Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan (1877–1964)

An interesting account of the life of Consuelo Vanderbilt, one time Duchess of Marlborough. Consuelo takes us on a journey through her life, beginning with her birth into the glittering New York high society. She takes us into her forced marriage to the Duke of Marlborough, a loveless match. The Duke needed her money for Blenheim Palace, and her mother wanted to have a titled daughter. After her divorce, she finds love with Jacques Balsan. The book ends as she flees France to escape the Nazis.

The book is very interesting, if somewhat one sided. Recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about personages from the Gilded Age, as well as British aristocracy.… (mer)

Oh, poor little Consuelo! When reading this book, I didn't know if I should throw it against the wall, or simply muddle through to see if there were any redeeming qualities about poor little rich girl. Alas, I found none!

Self absorbed, she pats herself on the back for dividing the food in the tins given to the poor. Others, she notes, simple through all the left over food in the container mixing it all together. This indeed, was her claim to fame.

Of course, she hated her domineering mother who locked her in her room, forbidding her to come out until she agreed to marry the title Duke of Marlborough. Finally, when she agreed, she was whisked away to England to a life in Blenheim palace.

Hobnobbing with little Winston Churchill and his mother, there are pages and pages about the families who snipped and sneered.

There were way too many pages of who (royalty), when (always) and how (in high style) gliding their way throughout the glamours balls.

I should have stopped reading at 50 pages, but after visiting New Port, RI often and touring the homes, I thought this book would be interested.

Not recommended. Save your time and money for something worthwhile. Or, if you buy it, donate it to the poor and be like Consuelo, give yourself a hearty dose of self congratulation for sharing!… (mer)

Mixed emotion about this reissue of book published in 1953. It is marketed as the autobiography of a woman who lived the life portrayed in the PBS series Downton Abbey. The good is that you get an inside look into the life of a 17 year old girl who through arranged marriage is the wife of the Duke of Marlborough and the royalty, the balls and the famous people she comes into contact with over the years. On the down side she is a big name dropper and sometimes gives very little information on the people she mentions. Also, everything she does is based on inherited wealth. (Cornelius Vanderbilt's and also the Duke's) Although she does work with orphans and sick children later in life there is not a lot of that going on. She has money without guilt and uses her advantages when she needs to (Get out of France when the Nazis take over..) I read an ARC of the book that had no visual aids. I truly hope that when it is published on October there will be some photos of some of the people she writes about. However the book is interesting and worth reading especially if you want to know what it was like in the glory days of privilege.… (mer)