved by the city she lives in but perhaps not as altruistic as her public persona portrays, and a son who is tired of waiting in the wings for his inheritance. The fight over the care of Brooke Astor in the last years of her life and the disposition of her estate is the stuff of soap opera. But it's all true.

Meryl Gordon had extraordinary access to the principle players in show more this drama and she tells this tale with flair and remarkable fairness. Since this book was published Mrs. Astor's son has been convicted of looting her estate and has been sentenced to one to three years in prison. Given his state of health, he may very well end his life behind bars. One has to feel a little sorry for him. The same, however, cannot be said of his third wife, Charlene. show less

I really enjoyed this biography of "the hostess with the mostest on the ball", Perle Mesta. Immortalized forever by Ethel Merman in "Call Me Madam", Perle Mesta's life actually differed greatly from her portrayal by the famous actress.

Meryl Gordon is our guide to the fabulous world of Mesta. We get to know how she got involved in Washington and got to know absolutely everyone. With the exception of Kennedy, Perle was entertained by every President from Wilson to Nixon, and did quite a bit show more of entertaining herself.

This is an absolutely fair biography of Mesta. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the excellent are on show here. We see her feud with other Washington hostesses and also with the Kennedys. We follow her to Luxembourg as Minister under President Truman. Perle also worked tirelessly in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Meryl Gordon has written a tour de force. show less

Excellent job by the biographer, and what a life--full of originality and happenstance and luck and talent. But I was so saddened by the broken relationships and the toxic effect of money, enormous money, too much even to spend. It destroyed the whole family in the end. Fascinating and truly heartbreaking.

The youngest child of a copper baron and heiress to a massive fortune, Huguette Clark went through life on her own terms. What prompted her to withdraw from life and be a recluse?

When I finished reading this book, all I could think was "That poor woman." Her own father warned her that no one would love her for herself, but for her money. However, it was fairly obvious she would not have wanted pity. She was living as she wanted to live, even if it wasn't normal to everyone else.

It was show more difficult to read about the complicated relationship Huguette had with her caretakers. Were they taking advantage of her? So the evidence would suggest. However, did they care for Huguette as she wanted to be cared for? Yes, so what right would I have to fault any of it?

This was a great read and one I would recommend to readers who enjoy biographies. show less