One would think that being born into fortune is undeniably a good thing. But in Heiresses, we learn that, historically speaking, for girls, it's actually quite complex and often dangerous. In this book, Thompson profiles a handful of British and American heiresses, dating back nearly 300 years to the young women who were bartered by their fathers in real estate deals; who were kidnapped and forced into marriage that left their kidnappers in charge of their fortune (which happened until shockingly recent changes in British law changed that); who fell victim to fortune-hunting husbands and died nearly penniless. The names — Consuelo Vanderbilt, Nancy Cunard, Patty Hearst — are well known, and each of the women profiled has a fascinating story, deserving of her own book. However, when they're all put together in this book, it sometimes becomes hard to tell them apart.
No comments:
Post a Comment