A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts
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The New York Times and USA Today bestseller
The riveting novel of iron-willed Alva Vanderbilt and her illustrious family as they rule Gilded-Age New York, written by Therese Anne Fowler, a New York Times bestselling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.
Alva Smith, her southern family destitute after the Civil War, married into one of America’s great Gilded Age dynasties: the newly wealthy but socially shunned Vanderbilts. Ignored by New York’s old-money circles and determined to win respect, she designed and built nine mansions, hosted grand balls, and arranged for her daughter to marry a duke. But Alva also defied convention for women of her time, asserting power within her marriage and becoming a leader in the women’s suffrage movement.
With a nod to Jane Austen and Edith Wharton, in A Well-Behaved Woman Therese Anne Fowler paints a glittering world of enormous wealth contrasted against desperate poverty, of social ambition and social scorn, of friendship and betrayal, and an unforgettable story of a remarkable woman. Meet Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, living proof that history is made by those who know the rules―and how to break them.
Publisher : St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication date : October 1, 2019
Edition : Reprint
Language : English
Print length : 560 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250095484
ISBN-13 : 978-1250095480
Item Weight : 1 pounds
Dimensions : 5.4 x 1.4 x 8.25 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #62,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #41 in Biographical Historical Fiction #71 in Biographical & Autofiction #195 in Political Fiction (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 4,146 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Abs –
A Good Read
Well-written, interesting subject matter, a good read
A Mazing Response 4 U –
Fascinating story
It’s hard to believe this story – she wasn’t just a pretty face. Very accomplished who had to do a lot to break down barriers and be accepted by her male counterparts- a must read – one of my all time favorite books
WBR –
Genuine Literature
Writing novels about protagonists who are bored by a declining society and their family relationships is not an easy task. There is always a risk of the work getting boring itself despite intrigues and passion, or else of affairs getting too complicated. It takes psychological insight, sensitivity and great literary craft(wo)manship to keep the reader compelled and alert throughout the whole book. Therese Ann Fowler obviously possesses those talents. “A Well-Educated Woman” develops convincing characters before the background of an America that is still recovering from a shattering Civil War and gradually slipping into the merciless fangs of uninhibited capitalism. Fowler’s book is never boring and – in a good way – produces the same thrills and dynamics that made Downton Abbey such a great success on TV. Where Downton Abbey draws an elaborate picture of old societal structures falling apart in post WW 1 England, Fowler takes the reader into the Gilded Age of the United States where old class lines have begun to solidify again. In more than one way, “A Well-Educated Woman” may remind the reader of the social paintings of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Last Tycoon” , Evelyn Waugh’s “A Handful Of Dust”, Turgenev’s “Rudin” or even Tolstoj’s “Anna Karenina”. Thus, it is no wonder that even the Russian empress Katerina II finds mentioning in Fowler’s novel. And yet, Fowler’s novel is much more than just a social analysis. It reflects much of the vivid New York spirit tlike John Dos Passos captures in his “Manhattan Transfer” kaleidoscope. “A Well-Educated woman” is a real novel, not just another book. It deserves to receive a prominent place among the great social novels of our time. It is genuine literature.
Susan S. –
interesting follow up to The Gilded Age
I found the book to be well written and enjoyable even though at times a bit tedious. It set the record straight more than a few times from the HBO series.
Gabriella K. Pettit –
A novel about the Vanderbilts, mainly Alva, wife of William K. Vanderbilt.
If you love the Gilded Age in America, this is a must read. The fiction story of Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont.
Kathryn Dane –
Oh to be well married
Alva Vanderbilt found out the hard way that money cannot buy happiness and that marrying for money does not guarantee marital bliss. This book is fairly well-written and certainly readable. It gives the reader insight into one of the wealthiest and most well-known families in the United States. Wealth does not in itself make one acceptable to society. Inherited wealth, on the other hand, could certainly confer a high rank in the pecking order of Victorian society. In our day, I think that we don’t place quite so much importance in social standing as did those Victorians.
Sarah Morgan –
Love Alva Vanderbilt
Loved this book! I went to Vanderbilt University for graduate school so it was a fun little connection. I didn’t want to put this book down. I love historical fiction and love a good book about a strong and brilliant woman!
L. E. Millers –
Delightful read about Alva Vanderbilt
Having just read several history books about the Vanderbilts, I was eager to read this novel about Alva Vanderbilt. This was an engaging and touching story filled with all the trappings and rules that wealth demands. Alva was a force to be reckoned with, designing and building many homes, demanding that her daughter marry for wealth and title, divorcing her husband, and supporting the voting rights for women. The story expands to the other Vanderbilt family members providing the reader with a deeper understanding of their difficulties and wealth accumulation. I found this very interesting and enjoyable reading.
Susan –
Great right from the first page
Victoria –
I bought this book, after watching & loving The Gilded Age.The book was to be my holiday read & it did not disappoint.I was completly captured with the characters & storyline.I was transported into this magnificent era & was immersed in the architecture & interior design of that period.Highly recommend
Snapdragon –
Therese Anne Fowler does a fabulous job of bringing us the life of Alva Vanderbilt Belmont. Born into a good but impoverished family, Alva and her three sisters are hungrily impecunious. With encouragement from her friend Consuelo Yznaga, Alva marries William Vanderbilt, an aimiable, if rather useless scion of the rich but socially unacceptable Vanderbilt family. One hundred million dollars goes a long way now. In the 1880’s, it was unimaginable wealth. Alva promptly set about getting the family accepted by the likes of the Astors and other wealthy families of the Gilded Age. A big fan of architecture, one of the paths to her success was the design and outfitting of various beautiful mansions. She could also throw a fantastic ball.After three children, Alva was more than dismayed to discover that her husband had betrayed her with her best friend. She had the gumption to insist on a divorce and ended up marrying Oliver Belmont, the love of her life. In later life, she became a big champion of women’s rights, including – unusually for the time – African American women. Fowler brings great intelligence and insight to the lives of this fascinating woman, her relatives, her friends and the era in which she lived. The pages hum with interest. There are absolutely no boring bits. Next, I’ll read Z, Fowler’s story of Zelda Fitzgerald.
Kathy –
Currently half way through the book I live it. It needs to be put into a series as it is set in the gilded age era. Same as the series The Gilded age.
TriciaN –
I love to read books with strong female characters in the lead. It is even better when it is a story, fiction or non-fiction, about a real woman who has made a meaningful contribution to women and the common good. I am delighted to have ‘met’ Alva Smith Benton.