Empty Mansions Book: The Insider's Guide to Huguette Clark
The Empty Mansions book is about heiress Huguette Clark, the daughter of a Gilded Age industrialist and railroad builder. Her father amassed great wealth during the Montana Gold Rush and had several mining camps. The self-made copper industrialist eventually became a senator.
Although Huguette Clark had inherited a fortune from her extravagant father, she never lived in any of her three palatial mansions. Instead, she stayed in a simple hospital room during the last 20 years of her life.
Written by Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist Bill Dedman and Huguette Clark's cousin, Empty Mansions tells the haunting true-life tale of a twenty-first-century battle to determine who would inherit Huguette's copper fortune -- valued at $300,000,000. Would Clark's staff or the extended family members get the money?
Although Huguette Clark had inherited a fortune from her extravagant father, she never lived in any of her three palatial mansions. Instead, she stayed in a simple hospital room during the last 20 years of her life.
Written by Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist Bill Dedman and Huguette Clark's cousin, Empty Mansions tells the haunting true-life tale of a twenty-first-century battle to determine who would inherit Huguette's copper fortune -- valued at $300,000,000. Would Clark's staff or the extended family members get the money?
The life of Huguette Clark is fascinating
Huguette Clark at a young age
The Clark family history is something out of a fairy tale and is truly an amazing story. Although the reclusive heiress, Huguette Clark, was a divorcée, she supposedly had a French boyfriend at one point.
In her later years, Clark had amassed a vast collection of antique dolls and even enjoyed them from her New York City hospital room because her assistant would bring her photographs of them.
Few relatives ever interacted with the affluent hermit, except her cousin Paul Clark Newell, Jr. -- who is the co-author of the book about Huguette Clark.
In her later years, Clark had amassed a vast collection of antique dolls and even enjoyed them from her New York City hospital room because her assistant would bring her photographs of them.
Few relatives ever interacted with the affluent hermit, except her cousin Paul Clark Newell, Jr. -- who is the co-author of the book about Huguette Clark.
VIDEO: The mysterious life of an affluent heiress
The Clark family story spans decades
Although the mysterious Huguette spent the latter part of her life as a recluse, it wasn't always so. By all accounts, she was an outgoing and boisterous young woman who loved the arts. In fact, she even owned paintings from masters like Renoir and Monet.
The rags-to-riches prosperity of her father during the Gilded Age is an intriguing part of American history, which is how Clark eventually was pulled into New York City's social scene.
The rags-to-riches prosperity of her father during the Gilded Age is an intriguing part of American history, which is how Clark eventually was pulled into New York City's social scene.
Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune
The publication about Clark's fortune is a New York Times bestseller with over 8,000 four-star reviews on Amazon. Although this book was published in 2014, it's nearly sixty years in the making.
Although Clark had extreme wealth, she chose to live in the doctors' hospital, which is a bit of a rich mystery, especially since the Clark mansion on Fifth Avenue was so close.
Some speculate that Clark had developed a fear of strangers many decades earlier, which is why she chose to live under the care of her private nurse.
Although Clark had extreme wealth, she chose to live in the doctors' hospital, which is a bit of a rich mystery, especially since the Clark mansion on Fifth Avenue was so close.
Some speculate that Clark had developed a fear of strangers many decades earlier, which is why she chose to live under the care of her private nurse.
Are their free Empty Mansions PDF downloads available?
Empty Mansions previews are available on Amazon. The publication can be purchased in print and on Kindle. The Audible version is also available if you prefer to listen to the book. A PDF download is available on Scribd.com.
Journalist Bill Dedman noticed the public's fascination with photos of Clark and her largest house, so more than seventy photographs are available on the website.
Journalist Bill Dedman noticed the public's fascination with photos of Clark and her largest house, so more than seventy photographs are available on the website.
Who is assistant Chris Sattler?
Chris Sattler was the personal assistant to the same Huguette written about by the Louis Post Dispatch. During a deposition about the mysterious life of the heiress, he detailed the spending of a great fortune. The mystery surrounding Huguette deepened during the legal battle, and the personal assistant's firsthand accounts of lavish gifts caught the public's attention.
VIDEO: Clark's assistant, Chris Sattler, tells his side of the story.
Domestic staff cared for the empty mansions
Clark had three palatial estates, which were cared for by domestic staff and inner circle:
As far as anyone knows, Clark hadn't visited the mansions in decades, and they were cared for by the estate staff: housekeepers, maids, assistants, groundskeepers, and gardeners.
The only household staff member to interact with Clark was the personal assistant, Chris Sattler -- who often visited the elegant Fifth Avenue apartment to run errands for Clark. The heiress did have an intimate circle of handlers, but only the PA interacted with her regularly.
- New Canaan, Connecticut
- Santa Barbara, California
- New York City, New York
As far as anyone knows, Clark hadn't visited the mansions in decades, and they were cared for by the estate staff: housekeepers, maids, assistants, groundskeepers, and gardeners.
The only household staff member to interact with Clark was the personal assistant, Chris Sattler -- who often visited the elegant Fifth Avenue apartment to run errands for Clark. The heiress did have an intimate circle of handlers, but only the PA interacted with her regularly.
Who is Hadassah Peri?
Hadassah Peri is the nurse who cared for the heiress at the Beth Israel Medical Center. Once Clark had checked in, she rarely had contact with the outside world. Doctors and strangers alike couldn't get close to the heiress, and she only felt comfortable around her nurse.
Huguette's cousin, Newell, writes that Peri received many lavish gifts from the heiress, including a world-renowned Stradivarius violin and a remarkable dwelling worth millions of dollars.
Eventually, relatives fighting over Clark and the spending of the fortune would form the basis of the incredible stories in the best-selling publication.
Huguette's cousin, Newell, writes that Peri received many lavish gifts from the heiress, including a world-renowned Stradivarius violin and a remarkable dwelling worth millions of dollars.
Eventually, relatives fighting over Clark and the spending of the fortune would form the basis of the incredible stories in the best-selling publication.
Latest News: Empty Mansions will become a TV show
You won't be surprised to learn that this enthralling story has caught the attention of Hollywood. HBO is currently developing a miniseries about this captivating story that is more than a century in the making. All of the right story elements are in place:
Cousin Paul Clark Newell's Empty Mansions reveals a complex portrait of an aristocratic American family who went from rags to riches and is sure to become a show in Las Vegas or a stage play on Broadway after the TV show is produced.
- A reclusive heiress with a publicity-shy mother
- Her mother's death was a turning point, which led to a distress call
- Her father was born in a log cabin, but became a tycoon
- A misunderstood star-crossed sister
- A talented daughter who likes to paint
- The father became a controversial senator, and he lived life to the fullest
- And, of course, the battle for a $300M estate
Cousin Paul Clark Newell's Empty Mansions reveals a complex portrait of an aristocratic American family who went from rags to riches and is sure to become a show in Las Vegas or a stage play on Broadway after the TV show is produced.
