A Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestseller.The true story of a girl from the wilderness settlements of a burgeoning new America who became one of the most privileged figures of the Gilded Age.Born to a pioneering family in Upstate New York in the late 1800s, Allene Tew was beautiful, impetuous, and frustrated by the confines of her small hometown. At eighteen, she met Tod Hostetter at a … eighteen, she met Tod Hostetter at a local dance, having no idea that the mercurial charmer she would impulsively wed was heir to one of the wealthiest families in America. But when he died twelve years later, Allene packed her bags for New York City. Never once did she look back.
From the vantage point of the American upper class, Allene embodied the tumultuous Gilded Age. Over the course of four more marriages, she weathered personal tragedies during World War I and the catastrophic financial reversals of the crash of 1929. From the castles and châteaus of Europe, she witnessed the Russian Revolution and became a princess. And from the hopes of a young girl from Jamestown, New York, Allene Tew would become the epitome of both a pursuer and survivor of the American Dream.
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This book was very matter-of-fact and not a narrative type of book. It just presented the facts of this woman’s life, as intriguing as they were, but the characters are never fleshed out and it seems like the book reads like it was rushed to print, Disappointing in scope and range.
I was originally drawn to this book because the main character was from my hometown, Jamestown, NY, and yet I had never heard of her. A rather sad tale of a woman determined to better herself at all costs, trading on her beauty in the gilded age. She led quite a life, but sadly died more or less alone, on the Riviera, which I suppose has its advantages to .dying alone in Jamestown .
An interesting life lived from post Civil War to the 1950’s in the US and Europe. Allene Tew showed her adaptability and strength through 5 husbands, 2 World Wars, 2 big recessions, and many locals. This is a well researched book and I really enjoyed learning about her journey and amazing life. My only criticism was that, because it was not written in English and therefore was a translation, some of the phrasing was awkward and a little bit difficult to understand
Allene Tew led a fascinating life. Some of the events in the book seemed so impossible that I looked on the internet to verify. While the book is a biography, it reads like a novel and also had some historical education for me.
Just a basic outline of her life. Not particularly well written
Fine book. She really led an interesting life!
It was ok. Just sad, so much money and opportunity just wasted on a frivolous life.
I found myself Googling the various people in the story to learn more about them and the events. What a strong woman Allene was!
I found this book very interesting especially because I live in Jamestown New York and it gave a lot of history of our area while Weaving
together all of the different aspects of a very interesting woman’s is life
Well- documented Biography
Kindle version ends at 79% – the rest is author’s notes and page after page of footnotes followed by a blurb by the translator.
Recommended for adults, although nothing in it would be inappropriate for a teenager.
No sex
No violence
No strong language
No dialogue,
Portions of personal letters and newspaper accounts do give some variety.
Smooth writing style.
I gave it only 4 stars because I found it OK and interesting enough to finish, but wouldn’t immediately rave about it to friends.
If you are a lover of historical novels and biographies, you will surely enjoy this story of perseverance through good times and bad and in the face of societal whims.
I enjoyed this book, found it very interesting to get a glimpse of society from a time passed. Allene Tew was an intriguing character and I would have liked a more personal account of her life instead of gazing at her from afar but found the book worth reading.
This biography of Allene Tew was really interesting – her rise to fortune and later financial troubles. Through times of happiness, grief, contentment, great uncertainty and six husbands, Allene proves herself to be a survivor. Also a great view of the times from 1870’s to 1950’s.
While not exactly the colorful carriage ride into the life of a previously unknown prominent figure as I was hoping, the story of Allene, and that time-span in history, did capture my intrigue. This book was way more fascinating than reading a history book, but for a woman who reached wealth and social position from relatively little, I would have enjoyed a little more insight into her personality. I admit that anyone who survives five marriages and the loss of all three of her children – that alone is wow! Her mantra, “Courage all the time,” must explain how she kept going and why she allowed nothing to keep her down.
It was a look into the past of a woman who had lived a full life and stayed true to herself
Loved this and was stunned to learn she was among the wealthiest of her times. Great details. really awed by her wonderful embrace of how to make lemons into delicious lemonade.
I think this book could have more details and the pictures are a bit off on what it is about but everything else is perfect