Review: Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr.

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune

Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. 
September 10, 2013 / Ballantine

After growing up in the largest house in New York City, (121 rooms for a family of four), reclusive heiress, Huguette Clark, lived in a hospital room for the final twenty years of her life, despite being in excellent health and possessing a $300 million inheritance, as well as multiple mansions across the United States. This book spans almost all of American history with its details about the Clark family. Her father, self-made copper industrialist W. A. Clark, was nearly as rich as Rockefeller in his day, yet I'd never heard of him before reading this book. The book goes into great detail regarding his business dealings, railroad building, controversial Senate appointments, and how he became the founder of Las Vegas. The book progresses to tell of Huguette's eccentric and reclusive life. For a glimpse into a wealthy and privileged American family at the turn of the 20th century and the stronghold of their fortune through present day, check this book out! Thank you Allison @thebookwheel for putting this on my radar a couple months ago.