Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan (1877–1964)

Oh, poor little Consuelo! When reading this book, I didn't know if I should throw it against the wall, or simply muddle through to see if there were any redeeming qualities about poor little rich girl. Alas, I found none!

Self absorbed, she pats herself on the back for dividing the food in the tins given to the poor. Others, she notes, simple through all the left over food in the container mixing it all together. This indeed, was her claim to fame.

Of course, she hated her domineering mother show more who locked her in her room, forbidding her to come out until she agreed to marry the title Duke of Marlborough. Finally, when she agreed, she was whisked away to England to a life in Blenheim palace.

Hobnobbing with little Winston Churchill and his mother, there are pages and pages about the families who snipped and sneered.

There were way too many pages of who (royalty), when (always) and how (in high style) gliding their way throughout the glamours balls.

I should have stopped reading at 50 pages, but after visiting New Port, RI often and touring the homes, I thought this book would be interested.

Not recommended. Save your time and money for something worthwhile. Or, if you buy it, donate it to the poor and be like Consuelo, give yourself a hearty dose of self congratulation for sharing! show less

This had been in my TBR for years, and I finally dusted it off and read it after watching the most recent season of The Gilded Age. Consuelo's memoir is rather one-dimensional, but that is not surprising -- it is entirely from the POV of a member of the ultra-rich class. Also not surprising was her frequent name-dropping (and therefore, my googling to see who they all were). A somewhat interesting glimpse into that social class during the Gilded Age era and the years beyond that.

This is the memoir of the American Consuelo Vanderbilt, who, on the wishes of her ambitious mother, and against her own, married Charles Spencer-Churchill in 1895 to become the 9th Duchess of Marlborough. I've visited Blenheim Palace twice and both times she is the figure that has stood out, firstly for her beauty and glamour (there doesn't seem to be much of that going on among the British aristocracy!), and secondly for the fact that she and the Duke eventually divorced, which was unusual show more for the time.

This felt very much like a memoir written for the benefit of the author, which is not necessarily a bad thing, except that the 'I was wearing...', 'At dinner I was seated next to...' details got a bit much after a while. Having said that, this book helped me to place some figures in early 20th-century British history and it was enjoyable to imagine the grand get-togethers of eminent guests.

Consuelo does not say much about her unhappy first marriage, presumably out of respect for her sons, but what little she does say is quite damning. I felt sorry for her coming from the far more modern New York to live according to the stuffy, antiquated traditions of the British aristocracy. She comes across as having been exceedingly well educated and her observation that British noblewomen were denied such an education, as it was not seen as a 'good thing' for them to know or have read too much, was an interesting one.

In summary, I wouldn't say I loved this book and I did have to skim some of the details, but its span - from the 1890s to the beginning of the Second World War - during which time the world changed a great deal - and the insider view of aristocratic life made it an interesting read. show less

An interesting account of the life of Consuelo Vanderbilt, one time Duchess of Marlborough. Consuelo takes us on a journey through her life, beginning with her birth into the glittering New York high society. She takes us into her forced marriage to the Duke of Marlborough, a loveless match. The Duke needed her money for Blenheim Palace, and her mother wanted to have a titled daughter. After her divorce, she finds love with Jacques Balsan. The book ends as she flees France to escape the show more Nazis.

The book is very interesting, if somewhat one sided. Recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about personages from the Gilded Age, as well as British aristocracy. show less