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Mrs. Astor Regrets: The Hidden Betrayals of a Family Beyond Reproach | 
 enlarge | Author: Meryl Gordon
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Category: Book
List Price: $28.00
Buy New: $14.96
You Save: $13.04 (47%)
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Rating:  50 reviews
Sales Rank: 314
Media: Hardcover
Edition: None
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.2
ISBN: 0618893733
Dewey Decimal Number: 974.7043092
EAN: 9780618893737
ASIN: 0618893733
Publication Date: December 3, 2008
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Product Description
A riveting look behind the gates of the house
of Astor as a famous family falls apart in public
The fate of Brooke Astor, the endearing philanthropist with the storied
name, has generated worldwide headlines since her grandson
Philip sued his father in 2006, alleging mistreatment of Brooke. And
shortly after her death in 2007, Anthony Marshall, Mrs. Astor’s only
child, was indicted on charges of looting her estate. Rarely has there
been a story with such an appealing heroine, conjuring up a world so
nearly forgotten: a realm of lavish wealth and secrets of the sort that
have engaged Americans from the era of Edith Wharton to the more
recent days of Truman Capote and Vanity Fair.
New York journalist Meryl Gordon has interviewed not only the
elite of Brooke Astor’s social circle, but also the large staff who cosseted
and cared for Mrs. Astor during her declining years. The result is the
behind-the-headlines story of the Astor empire’s unraveling, filled with
never-before-reported scenes. This powerful, poignant saga takes the
reader inside the gilded gates of an American dynasty to tell of three
generations’ worth of longing and missed opportunities. Even in this
territory of privilege, no riches can put things right once they’ve been
torn asunder. Here is an American epic of the bonds of money, morality,
and social position.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 45 more reviews...
A family dis-Astor January 3, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As the old song goes, being "rich as Rockefeller" does one no good, except perhaps if one of the Rockefeller clan happens to be a personal friend....and then it can really make a difference between life and death. That's part of what happened to the doyenne of one of America's premier families, Brooke Astor, whose friend David Rockefeller, prompted by Mrs. Astor's grandson, Philip, (and a couple of other loyal friends) saved the grande dame from living her final years in increasing squalor. It's a tale that seems hard to believe on its face but as the author reminds us, siblings, children and grandchildren of wealthy people often steal from those who created or inherited that wealth. In Brooke Astor's case, that had been going on for years and her son, Tony, was the catalyst for the changes that occurred late in her life.
Meryl Gordon's story, "Mrs. Astor Regrets", often crackles with excitement. One hundred five years is a remarkable length of life, made more remarkable when so much of that wealth is invested in charity giving, real estate, art and simply being a member of the upper crust of society. It is really the last decade of Brooke Astor's life that the author focuses on, with family members, close friends and employees right off the opera stage. Or soap opera stage, perhaps. Gordon is surprisingly evenhanded in her assessments of the prevailing characters, though it's clear which ones are the naughty and which are the nice.
Gordon occasionally overplays her hand and gets carried away with hyperbole. Her descriptions of some events are made to sound much more important than they are, but her narrative is usually crisp and attractive. The real story is what goes on behind closed doors...that a public person like Brooke Astor could lead an increasingly miserable existence without the express knowledge of many who knew her well, let alone the public itself. "Mrs. Astor Regrets" is a fine offering by Meryl Gordon and I recommend it.
 I couldn't put it down!! December 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I started this book yesterday and just finished it - today! Very entertaining. Enjoyed the history and story of Mrs. Astor's life. I only wish it had been longer, although the book included many, many details.
 How to make a prostitute into a hero. December 22, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
The author tries to make a hero out of a common prostitute. Capote understood well that she was nothing but a gold digger. A woman self-obsessed with aggrandizing herself while neglecting her own son. It takes a naive person not to see through her mask.
Everyone's A Victim December 20, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I purchased this book since I had met Mrs. Astor along with the Oscar de la Rentas at a Metropolitan Museum party many years ago. She was very gracious and quick-witted. She asked me where I lived. I told her, "Tennessee!" She responded, "then what the hell are you doing here?!" "Supporting the museum", I retorted. I took no offense to this quick wit and laughed at her frank demeanor. I found the book to be very revealing in that trouble besets all families at one point or another...any money does not make one immune to family embarassments and trouble. In fact, money actually complicates the picture. The author has an excellent writing style. The reader feels that one is sitting at a clothed table at a nice club as the author tells the story in such a matter-of-fact manner. I recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in New York society or historical families. The book has a steady ebb and flow to the plot and the last two chapters become intensely exciting; for as the book nears the end, there is a rise in tempo that kept me transfixed beyond my bedtime. For the enjoyment that you will derive, it is certainly worth the price.
A Modern Day American Tragedy December 20, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Tragic end for a New York icon. It just goes to show that money can't by happiness in the end, and that absolute power corrupts absolutely. A fascinating read to all and any - well researched and documented - it reads like fiction but, sadly, it is not. A cautionary tale to those who believe in what once was the great American dream. Surely this lady deserved better?
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