I actually saw the Cooper special about Gloria Vanderbilt. HBO maybe? Don't remember but it was fascinating. She has indeed been thru so much, especially witnessing Anderson's brother commit suicide by jumping from his mother's balcony, as she pleaded for his life on her knees. Heartbreaking. I read the book "Little Gloria, Happy at Last". I read it in the eighties, when I was in high school. Vanderbilt has lived a million lives. It's a wonder she's sane after all of the trauma she's suffered. A very likeable lady. It's a shame this book wasn't better. After watching the special with Cooper and his mother, I feel like I've gotten all the Gloria Vanderbilt info I need. It really was an excellent program. I'm sure their book will be wonderful, too.
I've not read anything about Gloria Vanderbilt, but I did read Dead End Gene Pool by Wendy Burden, another branch of the Vanderbilt family. It was interesting in that 'how do people live like that?' way.
I remember reading a bio of the Vanderbilt family back in the ... 80s? I think it held that only three members of the family had ever made money - the Commodore, his son, William K., and Gloria.
@Lagniappe Literature - I didn't quite know how to describe that son's suicide, not in only a few words anyway - at first I had "committed suicide in front of her" - but it just doesn't convey the - well, not that any suicide is easy, just that this seemed particularly awful for any mother, once you read about the circumstances. It IS actually amazing that she's so sane now! Her family members definitely had a lot of eccentricity in their ranks, and she'd have every reason to be a bit unhinged after all she's been through.
I want to say I saw that miniseries on Little Gloria - but I may actually have just read reviews on it.
I will say that amongst all this sadness she came off as so upbeat - and I was continually amused over her telling about the clothes she'd worn, in particular the exact shade of the colors. She also notes that it's probably weird she still remembered that info so clearly - so she's really self aware.
What I mainly knew about the Vanderbilts - at least when I was younger - was from visiting the Biltmore Estate as a kid. In Europe these sorts of mansions are much more common - castle+home+museum - but there's not many like them in the US. I was suitably impressed - but way more interested in the architecture and architect stories than the owners.
I want to say I saw that miniseries on Little Gloria - but I may actually have just read reviews on it.
I will say that amongst all this sadness she came off as so upbeat - and I was continually amused over her telling about the clothes she'd worn, in particular the exact shade of the colors. She also notes that it's probably weird she still remembered that info so clearly - so she's really self aware.
What I mainly knew about the Vanderbilts - at least when I was younger - was from visiting the Biltmore Estate as a kid. In Europe these sorts of mansions are much more common - castle+home+museum - but there's not many like them in the US. I was suitably impressed - but way more interested in the architecture and architect stories than the owners.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biltmore_Estate
http://www.biltmore.com/