The Astor Orphan LP: A Memoir (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
The image "Astor Orphan" calls to mind a much more glamorous picture than the actual book presents. I found this book to miss the point of why people wanted to read it. The interesting bits about the family were shoved aside for a ten-year-olds story of neglect and poverty. I was hoping for a half Grey Gardens, half Mitford sister's tale. I'm getting more of a Mary Karr vibe. Which is okay, but I like the idea of a wealthy family living in this carcass of a mansion. But it was a very basic mom is emotionally distant, dad's having an affair, grandma's a drunk story. I was honestly kind of disappointed. The interesting stories, the family history, was shoved aside for more stories about her scumbag "rebel" father who is apparently too aristocratic to get a real job. Oh, such a tragic figure. Honestly, the book was bitter. It didn't celebrate in the excess of a burned-out fortune, like the cover advertised. It was just a sad book that ends really abruptly and never really lets you go on a good note. To paraphrase Tolstoy, all normal families are alike, dysfunctional families are dysfunctional in their own way. And so it goes with the Astor clan. Odd and unable to move forward from a legacy that anchors them in place, they live an almost unbelievable existence. While I liked the book, and found it fascinating to see these people burdened with their legacy, I felt as if the author was holding back. This book feels restrained, as if the true heartbreak was just too much to put into print. That's a shame, because this could have been so much more--a cathartic break with the family obligations and duties to the past rather than a cool recitation of the facts. Truly a missed opportunity, but a quick, satisfying read nonetheless.
What do You think about The Astor Orphan LP: A Memoir (2013)?
A lot of promise but little delivery, there are some strong moments but they are rare.
—amber
Read this as a book club selection. Interesting but not a compelling story.
—Toxic
Just ok; not a lot of depth, history, or follow-up.
—vik
