The Silver Swan

SKU: PR47910

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Sale price$57.60

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Discover the captivating story of Doris Duke in 'The Silver Swan' by Sallie Bingham, the insightful biography that unveils the life of a formidable modern woman philanthropist. This brand new release from St Martins Press, published in 2021, explores the complexities of a woman who not only inherited a billion-dollar tobacco fortune but also defied societal norms and expectations of her time. With 352 pages of rich narrative, 'The Silver Swan' takes you through Duke's extraordinary journey, from her rebellious spirit to her lasting impact on philanthropy. Delve into her opulent lifestyle, including the grand estates she called home, such as Duke Farms and Rough Point, and learn about the powerful friendships she forged with cultural icons. This book is more than a biography; it’s a bold exploration of gender, wealth, and identity. Perfect for readers interested in women's history, biography of remarkable women, or modern philanthropy. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781250787330
Year: 2021
Publisher: St Martins Press
Pages: 352


Description:
"Men who inherit great wealth are respected, but women who do the same are ridiculed. In The Silver Swan, Sallie Bingham rescues Doris Duke from this gendered prison and shows us just how brave, rebellious, and creative this unique woman really was, and how her generosity benefits us to this day." —Gloria Steinem

A bold portrait of Doris Duke, the defiant and notorious tobacco heiress who was perhaps the greatest modern woman philanthropist

In The Silver Swan, Sallie Bingham chronicles one of the great underexplored lives of the twentieth century and the very archetype of the modern woman. "Don’t touch that girl, she’ll burn your fingers," FBI director J. Edgar Hoover once said about Doris Duke, the inheritor of James Buchanan Duke’s billion-dollar tobacco fortune. During her lifetime, she would be blamed for scorching many, including her mother and various ex-lovers. She established her first foundation when she was twenty-one; cultivated friendships with the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Imelda Marcos, and Michael Jackson; flaunted interracial relationships; and adopted a thirty-two year-old woman she believed to be the reincarnation of her deceased daughter. This is also the story of the great houses she inhabited, including the classically proportioned limestone mansion on Fifth Avenue, the sprawling Duke Farms in New Jersey, the Gilded Age mansion Rough Point in Newport, Shangri La in Honolulu, and Falcon’s Lair overlooking Beverly Hills.

Even though Duke was the subject of constant scrutiny, little beyond the tabloid accounts of her behavior has been publicly known. In 2012, when eight hundred linear feet of her pers

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