Ravelry Knitters discussion

Well this was the winner of a very balanced poll - which probably shows we should read them all, at some point!

I love stories about this period in history, and thanks to dramas like Downton Abbey, early twentieth century history is finally being painted with an interesting brush. When the fascinating characters are real, even better!

This was a great read of a family that I wasn't really aware of. I had heard about the Today Show doing a piece on it, so it was rattling around in the back of my head. The book was well written and I thought well presented. This is why I love these book clubs. It would have been a book I would not have read but I'm glad I did.

I'm a NYer, knew some of the story, the book was great!

I am kicking myself...just started the book AFTER coming back from. New York and Connecticut. Would totally have tried to see one of the buildings had I known.

This is in interesting story....I'm only a couple chapters in, but I am wondering about what type of parenting style creates such a recluse. Is it the combination of having lost her sister and having tons of money? Just strange...to not call a doctor until her cancer was so bad.....yikes.

I did actually end up finishing this, due to an extended amount of time (work) on my hands rather than really thinking this was an engrossing book. The story had all the elements to be something, but I didn't really like the delivery. I felt bombarded, half the text could have conveyed the story just as well. Also, to have not concluded with some comment about the lawsuit...was it settled, is it still open....left me disappointed. One sentence would have done it. I didn't really feel all that sympathetic for Huguette at all, but that was what I felt the book wanted me to feel, so that is a really dissatisfying feeling.......

I think I'm mostly feeling (and granted, I'm only 25% in) 'how did the world not know about these people before now?' Clearly, W.A. was a character that was very interesting, and part of me is surprised someone didn't write a novel loosely based on him. His life story has Mark Twain proportions!

And as to where the lawsuit is now...perhaps the felt that was too risky? There may have been a lawyer somewhere that said they COULDN'T talk about where it stood now.

I googled the lawsuit after I listened to the book, there was an article about it from the NY Post, I can't remember the outcome, I'll re google it, I'm now curious again.

This is the one I was interested in, google it there were several.
http://nypost.com/2014/01/06/huguette...

Just finished yesterday, after racing through it. I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of meh. It was so anticlimactic, but don't know what could have been done for that. How much can really be said who was so isolated? I never felt like I really got Huguette. Which is not surprising considering that there is no 1st-person description of herself. I would really have loved it if she had kept a journal. Maybe she didn't keep one after seeing how Andree's journal hurt her family? I can only imagine how I would be seen if I was described by relatives or past written correspondence.

I guess what drew me on was the 'lifestyle of the rich and famous' element of it. It felt like I was peering into the world of the uber rich.

I agree with Isabel that it was a bit wordy for what it was conveying. I did appreciate that it didn't feel like a one-sided story.

For me, the big draw is her father - I sort of cannot believe that someone with that....LARGE a life is no known by more people in the country, especially with history books being published and purchased more than ever (trust me on this, I work in a bookstore). That aspect, at least, was fascinating.
And Kristen, the Rich and famous aspect is a big draw...partly because when we look at that era, (let's call it the 'robber-baron' era) it makes me wonder if such American 'royalty' will ever happen again, and should it? Makes me ponder.....

Zoe wrote: "For me, the big draw is her father - I sort of cannot believe that someone with that....LARGE a life is no known by more people in the country, especially with history books being published and pur..."

Great comments.