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).

Before the Fall

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley, 391 pages.
Painter Scott Burroughs has been trying to end his self-destructive ways and turn his life around for a year or so; he's stopped drinking, gone back to swimming, and concentrated on his work-he has a dozen new paintings he is hoping to show soon.
As the book opens, Scott is offered a ride to NYC back from Martha's Vineyard on a private jet. There are seven other passengers on the jet, plus the pilot, copilot, and a flight attendant. Scott is the only one on the plane that doesn't live a life among the incredibly rich. When the plane goes down, Scott is one of two survivors. His life is upended as he finds himself in the center of an investigation and a media storm.
Hawley does an excellent job turning the exceptional events in this tale into a complex and believable story with well-crafted characters.

Soon I will be invincible

Soon I will be invincible / Austin Grossman 237 pgs.

I can't get enough of this book told from the viewpoint of a villain Dr. Impossible - the smartest man in the world, and Fatale - a cyborg billed as the "next generation of warfare" and new member of the "New Champions".  The last couple of times I read this book, I raved about Dr. Impossible.  He is still impossibly funny to me but this time around I really have a new appreciation for Fatale.  She is the new girl in the club and is worried about making friends, being accepted and maybe getting some action from fellow team mate and all around hottie, Blackworlf.  There are so many great lines in this book but it adds up to more than just great lines...even the super heroes among us have the same doubts, struggles and issues.  Grossman does a wonderful job of telling a very human story with extraordinary characters.  Still waiting for the movie version of this book!

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This land was made for you and me (but mostly me): billionaires in the wild

This land was made for you and me (but mostly me): billionaires in the wild by Bruce McCall and David Letterman 105 pgs.

Who wouldn't want to see a miniature golf course on the Galapagos Islands? or an indoor runway?  Of course you CAN have those things if you are a billionaire.  Bruce McCall and David Letterman have written this guidebook for crazy ideas only possible for  the super rich.  Sure, a lot of it seems insane but then you take a look at some real life examples and start wondering.  I know this book is supposed to be funny but I hope it doesn't give anyone any ideas since they are all pretty bad.
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