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The World’s Wealthiest Women is an examination of the richest women in history: how they spent their fortunes, and whether their great wealth was commensurate with great happiness. The women profiled had many splendored bank accounts, derived from inheritance, marriage, or ingenuity, along with fascinating biographies. This book tells the stories of astronomically rich ladies from different eras and various countries, both happy and unhappy silver spooners.
List of contents
Preface Part One: BusinesswomenChapter 1: Hetty Green—The Wizard of Wall Street (1834)
Chapter 2: Madame C. J. Walker—Much Will Be Required (1867)
Chapter 3: Helena Rubinstein—Chutzpah (1872)
Chapter 4: Diane von Fürstenberg—It’s a Wrap (1946)
Chapter 5: Dolly Parton—Brave Enough to Try (1946)
Chapter 6: Donatella Versace—The Modern Medusa (1955)
Part Two: HeiressesChapter 7: Evalyn Walsh McLean—Sita’s Curse (1886)
Chapter 8: Marjorie Merriweather Post—Elijah’s Manna (1887)
Chapter 9: Bunny Mellon—The Halitosis Heiress (1910)
Chapter 10: Zsa Zsa Gabor—My Close-Up (1917)
Chapter 11: Betsy Bloomingdale—The Big Brown Bag (1922)
Chapter 12: Marella Agnelli—In Sunshine and In Storm (1927)
Chapter 13: São Schlumberger—The Portuguese Chameleon (1929)
Chapter 14: Imelda Marcos—Glass Slipper (1929)
Chapter 15: Basia Piasecka Johnson—The Polish Pharmaceutical Princess (1937)
Chapter 16: Lily Safra—A Gilded Lily (1934)
Chapter 17: Barbara Black—Gain the Whole World (1940)
Chapter 18: Soraya Khashoggi—The Sad Eyes (1941)
Chapter 19: Honey Sherman—Man Plans (1947)
Chapter 20: Ivana Trump—The Ivana (1949)
Chapter 21: Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis—Forever Loyal (1960)
Chapter 22: Wendi Murdoch—The Shackles of Shanghai (1968)
Chapter 23: Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece—Rumpelstiltskin (1968)
Chapter 24: Clare Bronfman—Unhappy Chance (1979)
Chapter 25: Athina Onassis—The Greek Chorus (1985)
EpilogueA Note to Readers
About the author
Marlene Wagman-Geller received her BA from York University and her teaching credentials from the University of Toronto and San Diego State University. She taught high school English in National City, California. Reviews from her first three books (Penguin/Perigree) have appeared in the
The New York Times,
The Washington Post,
The Chicago Tribune, the Associated Press,
The Denver Post, and
The San Diego Tribune.
