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The Social Graces

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The Social Graces

By: Renée Rosen
Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Saskia Maarleveld
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About this listen

The USA Today Bestseller!

Named one of 2021’s Most Anticipated Historical Novels by Oprah Daily SheReads ∙ Frolic ∙ BookReporterand more...


The author of Park Avenue Summer throws back the curtain on one of the most remarkable feuds in history: Alva Vanderbilt and the Mrs. Astor's notorious battle for control of New York society during the Gilded Age.


1876. In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, women are valued by their pedigree, dowry, and, most importantly, connections. They have few rights and even less independence—what they do have is society. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor—the Mrs. Astor.

But times are changing.

Alva Vanderbilt has recently married into one of America's richest families. But what good is dizzying wealth when society refuses to acknowledge you? Alva, who knows what it is to have nothing, will do whatever it takes to have everything.

Sweeping three decades and based on true events, this is the mesmerizing story of two fascinating, complicated women going head to head, behaving badly, and discovering what’s truly at stake.
Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction New York
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I very much enjoyed this book. Mrs Astor was quite the battle axe. She missed out on so much because of her self-imposed restraint.

The social graces

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The two main characters most likely to be the most objectionable characters I’ve ever come across. I didn’t even finish listening.

The voice grated on me.

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