The Husband Hunters

The Husband Hunters: American Heiresses Who Married into the British Aristocracy by Anne de Courcy, 307 pages

Between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Prohibition, some 40 ultra-rich American women crossed the Atlantic to marry into the British aristocracy. In doing so, they managed to save their husbands' estates, buy themselves titles, and weasel their way into the top tier of society on both sides of the pond. In this fascinating book full of Vanderbilts, Astors, dukes, and earls, de Courcy tells many of these heiresses' tales and spells out the lavish lengths to which these women (and more honestly, their mothers) would go to to secure these socially acceptable matches, as well as offering plenty of background as to why (beyond the obvious dollar signs) these titled gentlemen would accept such spouses. The book is absurd in the best possible way, and I loved reading it. Recommended for fans of Downton Abbey (which, you'll recall, includes a transatlantic marriage).