This Vanderbilt “suffragette” forced her daughter to marry an English title by imprisoning and isolating her own daughter.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking the story is in any way similar to the real Alva Vanderbilt. The performance by the talented Kreinik is marvelous-her command of French alone is noteworthy-and the story is fun.

The book IS enjoyable and should be listened/read as fiction. And the family, to flagrant untruths regarding Alva-a truly disgusting human in her own right. However, in this novel, Fowler resorts to complete fantasy in her attempt to humanize Alva Vanderbilt, down to demonizing W.K. Scott Fitzgerald died too soon and broke. I understood her desire to show it wasn’t merely Zelda’s doing that F. 'To step into Therese Anne Fowler's stunning novel is to step into Alva Vanderbilt's rarefied world of sprawling homes, delicious society intrigue, and incomparable Gilded Age luxury.' (Allison Pataki, New York Times best-selling author of The Accidental Empress) Prepare to be enthralled!” (Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times best-selling author of The Perfect Couple) The story of Alva Vanderbilt is elegantly and emphatically told. “Oh how I loved every instant I spent in the world Fowler has recreated here. ' A Well-Behaved Woman is an extraordinary portrait of a strong, fascinating woman who rose above societal convention and even her own expectations to become so much more than anyone might have predicted.” (Christina Baker Kline, New York Times best-selling author of A Piece of the World and Orphan Train) Meet Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, living proof that history is made by those who know the rules - and how to break them. 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. 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. 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. This program includes a bonus interview with the author.Ī Well-Behaved Woman is the riveting audiobook about iron-willed Alva Vanderbilt and her illustrious family as they rule Gilded Age New York, from the New York Times best-selling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.Īlva 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. 'More than a rewriting of history, this is history reimagined from a fresh angle, delivered here with energy, sensitivity, and flair.' ( AudioFile Magazine) The New York Times and USA Today best seller

A well behaved woman novel