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The Phantom of Fifth Avenue
The Phantom of Fifth Avenue: The Mysterious Life and Scandalous Death of Heiress Huguette Clark | Meryl Gordon
6 posts | 8 read | 7 to read
Born in 1906, Huguette Clark grew up in her family's 121-room Beaux Arts mansion in New York and was one of the leading celebrities of her day. Her father William Andrews Clark, was a copper magnate, the second richest man in America, and not above bribing his way into the Senate. Huguette attended the coronation of King George V. And at twenty-two with a personal fortune of $50 million to her name, she married a Princeton man and childhood friend William MacDonald Gower. Two-years later the couple divorced. After a series of failed romances, Huguette began to withdraw from society--first living with her mother in a kind of Grey Gardens isolation then as a modern-day Miss Havisham, spending her days in a vast apartment overlooking Central Park, eating crackers and watching The Flintstones with only servants for company. All her money and all her real estate could not protect her in her later life from being manipulated by shady hangers-on and hospitals that were only too happy to admit (and bill) a healthy woman. But what happened to Huguette that turned a vivacious, young socialite into a recluse? And what was her life like inside that gilded, copper cage?
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review
MittenGirlPeach
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Pickpick

This was my #BookSpin! It‘s a lovely deep dive into an American history spanning the 19th and 20th centuries, and one woman‘s journey into the extreme cocoon of loneliness that immense wealth brings. My husband bought it for me for Christmas a few years ago, so I checked a book off my shelves! Huguette‘s father, William A. Clark, was born in 1839. Huguette died in 2011. ⬇️

(Monday‘s Sunrise; 17 F. Today: 67 F upcoming!)

MittenGirlPeach The story is interesting and well-told, and Gordon is a wonderfully empathetic biographer. There‘s a lot of background, but it‘s all eminently readable. Four stars. 3y
21 likes1 comment
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MittenGirlPeach
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My #Bookspin list and books! So. I completely forgot about making a list for March, even though @TheAromaofBooks did her wonderful reminder list and tagged me but still . . . it snuck up. When I saw my notification this morning I postponed the excitement of looking until I MADE MY LIST. This included the adventure of me tracking down a missing book, which I‘ll blather on about later, but for now, TA DA! 👇🏻

MittenGirlPeach My #Bookspin was a Christmas gift from my wonderful husband a few years ago and my #Doublespin was at the top of my TBR stack! Can‘t wait to dive in. 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!!! Lots of BookSpin adventures! 😂 3y
17 likes2 comments
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Kaila-ann
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#nonfiction2019

✅ something with an unlikeable character

Huguette‘s long time nurse Hadassah Peri felt like a manipulative, greedy human being and I disliked her intensely.

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Kaila-ann
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#maymadness #mayscavengerhunt

✅ something with a number in the title

BeansPage You're almost there a girl!!!!! 5y
Clwojick Only one more left! 5y
13 likes2 comments
review
Kaila-ann
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Pickpick

Between a pick and so-so for me. It was a well researched book but it become a bit dry and tedious at times. Still a fascinating look at the life of a reclusive heiress and the people that were supposed to take care of her.