[XQB]≫ [PDF] Bunny Mellon The Life of an American Style Legend Meryl Gordon 9781455588749 Books

Bunny Mellon The Life of an American Style Legend Meryl Gordon 9781455588749 Books

Download As PDF : Bunny Mellon The Life of an American Style Legend Meryl Gordon 9781455588749 Books

Bunny Mellon The Life of an American Style Legend Meryl Gordon 9781455588749 Books

I bought this ebook because I worked on the Mellon's estate in Oyster Harbors in the early 1970's. I was one of many gardeners who planted the 10,000 annual flowers, and spent the rest of the Summer tending the vegetable garden. It was an organic garden, before that was the trend, so there was a lot of weeding to be done. The cooks would send down requests for certain vegetables before each meal, and I would prepare them in one of "Bunny's" many antique baskets. They had to be arranged aesthetically, of course. As this book asserts, the estate had a very understated aesthetic. The entire surrounds were manicured to create what I felt was an attempt to establish that dreamy idealism of the Impressionist paintings she had hanging in her house. This was not unusual for that time and place: it was typical of East Coast Establishment, and still is. I grew up in Hyannisport, and during the Kennedy administration was the newsboy who delivered the daily papers to all the houses in that small community, so had rare access to the houses and families of that tiny Port. The Mellon's were typical of the wealthy residents of that area, though they had access to considerably more money than most.
The most telling quotes in this book were those of her staff. Mary Cabral says that Mrs. Mellon was childlike; and this is true of many trust fund babies who do not have to work for their money. These people can be petulant and petty towards their friends and employees alike. They have a misplaced sense of entitlement that causes them to be demeaning to people, especially those who rely on them for employment. They tend to focus on minutiae because there really isn't much happening in their lives. Alcoholism also goes hand in hand with many trust fund recipients. Even their philanthropy comes with "strings" attached. Often, it is a means of reducing their taxable income, and also a way to impress others of their social standing. Yes, she retained her many "servants", but household staff is the ultimate show of wealth, and any reduction would have been seen as a downward trend in her social standing.
This book is well written, and filled in many of the gaps of this reclusive family. The lesson here is that wealth has its' own restrictions and responsibilities, and can be a curse as much as a bounty. These people are not to be envied.


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Bunny Mellon The Life of an American Style Legend Meryl Gordon 9781455588749 Books Reviews

I admit it I purchased this book to see how the REALLY rich live and I was not disappointed. My desire was precipitated after seeing the library and garden conservatory that Bunny had built on their Virginia estate and after seeing the interiors of her New York townhouse.

This is a cradle-to-grave biography of Rachel “Bunny” Mellon who was already born into privilege through her grandfather (a chemist who invented “Listerine”) and her father (who invented Gillette Razor Company and was the founder of Warner-Lambert). The author’s research is incredible and she had access to many of Bunny’s private letters and papers as well as cooperation from Bunny’s family members. Since Bunny died at age 105 this is a huge biography and will keep your interest throughout. Seriously, it’s unimaginable to comprehend the lifestyle of Bunny and her second husband, Paul Mellon (yes, son of THE Andrew Mellon) lived. One of her neighbors who saw their private jet depart their Virginia estate, only to fly around and land again, said that “…Bunny must have forgotten her scarf…” Her husband created the National Gallery in Washington, DC and purchased Old Master paintings by the truckload. And, of course, everyone knows that Bunny was asked by JFK to create a Rose Garden on the White House lawns….a garden that exists to this day. There’s a real sense of style about Bunny and the times she lived in. The era of writing Thank You notes; of dressing appropriately for every occasion; of correct behavior. However, Bunny Mellon’s ONLY claim to fame was her creation of the Rose Garden at the White House and this is referenced throughout the book. OK, I get it….she created the Rose Garden. I didn’t think that referencing that practically in every chapter was necessary. The rest of her life – before and after the Rose Garden – was spent as a very rich man’s wife.

The author’s writing style is very good and she doesn’t have an agenda – it’s all here, the good, bad, and ugly. Very objective - which lets the reader form their own personal opinion of the book’s subject and peripheral characters. There are photos in the book – all black and white. I would have hoped to have color photos in the book showing, at least, their Virginia estate, the gardens, the NY townhouse. I’ve seen color photos of these places in other publications so I was surprised that only a minimal number of photos were in this book.

However, having money does not always make a person better or nicer which is SO true in this case. Bunny was a nasty, mean, spiteful person who continuously attempted to dominate and control her children and step-children treating them like trash most of their lives. She dropped – friends and very long time friends – without any rhyme-or-reason in a New York second without a backward glance. Then, when she needed the dropped friend for some reason, she brought them back into the fold. And shame on those friends who just didn’t tell her to “get lost” after being treated so badly. But their association with Bunny meant more to them than their pride. To them, it was more important to say in a conversation, “…when Bunny and I had lunch….” so that people would be impressed. There were several of these men in her later years and they are covered in the book. She dumped her first husband when Paul Mellon showed an interest because he was SO very rich. And when Paul started having affairs she, like the well-bred person of her day, looked the other way because she obviously didn’t want to lose her social standing or her access to Paul’s enormous wealth. Although it seems she reconciled, to some degree, with her children once they reached middle-age, she remained stingy to her grandchildren during her lifetime and in her bequests to them when she died. She had enormous debt in her later years after Paul died and instead of getting rid of about 200+ staff, she took out loans against her properties and art. She could have easily downsized her staff by giving them some type of lump sum compensation but chose not to do so. So in the end, she cared more about her staff than about letting her blood family get more of her wealth when she died.
I could not put this book down. It is a fascinating chronicle of a complicated woman who had a reserved seat for 20th Century history. "The rich are different" we were told by F Scott Fitzgerald and this book details how different.
I highly recommend this well written story of an unimaginable life.
I bought this ebook because I worked on the Mellon's estate in Oyster Harbors in the early 1970's. I was one of many gardeners who planted the 10,000 annual flowers, and spent the rest of the Summer tending the vegetable garden. It was an organic garden, before that was the trend, so there was a lot of weeding to be done. The cooks would send down requests for certain vegetables before each meal, and I would prepare them in one of "Bunny's" many antique baskets. They had to be arranged aesthetically, of course. As this book asserts, the estate had a very understated aesthetic. The entire surrounds were manicured to create what I felt was an attempt to establish that dreamy idealism of the Impressionist paintings she had hanging in her house. This was not unusual for that time and place it was typical of East Coast Establishment, and still is. I grew up in Hyannisport, and during the Kennedy administration was the newsboy who delivered the daily papers to all the houses in that small community, so had rare access to the houses and families of that tiny Port. The Mellon's were typical of the wealthy residents of that area, though they had access to considerably more money than most.
The most telling quotes in this book were those of her staff. Mary Cabral says that Mrs. Mellon was childlike; and this is true of many trust fund babies who do not have to work for their money. These people can be petulant and petty towards their friends and employees alike. They have a misplaced sense of entitlement that causes them to be demeaning to people, especially those who rely on them for employment. They tend to focus on minutiae because there really isn't much happening in their lives. Alcoholism also goes hand in hand with many trust fund recipients. Even their philanthropy comes with "strings" attached. Often, it is a means of reducing their taxable income, and also a way to impress others of their social standing. Yes, she retained her many "servants", but household staff is the ultimate show of wealth, and any reduction would have been seen as a downward trend in her social standing.
This book is well written, and filled in many of the gaps of this reclusive family. The lesson here is that wealth has its' own restrictions and responsibilities, and can be a curse as much as a bounty. These people are not to be envied.