Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies

By Laura Thompson

Heiresses is a glorious book, endlessly entertaining and about much more than its stated subject. Thompson is a fabulous writer' Caroline O'Donoghue

'Witty, insightful, deliciously gossip-laden and slightly scandalous... Heiresses makes for an entertaining, occasionally sad and never less than gripping read' Anne Sebba

'Excellent... [A] wonderfully entertaining book' Sunday Times

'Exquisite and gossipy... Thompson, a gifted storyteller, obviously delighted in the writing of this book' TLS

'[A] deeply empathetic study of heiresses through the ages' The Times

'Life is less sad with money', said Emerald Cunard; Barbara Hutton was the 'Poor Little Rich Girl', but which is true?

Laura Thompson explores the phenomenon of the heiress from the seventeenth to the twenty-first centuries. Take Mary Davies, a child bride at the age of twelve, and her thousand-acre dowry of today's Mayfair and Belgravia, which gave the Grosvenors their stupendous wealth. Or Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough, whose American railroad fortune helped sustain Blenheim Palace. Winnaretta Singer showcased the work of Debussy in her Parisian salon; Daisy Fellowes enjoyed parties, fashion – and other people's husbands – without shame or conscience. Alice de Janzé shot one of her lovers and was suspected of murdering a second; Woolworth heiress, Barbara Hutton, married seven times.

Money should mean power and opportunity, but in the hands of these women it was so often absent. Why did so many struggle to live with so much? Did the removal of need render their life meaningless? Were they riven with guilt at all they had, knowing they really should be happy? With her signature intelligence and wit, Laura Thompson tells these women's stories – glittering and fascinating but often sad and scandalous – on a gripping search for the answer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Sep 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781788548212

Laura Thompson

Laura Thompson is the author of several critically acclaimed works of non-fiction. Her first book The Dogs: A Personal History of Greyhound Racing won the Somerset Maugham Award. Rex V. Edith Thompson: A Tale of Two Murders was shortlisted for a CWA Dagger Award. She has written biographies of Nancy Mitford and Agatha Christie, A Different Class of Murder about the Lord Lucan scandal, The Last Landlady about her grandmother, and the New York Times-bestselling Take Six Girls: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters.

Reviews for Heiresses

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book covers a wide range of heiresses, from the 18th century through to the 20th, and from both the U.K. and U.S. I hadn't previously encountered many of these women and I found the stories of their lives fascinating. Despite their wealth, these women did not have easy lives and struggled with finding partners, managing their inheritances, and finding their way in the world. They all were vulnerable, but the precise nature of that vulnerability changed over the centuries that this book covers. If you have an interest in women's history, I would highly recommend this book.

[fredreeca · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Talk about fascinating on so many levels. From an outsider looking in, I never realized the danger some of these women experienced. I mean…you see the riches but you don’t see the scary side of the wealth. And this book covers so many heiresses over several centuries. These ladies had so many advantages, but the dangers they faced because of these advantages really were terrifying.The narrator, who is also the author, Laura Thompson is superb. It is always so much better when the author is able to read their own work. Now, I will say, there were places that different words were used, or rather a different language. These were hard to determine or understand. It only happened occasionally. But it did make me pause and try to figure it out. Also, the money used in many instances was in euros, it’s hard to convert that to dollars when driving down the road…just a little hiccup if you decide to listen to this book.This book captivated me from start to finish. Life is not all a bed of roses, no matter how much money you have!Need a unique take on being an heiress…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.