Welcome to Litsy!

A journalist looks into the history of a mansion which has stood empty for almost 60 years & uncovers a fascinating glimpse into the Gilded Age.

#AutumnPlease #Mansion
@eggs @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#Scarathlon #TeamCreepinItReal @StayCurious

#WomensHistoryMonth #Recommendations 11of31
Nonfiction
I will always push this biography of Huguette Clark. It is so well written and she is fascinating. Her father was a terrible man who left her $$$$ she spent her days locked in her own world of art and dolls and quiet philanthropy. If you can listen to the audiobook which has recordings of her voicemails to her cousin who is the author here.

Fun.

#Bookspin #Doublespin May

Here is my updated list with this month‘s picks swapped in. So far, it looks like I will be filling up my free spaces first as my current reads are not on the list. 🤷🏼‍♀️ #bookspinbingo

I was fresh off watching The Gilded Age, so I was super curious to learn about this family we‘ve never heard of. I thought it was a fascinating true story about this woman who had more money than I can fathom, but only ever desired to remain anonymous, which is always the opposite of what we‘re used to with rich people!

Hopefully, I didn‘t monopolize my IRL bc last night. Last fall, I stayed quiet as a member nominated this book for 2022, and was thrilled when picked - even when it meant I would be reading it for the 3rd time! WA Clark is all about my hometown, it‘s history, it‘s folklore. Fascinating to watch a group of women discover his place (questionable as it is) in American history for the first time. And Hugette, I love to visit with Hugette!

#curiouscovers #buildings
This is a book I rarely seen discussed but I loved. All about a recluse woman who was living in a NY hospital but owned a bunch of property that was filled with treasure. It is historical and a biography and just fascinating. Huguette was also incredibly generous. If you listen to the audio there are recording of her calling her nephew which increases the experience.

@eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This one is gonna piss me off, I just know it. #BookClub #NonficNovember #EstherAssisting

#LockdownLowdown

1. North Carolina
2. Empty Mansions (nonfiction) & Red at the Bone (fiction)
3. 375 pages
4. Thanks for tagging me @OriginalCyn620 and @Sharpeipup

@veritysalter

The mystery of why an heiress would choose to live her final decades in a hospital, leaving her multiple homes empty, was fascinating. I was less interested in the early chapters about her father, but they gave context for her wealth. She lived a reclusive life but had a lot of interests. The most interesting parts were the fight over her will(s) at the end. I think people took extreme advantage of her kindness, but I hope she was happy.

Soup, salad, and a brand new library book. Someone posted about this in a readers group on Facebook and it looked interesting. Luckily it‘s available from my library.

Isn't that the truth!

Oh my. This is a trip. So good. And it‘s got layers: why was Huguette the way she was? Was she exploited? Did her family do enough with their wealth and privilege? Would you spent that much money on Japanese puppets? It‘s a long read but it‘s such a good one. Thoroughly recommend if you like Rich People problems or stories of American life in the twentieth century.

Current nonfiction read - I remember seeing the author of this interviewed on the Daily Show back in Jon Stewart‘s day - and now I‘m finally getting a chance to read it!

Good

Required reading when your hometown contributed greatly to William A Clark‘s wealth. He was one of the fifty wealthiest Americans ever! I left this book wondering what one owes the cities and spaces that make them millions.

I will admit that I have completely slacked off with reading due to mental health but I am glad to say that I am back and ready to indulge in the wonderful world of literature

So not long ago I signed up with Used Book Monthly and today I got my first package! When signing up I pretty much check every genre they offered and wanted to be surprised by what they sent. Well I'm surprised! Haha I'm honestly excited because both sound interesting and I wouldn't have picked them up on my own. Can't wait to see what I get next month!
#usedbookmonthly #bookhaul

Thank you so much for the #cupidgoespostal gifts, @iread2much ! I love the Celtic cat card (and the thoughtful message you wrote in it), the super special chocolate, and the adorable sticky notes. And thanks most of all, of course, for the book! I tend to read so many memoirs but not nearly enough biographies - this one looks so interesting! Thanks again (and stay safe and dry, if you‘re having the same 🌧 up north that we are down here)! ❤️

Just wanted to say happy new year to everyone hope your year is full of new adventures!

So interesting to read! What a bizarre story and life. I'm convinced her nurse was scamming her though!

Once, there was an American heiress who had many mansions and priceless art pieces, but decided to live as a recluse in a New York hospital for over twenty years. Huguette Clark‘s death was only the first part of her story; the struggle over who inherits (who relatives or her medical care team) is the second part. Fascinating book - one of my favorites! #AFairytaleInNewYork #WinterWonderland

Borrowed this audiobook as a slight diversion from my last few #litsyclassics (only 2 more to go!), and found this surprise gem. Fascinating biography of an American family, and especially the long-lived heiress Huguette Clark. Audiobook version features recorded phone calls with Ms. Clark which provides sense of knowing her personally.

This book really makes me wonder what life could‘ve been like if you were wealthier than Rockefeller and Carnigie

I had to wait to vote which I was happy to do especially since I had a book (all about greed & wealth coincidentally) #readwhileiwait #booktotherescue

Fascinating. This book is simply fascinating. Picked it up on a whim and my eyes have been opened up to this reclusive woman and her intriguing life story. Highly recommend to any history buffs and just anyone looking for something thought-provoking without being too heavy. 5 stars for sure!!

‘Lilac Girls‘ wasn‘t for me. Made it 80 pages when I realized I was forcing myself to read it. Maybe now‘s just not the right time for me to read it. Anywho, picked up one of my library sale books from last weekend at my parent‘s. It‘s definitely holding my attention 👍🏻

Fascinating story about a reclusive daughter of a disgraced mining millionaire/US senator.

1. Deep, dark midnight blue
2. Mindhunter (true crime addict here)
3. Empty Mansions got me sucked down an internet rabbit hole
4. Lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickle, mustard, ketchup
5. My girl's final softball game, dinner with best friend, then departing for Yosemite!!!

#friyayintro @jesshowbooks

Apparently #cantbuymelove bc even with a fortune, Huguette spent the last 20 years of her long life in a hospital with no friends or family to keep her company. Most of the $300 million she left behind after her death was donated to charity after a court battle with her distant relatives.
#heyjune

One of my favorite biographies that explores the daughter of a very rich man and the fight to claim her inheritance. #AmericanMoney #aprella

1) I was always so excited to find these when traveling abroad and now you can get them at World Market! I almost cried tears of joy in the aisle and my husband pretended not to know me... 😂
2) Total #blameitonlitsy, but I loved it and highly recommend it!
3) Seasonal allergies and I‘m also allergic to green beans.
4) Let‘s go with the term “Organized Chaos” 😏
5) Pacific Rim: Uprising. Yaaaaasss! SO GOOD. 🙌🏻 Go see it!
#humpdaypost

What a fascinating book about the copper king, W.H. Clark and his daughter who inherits his millions. She only@passed away a few years ago.

The saga continues! Saw this article in a local news journal. Sounds like the whole situation is pretty sketchy - no one can answer how money is being spent, what the plans are, what the foundation president is actually paid to do, why certain random donors have given grants...or when it will be open to the public instead of sitting as an empty mansion.

This was a fascinating listen. The amounts of money spent on everything by the Clark family is simply staggering. I would literally shake my head in disbelief at some of the numbers. I did feel sad towards the end though - I truly feel like her nurse was taking advantage of Huguette‘s generosity and fears.

I need a new audiobook- any good recommendations? I like nonfiction, bios, and history.

1. Wisconsin/Arizona, Florida
2. What's the best thing you've read lately?
3. Empty Mansions
4. Strawberry Shortcake
5. A cat, when he feels like it
6. See #2

#LitsyWelcomeWagon

When the software used at the office goes down for hours... you pretend to do other kinds of work while really listening to a new audiobook. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I really, really enjoyed this. It's just the kind of story that rings all my bells. It covers so much history and had so many interesting tidbits about people, art, locations, etc. It also sparked some interesting conversations with people when I would tell them what it was about, and that's always a fun bonus.

My favorite way to spend a Saturday night...♡♡♡

#nonfiction. Reading this one for a Goodreads challenge. #audiobook

Day-Off late morning breakfast perfection... ☀️📚🍳

Inspired by all the Gilded Age opulence in my current read, I couldn‘t resist making something decadent to enjoy with my book tonight. Behold, Champagne Citrus Bundt Cake...🤭🍰 #blameitonthebook #booksandbaking

Chilly Winter Evening plans sorted... 🌬❄️📚

I just wanted to post a close up of all the lovely books @Heatherfeather sent me. It‘s so hard to resist setting down my current reads and picking up one of these. Also, check out the cool notebook (top left) she hand lettered for me! Thank you again, Heather! #wintersolsticebookexchange #secretsantagoespostal

Heather, I don‘t think I can express the glee I felt when opening my #secretsantagoespostal package! You are exceptionally generous. I love everything from the box to the Post-it notes on each book. Your letter is lovely and I love the info on what you chose. The notebook and all of your hand lettering is beautiful. I love the Chicago bookmark. I accidentally left the chocolate out of the picture, but it‘s so yummy. Thank you!

I was fascinated by the first half of the book and the look at early america. I felt that she was being taken advantage of, you cannot tell me that as a nurse you bringing up your financial struggles to a wealthy elderly lady isn‘t a way of trying to get heLp. I especially enjoyed the “in talks with Huguette” segments where a relative of hers would record his phone conversations with her and you could hear on the audiobook her voice.

3.5⭐️‘s

This has me hooked!

Multi tasking with coffee today; looking at recipes, watching In the Kitchen with David on QVC and starting this book. I‘ve always been drawn to old buildings because I imagine the people who walked the floors, and the stories that could be told. Traveling back in time to learn more about the family of W.A. Clark.

Proof that truth can be stranger than fiction. One of the world‘s richest heiresses lives to nearly 105, owns several sumptuous residences, yet chooses to live in a hospital room for the last 20 years of her life even though her health was relatively good. Also looks at how the wealth was obtained: her dad was a Copper King, and at the Gilded Age in general. Fascinating! House on cover across Central Park was torn down 14 yrs after being built. 👇