Frances Kiernan

A bleached, palid bio of NYC socialite, thrice married, Brooke Astor. The author had subtitles it "A New York Story"; I suppose to set some sort of boundaries. Every event seems scrubbed clean and respectful. Many references to Mrs. Astor's fun-loving personality does not reveal what these adventures were.

Interesting in how one person wields financial power, but disappointing in fleshing out a multi-dimensional character.

The biography of a great New York society lady. Brooke Astor married into the famed Astor family and rose to the highest echelons of New York royalty. She generously dispersed the Astor Foundation's money into helping many charitable causes. This her story.

The book chronicles Brooke Astor's life from her childhood as the daughter of a military man, her disastrous first marriage, her second marriage with the love of her life, and her third marriage, for which she would ultimately be show more remembered.

I would recommend following this book with "Mrs. Astor Regrets" by Meryl Gordon, as it covers in detail Mrs. Astor's death and the circumstances surrounding her guardianship. At the time of this book's publication, Mrs. Astor had not yet died.

Good reading. show less

I have just started this. I wanted to read more on the Astors and I have long since had a fascination with Brooke Astor having read an older book about her late husbands first wife, Minnie (Mary) Cushing Astor-she was the sister of Barbara "Babe" Paley and Betsy Whitney. The book is called Fabulous Cushing Sisters-it's a bio on all three of them.

Disappointed. Did not go into New York Society and other people and incorporate into story.