Genre: Biography
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication
Date: September 2013
Rating: 5 Out of 5
Near Perfect
PROS: Fascinating read, interesting lifestyle
CONS: None
Hugette
Clark...if you're like me, you may not have heard her name before. If you have been watching the news of late,
though, those words are becoming more of a household name! Having passed away in 2011, her estate was going to court this year
to hopefully be settled among her family.
Hugette was
raised in a very prominent family in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New
York. Having traveled the world while
she was young, Hugette was accustomed to a lifestyle similar to that of the
Rockefeller's. Multiple homes,
caregivers, and servants, Hugette lived a life of luxury and never wanted for
anything. She was an heiress and
philanthropist that was accustomed to getting what she wanted.
There does
however remain a mystery behind her life in the 20 years before her death. Becoming somewhat of a recluse, Hugette
seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth, staying hidden away in
hospitals, not even living her final days in one of her own homes. Phone calls were the norm, face-to-face
visits were not. She kept her staff on
in all of her homes, keeping them employed though her properties remained
empty. The biggest question came at the
end of her life, after passing away, what would become of her millions? It seemed that would be left up to the courts.
The authors
did an excellent job in researching Hugette Clark and her life. Paul Clark Newell, Jr. is even a cousin to
Hugette, and spent time talking with her about her life and family, but always
on the phone. At times he wished to
contact her in person, but she always insisted on calling him at her leisure,
not on his. Not one to overly share
facts and details of her life, Hugette was at often guarded in what she shared,
and some facts had to be obtained from others around her.
The most
fascinating parts of the book for me were all the details in the different
properties her family owned. The detail
and planning that went into the building of their New York home, not to mention
the finances, left my jaw dropping and hitting the floor! To think of their expenses at that time, and
what that would be equivalent to today!
One of the
slower parts of the book for me was the chapters having to do with Hugette's
fathers political career. Not one for
politics, I quickly skimmed over these parts.
While they did add knowledge and history in to her family's life, I
easily could have done without them.
**I received this book in exchange for my honest review**
No comments:
Post a Comment