The Phantom of Fifth Avenue: The Mysterious Life and Scandalous Death of Heiress Huguette Clark

by Meryl Gordon

Hardcover, 2014

Status

Available

Tags

Publication

Grand Central Publishing (2014), Edition: 1ST, 382 pages

Description

Born in 1906, Huguette Clark grew up in her family's 121-room Beaux Arts mansion in New York and was one of the leading celebrities of her day. Her father William Andrews Clark, was a copper magnate, the second richest man in America, and not above bribing his way into the Senate. Huguette attended the coronation of King George V. And at twenty-two with a personal fortune of $50 million to her name, she married a Princeton man and childhood friend William MacDonald Gower. Two-years later the couple divorced. After a series of failed romances, Huguette began to withdraw from society--first living with her mother in a kind of Grey Gardens isolation then as a modern-day Miss Havisham, spending her days in a vast apartment overlooking Central Park, eating crackers and watching The Flintstones with only servants for company. All her money and all her real estate could not protect her in her later life from being manipulated by shady hangers-on and hospitals that were only too happy to admit (and bill) a healthy woman. But what happened to Huguette that turned a vivacious, young socialite into a recluse? And what was her life like inside that gilded, copper cage?… (more)

Rating

½ (25 ratings; 3.6)

User reviews

LibraryThing member KelMunger
Rich-people problems by Kel Munger

Meryl Gordon's The Phantom of Fifth Avenue: The Mysterious Life and Scandalous Death of Heiress Huguette Clark (Grand Central Publishing, $28) is once again proof that the rich are very different. Huguette Clark, a recluse, was the daughter of a Montana robber
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baron who loved the spotlight and made boatloads of money. Gordon's research is impeccable and covers Clark's privileged upbringing, two decades spent housebound, and her declining years in a private room at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. It's fascinating and possible proof that money can't buy everything, but it certainly buys a great deal.

Reviewed 6/5/14 in The Sacramento News & Review
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LibraryThing member JanaRose1
Huguette Clark, the daughter of William Andrews Clark, was born into extreme wealth. As the second family of W. A. Clark, Huguette was largely estranged from her half siblings, instead she spent her childhood with her older sister and mother. After the death of her sister and father, Huguette and
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her mother removed themselves from society. After the death of Huguette's mother, she lived alone, rarely leaving her home. After being admitted to the hospital for skin cancer, Huguette decided to stay, and spend he last two decades of her life never leaving the hospital grounds. Taken advantage of by nurses and doctors, Huguette gave large amounts of money away to those around her. After her death, the inevitable fight over her estate raged on, with relatives crawling out of the woodwork.

What I found to be of interest was how Huguette's legal affairs were completely botched. I wonder if this was due to naiveté, greed, or just the pressures of dealing with a demanding and narcissistic person. It was certainly interesting reading about her life and how she ended up. I think this would make a fascinating psychiatric study, it's too bad she never let a psychologist examine her. At times the book seemed to move slowly and seemed a bit biased against those around her. Overall, not a bad read.
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LibraryThing member Milehighlibrarian
Despite the sensational title, this was a balanced biography of Huguette Clark. Much of the publicity about her has made her out to be mentally unstable which was far from the truth.
LibraryThing member revliz
I didn't see the need for this book: a lot of speculation and purple prose. If you're interested in eccentric rich people and estate battles, you might enjoy this. I didn't.
LibraryThing member yvonne.sevignykaiser
This is the second book I have read on Huguette Clark. This one elaborates more on Ms Clark and the lawsuit after her death.

I was shocked at the amount of money that the nurses, doctors and hospital and her own lawyers weaseled out of her. Not just money was given out, but homes, vehicles and
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boats and their children private school and college tuition. These people prayed on the fact that Huguette feared being left with no one.
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LibraryThing member TheQuietReader
The youngest child of a copper baron and heiress to a massive fortune, Huguette Clark went through life on her own terms. What prompted her to withdraw from life and be a recluse?

When I finished reading this book, all I could think was "That poor woman." Her own father warned her that no one would
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love her for herself, but for her money. However, it was fairly obvious she would not have wanted pity. She was living as she wanted to live, even if it wasn't normal to everyone else.

It was difficult to read about the complicated relationship Huguette had with her caretakers. Were they taking advantage of her? So the evidence would suggest. However, did they care for Huguette as she wanted to be cared for? Yes, so what right would I have to fault any of it?

This was a great read and one I would recommend to readers who enjoy biographies.
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LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
What an inordinately sad person...... She grew up very wealthy, her father the 2nd richest man in the U.S. At age 22 she was worth $50 million. She was married, divorced, & had many failed romances.

At one time she was vibrant & lively a most popular debutant, in fact she learned to surf while in
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Hawaii from Duke Kahanamoku... She had 3 apartments on 5th Ave & a 23 acre ocean front compound in Santa Barbara, CA.

After her failed romances she began to withdraw from society, living on 5th Ave. a few floors above her mother. At 84 she checked into Doctors' Hospital for a form of treatable skin cancer but never moved back out. She was estranged from her relatives w/ only the her caretakers & hospital staff (ALL leeches & vultures) around her siphoning off her money....

When she died at 104 yrs of age (after living in the hospital for 20 years), she left an estate of over $300 million..... and then the fight began.

This was an interesting book but it was tedious, so very much detail..... The people who surrounded Huguette Clark were utterly detestable people..... So the book left me w/ a sour after taste. What I would have liked more of was to have been able to see more of her art work and in color...
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LibraryThing member Biggaz
Meticulously researched, balanced reporting on a life of someone who could have done so much more for society and herself.

Language

Original language

English

Physical description

382 p.; 6.5 inches

ISBN

145551263X / 9781455512638
Page: 0.1958 seconds