TheunvarnishedhistoryofAmerica’smostnotoriouspalaceanditsAmericanqueenMomentsbeforetheRoaringTwentiessunkintotheGreatDepression,socialiteheiressMarjorieMerriweatherPostandfinancierE.F.Huttonconstructedanestatetooutdoallestates.Tothetuneof$4million(about$68milliontoday)andfouryearsoflabortheycalledfortha118-roommansioninaconflatedSpanish,Portuguese,andVenetiandesignoveracoralreefinhurricane-pronePalmBeachCounty.TheynameditMar-a-Lago--awinterhavenwherecorporatetitans,theglitterati,andnobilitygathered.Butthehoneymoondidn’tlastlong.In AmericanCastle,PulitzerPrizefinalistMaryC.Shanklinrevealsacenturyofcontroversy,politics,andlifestylesofthesuper-richandpowerfulafterMar-a-Lagobecameapart-timeresidenceandpartyplaceuponPost’sdivorcefromHuttonovermutualadultery.It’sastoryofanAmericanroyalwho,attheageof27,inheritedacerealcompanythatwouldlaterbecometheGeneralFoodsCorporationandspentalifetimeinbusiness,artcollection,philanthropy,andthemanagementofmultipleestates--includingherwhiteelephant,Mar-a-Lago.Thoughshetriedtimeagain,asShanklincoversinrivetingdetail,PostcouldnotoffloadthebehemothduetoitsextraordinarymaintenancecostsandtheuppityPalmBeachneighbors.Drawingfrompreviouslyuntappedinterviews,documents,andrecordings,ShanklinfollowsMar-a-Lago’sevolutionasitcollideswiththeKennedys,thestateofFlorida,apotentialmake-overasTheMar-a-LagoCenterforAdvancedScholars,LadyBirdJohnson,RichardNixon,theNationalParkService,and--ofcourse--DonaldTrump,whopursuedsubdivision,threatenedtoselltoReverendSunMyungMoonandtheUnificationChurch,hostedMichaelJacksonandLisaMariePresley,madeitafor-profitclub,receivedscandalousdinnerguests,turneditintohisWinterWhiteHouse,andwatchedtheFBIraidbeforeholdingahome-courtpresserasthefirstformerpresidenttofacecriminalcharges.HowdidthePalmBeachhamletsolacqueredingraceandelegancecometofinditselfrootedinAmericanCastle:OneHundredYearsofMar-a-Lago.
PHILANTHROPY Portuguese LAGO DONALDTRUMP CASTLE AMERICAN documents
