Book Review: The Last Castle

I loved this book!  It was all about how the Biltmore House came to life.  It was about the store of the Vanderbilt's and how they used their money and influence to build and develop this gorgeous house in the foothills of North Carolina.

Author
Denise Kiernan
She is a journalist and author whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Village Voice, Ms., Reader's Digest, Discover, and other publications.  Her previous book, The Girls of Atomic City, was a New York Times, Los Angeles Times,  and NPR bestseller.  She lives in North Carolina.  Visit the author at www.denise Kiernan.com.

My Review:
This great book dived into what made the Vanderbilt's tick.  The money and how it was accumulated, the history behind the wealthy crew was amazing.  How and why George came to NC and built this amazing structure called home to he and Edith.  It's also about the many, many people that visited the Biltmore and what they did on those visits.  Also Edith and George Vanderbilt were amazing people, not so much can be said for his father who seemed ruthless.  But George and Edith gave back to the community and made Ashville, NC what it is today.  They took care of people. 
Also covered, was Cornelia their daughter and how "the money" changed her life. 
Read this book and enjoy the history of how America was during this gilded age and how the Vanderbilt family contributed to the history and development of the people in NC and of this great country.

Book Review: America's First Daughter

In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamole tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy. 
Taken from Goodreads

Authors :
Stephanie Dray is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical women's fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into eight languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year.  Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer and a teacher. She lives near the nation's capital withher husband, cats and history books.
Taken from Goodreads

Laura Kamole is a New York Times, Wall Stree Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author.  Laura has always been facinated by the people, stories and physical presence of the past, which led her to a liftime of historical and archaeological study and training.  She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from the The College of William and Mary, has published two non-fiction books on early America and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction.
Taken from Goodreads

My Review:

By far one of the best historical fiction books I have ever read.  The way that these two authors did their homework on Martha Jefferson Randolph (Patsy) and Thomas Jefferson was amazing.  They picked up on items such as a shaving kit that is there at Monticello and expounded on all details that it involved.  This was shown in many, many ways throughout the book.  It opened my eyes to ways of the colonial era and how fortuns of American Presidents were used to help the American people, by entertaining, supporting the cause of liberty and freedom, while also intertwined rightly  in setting slaves free. I loved this book!

Book Review: The Age of Desire

For fans of The Paris Wife, a sparkling glimpse into the life of Edith Wharton and the scandalous love affair that threatened her closest friendship. They say that behind every great man is a great woman. Behind Edith Wharton, there was Anna Bahlmann—her governess turned literary secretary and confidante. At the age of forty-five, despite her growing fame, Edith remains unfulfilled in a lonely, sexless marriage. Against all the rules of Gilded Age society, she falls in love with Morton Fullerton, a dashing young journalist. But their scandalous affair threatens everything in Edith’s life—especially her abiding ties to Anna.  At a moment of regained popularity for Wharton, Jennie Fields brilliantly interweaves Wharton’s real letters and diary entries with her fascinating, untold love story. Told through the points of view of both Edith and Anna, The Age of Desire transports readers to the golden days of Wharton’s turn-of-the century world and—like the recent bestseller The Chaperone—effortlessly re-creates the life of an unforgettable woman.
Taken from Goodreads

Author:
Jennie Fields
Jennie Fields received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and is the author of three other novels, Lily Beach, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry and The Middle Ages.  An Illinois native, she spent many years as an advertising creative director in New York and currently lives with her husband in Nashville, Tennessee.
Taken from jenniefields.com

My Review:
I enjoyed this book. This was a real glimpse as Goodreads suggested of her life and the love affair during a time when it would have been very scandalous for a woman to be involved in an affair if married.  The relationship with Anna Bahlmann her secretary was a strange one as Anna's moral values were surely obvious as she disapproved of Edith's affair.  Edith was really not too concerned about how Anna felt and later I believed maybe realized the facts.  You will enjoy the book if you enjoy reading about the wealthy and how they lived their lives in the 1930 era.

Book Review: Portrait of a Woman in White

France 1940. Nazi forces march towards Paris. Lilli Rosenswig’s wealthy and eccentric family is ensconced in their country chateau with their sumptuous collection of arts and antiques. The beloved Matisse PORTRAIT OF Lilli’s mother has been brought from their Paris salon for safety. It is the day before young lovers, Lilli and Paul are to be married that they are forced to flee and their fortunes change irrevocably. Lilli and her family escape but Paul must stay behind to defend their country. In their struggle to adapt to changing circumstances in an unpredictable world, all are pushed to reinvent themselves. When top Nazi, Herman Goring loots their Matisse portrait, their story is intertwined with the fate of the painting Portrait of a Woman in White. This is a moving family saga, an obsessive search for lost love and lost art and how far we will go to survive.

Author:
Susan Winkler
Susan is the author and has also written four editions of The Paris Shopping Companion. A former print journalist for Fairchild Publication in New York, she studied French literature at Bennington College (BA), Stanford University (MA),  L’Academine in Paris, and the University of Geneva, and has a lifelong interest in art. She lives in Portland Oregon with her family. You can also find Susan on Facebook and Goodreads.

My Review:
I loved this book. Even though this is historical fiction, it is a great look at how things must have occurred during WWII. I highly recommend this book to individuals or a book club. My book club, Book Chicks loved it. There was no one in our group that didn’t enjoy this book. Great questions for the group in the back of the book.

Best Dressed, Manners, Beautiful Homes & Savoring Moments

Today, I thought I would poach a subject that is near and dear to all Southern bred women and really to all women, best dressed, minding your manners, creating a beautiful home, and savoring your moments.

I have been following a wonderful author for about 25 years, Alexandra Stoddard. These are just a few of her books.  They helped me develop my sense of style. 

• Daring to Be Yourself
• Living a Beautiful Life
• Open Your Eyes
• Feeling at Home
• Choosing Happiness

You can find her website at: www.Alexandrastoddard.com. Some of her ideas are right in line with things my mom has taught me and some thoughts that I read on a previous post from French Garden House blog.  French Garden House was speaking on French and European women I thought these all applied to the Southern women of the south and just women in general. 

Also check her out here: http://frenchgardenhouse.com/blog/french-lessons-6-tips-for-living-like-a-french-woman/

We need to take these to heart as we are losing some of these beautiful characteristics of a Southern woman with the fast route of fast food; stretch pants and just living sloppy in general! 

Everything I know about gracious living I learned from my mother, Margaret Reames Holland as she had an incredible sense of style too. She taught me “pretty is as pretty does” and to always act like a lady, to create a beautiful, warm and welcoming home, and to invite friends and neighbors over for her Southern desserts. I miss my mom every day and only wish she had been around to help raise my children with my husband and me.  Her style, attention to detail and her recipes were wonderful!  When she walked in a room, everyone turned to notice.  I so miss that.  I know few women that have that presence of self-confidence. 

BEST DRESSED.   I try to never go anywhere without make-up on and some accessories, ever.  Looking nice and stylish is very important to me.  I guess my mom’s sense of style wore off on me.  I may not have the most up to date clothing on sometimes, but being confident in what I am wearing is so important.  Buy the best you can purchase.

French Garden House blog mentions that there isn't a single woman in Europe who would go outdoors in sweat pants, unless she's jogging, period.  Everyone has a fashionable coat, a scarf, and great shoes. What a way to do it!  For Europeans, looking good is a way of life. Even a quick trip to the market requires a certain level of chicness.

Some of my mom’s rules:

1.    There is no excuse for not taking care of yourself. Even if you are stressed, you will feel so much better if you find some time to do your hair and makeup and use some body lotion. You will be able to give back to others once you do this.

2.    Find YOUR style, realizing that the most popular style may not look great on your body. If this is the case then revert to the styles, colors, shapes and fabrics that work for you, stick with those. Trends come and go, what fits and looks good on you is forever.

3.    Always make a habit to buy the best you can afford. Investing in cheap fabrics looks just that, CHEAP. Invest in the real thing such as real cotton, linen, cashmere and silk. There are some polyesters on the market that look amazing these days, just shop wisely. The key word is "look amazing."

4.    Fit is KEY. If your clothes fit poorly take them to a tailor/seamstress and have them professionally tailored. If your pants hit the floor take care of that hem.  If something will never fit your body right, donate it.

MIND YOUR MANNERS. My mother always said that perfect manners are essential to be a true Christian Southern Lady.  Pretty is as Pretty does! Inside and out!

I remember putting my foot on the pew to straighten my white socks in my white patent leather shoes at church, only to be pinched softly by my mom.  I never did that again!

·         no swearing, cursing or using slang language, seriously!

·         good posture makes every woman look classy, and slimmer too!

·         smoking is never elegant, if you have this habit and can’t break it, do it in private.

·         leave lots to the imagination such as low-cut, skimpy and tight clothes are not for you! No one wants to see your hinny, or your chest exposed.

Southern women use their beautiful things, and are so adept at creating little beautiful vignettes almost anywhere. Try a beverage bar.  Coffee and soft drinks are always welcoming when guest arrive.

You will not very likely find paper plates when true Southern women entertain. They use their antiques, their silver, and their best glassware for guests.

CREATE BEAUTY AT HOME. You don't have to live in a large home to have a pleasing home, it's not too difficult to make your home welcoming and a nice place to come to. Bring some beauty to your world.  I try to have fresh flowers when possible when I entertain.

Flowers don't need to be all that expensive, you can pick up a little bunch at the market, or cut a few flowers from your garden. There are times that I clip branches from our front garden and call it an arrangement, they look beautiful. I’ve even decorated with branches in my chandeliers. 

SAVOR MOMENTS. French Garden House wrote that the whole concept of picking up a coffee and drinking it while driving somewhere is so foreign to European women.  When they drink coffee or tea, they make it an event. You can do the same. 

In America, we enjoy our fast food, however when you have a guest savor the moments that you have together, sharing, talking, smiling and encouraging your friends/guest.  They will cherish these times you shared together and remember them for a long time.  Plus, your relationship will blossom from these savored moments.

Book ~ The Paris Apartment

I recently read a great book by the name of "The Paris Apartment" by Michelle Gable. This book was an historical fiction book, based on a true story of a Paris apartment that was closed in the 1930s during World War II and not opened again until 2010. It was discovered after the owner Marthe de Florian died, left it to her child and that child died at 91 years of age.  Then the estate discovered the apartment. 



Below is the link to view the  pictures and article regarding this wonderful apartment.

http://twistedsifter.com/2014/01/untouched-paris-apartment-discovered-after-70-years/



In the apartment there were paintings by the famous 19th century Italian painter, Giovanni Boldini. The story is written around a fictitious character Amy, that works for a antique broker and discovers the dairies of Marthe de Florian that owned all of these paintings and antiques in the apartment. It turns out the Mathe was the woman in the pink muslin evening dress, was his muse, and an actress at The Moulin Rouge. The book allows you to discover life in Paris during the early 1900s.

Michele Gable has another book, "I'll See You In Paris"coming in February 2016. It's about another of the paintings from the apartment. I won this book while participating in an online chat with the author and with my book club, The Book Chicks. This book is just as good, if not better than the first. Look for it in the book stores.