Sisters of Fortune

The First American Heiresses to Take England by Storm

Jehanne Wake

$35

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Vintage
03 October 2011

Biography: historical, political & military; History

As gripping as the best historical novel - the exuberant lives of American sisters who enthralled high society in the wake of Waterloo.

The Caton sisters were Southern belles descended from the first settlers in Maryland, and were expected to 'marry a Plantation'. But they were independent, fascinated by politics, clever with money, romantic in mood. Arriving In London in 1816 the three sisters forged their own destinies in the face of intense prejudice, against both Americans and Catholics. The widowed Marianne shocked the world by marrying the Wellington's wayward elder brother, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and appearing as a 'Catholic Yankee' among the Protestant Anglo-Irish. Louisa eventually became Duchess of Leeds, and a friend of Queen Victoria, while the sphere in which Bess shone was the stockmarket, as queen of speculators.

Based on intimate unpublished letters, Sisters of Fortune is a brilliant portrait of love between sisters, a most unusual story of money and power and a fascinating glimpse of how these extraordinary women influenced the social and international relations of their time.

By: Jehanne Wake
Imprint: Vintage
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm, Spine: 30mm
Weight: 40g
ISBN: 9780099428626
ISBN 10: 0099428628
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 03 October 2011
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Jehanne Wake is a historian who has written about both royalty and money. Her books include a short biography of Florence Nightingale; Princess Louise: Queen Victoria's Unconventional Daughter and Kleinwort Benson: the History of Two Families in Banking. She lives in London.

Reviews for Sisters of Fortune: The First American Heiresses to Take England by Storm

Vividly paints a fascinating picture of a transatlantic world where rich women could achieve extraordinary social power by sticking with their sisters and being shrewd with their money * Spectator * Outstanding * Irish Times * Fluent and lively... the lives and times of the Caton sisters make not simply a very good story but one with louder resonances in the social and political history of the period * Times Literary Supplement * A rollicking good read, told with verve and compassion * Country Life * This transatlantic celebration of sisterhood is a most gripping and fascinating tale, both scholarly and a page turner * Literary Review *