Mrs. Astor Regrets: The Hidden Betrayals of a Family Beyond Reproach

Award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author Meryl Gordon's Mrs. Astor Regrets: The Hidden Betrayals of a Family Beyond Reproach is "an even-handed and fascinating portrait of a wealthy family torn apart by money, jealousy, and emotional distance" (USA Today).

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.

"Gordon seems to have left no diary unread, no servant unsolicited, no socialite unturned...If tabloids are your monring cup of tea, this is your book."--New York Times Book Review

Author: Meryl Gordon
Publisher: Mariner Books
Published: 10/22/2009
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.76lbs
Size: 7.96h x 5.24w x 0.88d
ISBN: 9780547247984

About the Author
MERYL GORDON is a full-time magazine journalist who has written for New York, the New York Times Magazine, Gourmet, Elle, Marie Claire, More, and others. She has profiled such influential figures as Kofi Annan, Mike Bloomberg, and John Kerry, and such stars as Nicole Kidman, Susan Sarandon, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Meryl is the currently the Director of Magazine Writing at the NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and is covering Anthony Marshall's trial for Vanity Fair. www.merylgordon.com