Empty Mansions discussion

The early words are in for Empty Mansions. Here are comments from Pat Conroy, Jon Meacham, Amanda Foreman, John Berendt, Kate Alcott, and John A. Farrell. The book will be out Sept. 10 in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook.

“Empty Mansions is a dazzlement and a wonder. Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr., unravel a great character, Huguette Clark, a shy soul akin to Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird — if Boo's father had been as rich as Rockefeller. This is an enchanting journey into the mysteries of the mind, a true-to-life exploration of strangeness and delight. ”
— Pat Conroy, author of The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son

“In Empty Mansions a unique American character emerges from the shadows. Through deep research and evocative writing, Dedman and Newell have expertly captured the arc of history covered by the remarkable Clark family while solving a deeply personal mystery of wealth and eccentricity. ”
— Jon Meacham, author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

“Empty Mansions is at once an engrossing portrait of a forgotten American heiress and a fascinating meditation on the crosswinds of extreme wealth. Hugely entertaining and well-researched, this is a fabulous read. ”
— Amanda Foreman, author of A World on Fire

“Who knew? Though virtually unknown today, W. A. Clark was one of the fifty richest Americans ever — copper baron, railroad builder, art collector, U.S. senator, and world-class scoundrel. Yet his daughter and heiress Huguette became a bizarre recluse. Empty Mansions reveals this mysterious family in sumptuous detail. ”
— John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

“Empty Mansions is a mesmerizing tale that delivers all the ingredients of a top-notch mystery novel. But there is nothing fictional about this true, fully researched story of a fascinating and reclusive woman from an era of fabulous American wealth. Empty Mansions is a delicious read—once you start it, you will find it hard to put down.”
—Kate Alcott, author of The Dressmaker

“More than a history, more than a biography, Empty Mansions is a real-life American Bleak House, an arresting tale about misplaced souls sketched on a canvas that stretches from coast to coast, from riotous mining camps to the gilded dwellings of the very, very rich. ”
— John A. Farrell, author of Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Damned


http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345534522/

As different as Huguette Clark's life circumstances were from those of most people, Empty Mansions should remind us that the kinds of intrigue that led to the turmoil over her estate also occur in families of ordinary means, every day. Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. have found a perfect vehicle to illustrate that lesson, and they've illustrated in a skillful and entertaining way.

-- William R. Henry, Jr., coauthor of The Crown of Life Society, a novel on elder exploitation and family caregiving -- www.crownoflifesociety.com