{"product_id":"american-empress-marjorie-merriweather-post-1995","title":"American Empress: The Life and Times of Marjorie Merriweather Post (1995) Nancy Rubin Stuart","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA chronicle of nine decades of American history as lived and influenced by the daughter of breakfast-food magnet C.W. Post.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin: 22px 0 14px 0; padding: 8px 14px 6px 14px; border-left: 3px solid #334FB4; background-color: #f8faff;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #334fb4; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0 0 6px 0;\"\u003eCollector’s Note\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 6px 0 4px 0;\"\u003eCollectors of American business history, Gilded Age fortunes, Palm Beach society, and women's history seek \u003cem data-start=\"3840\" data-end=\"3858\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmerican Empress\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e as one of the definitive modern biographies of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Richly researched and highly readable, the book chronicles the rise of the Post cereal empire, the creation of General Foods, the history of Mar-a-Lago, and the life of one of America's most influential philanthropists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmerican Empress \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eis a \u003cspan\u003ebiography of \u003cstrong\u003eMarjorie Merriweather Post\u003c\/strong\u003e, daughter of breakfast-cereal pioneer C. W. Post and one of the most influential businesswomen and philanthropists of the twentieth century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn into the fortune created by Postum and Grape-Nuts, Marjorie Post grew up helping with simple tasks in her father's early cereal business before inheriting control of the company at age twenty-seven. Under her leadership, the business expanded dramatically and ultimately became General Foods, one of America's largest food corporations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor \u003cstrong\u003eNancy Rubin Stuart \u003c\/strong\u003etraces Post's extraordinary life from her Midwestern childhood to her emergence as one of the most recognizable figures in American society. Along the way, readers encounter the worlds of business, diplomacy, politics, philanthropy, and high society that shaped twentieth-century America.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe biography explores Post's four marriages, including those to financier E. F. Hutton and diplomat Joseph E. Davies, as well as her role as a pioneering business executive during an era when few women occupied positions of corporate leadership. The book also examines her lasting contributions to the arts, charitable organizations, and historic preservation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin: 22px 0 14px 0; padding: 8px 14px 6px 14px; border-left: 3px solid #6A7A8A; background-color: #f4f6f8;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #4a5560; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0 0 6px 0;\"\u003eHistorical Note\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2026\" data-end=\"2308\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarjorie Merriweather Post\u003c\/strong\u003e (1887–1973) inherited the Postum Cereal Company at age twenty-seven following her father's death. Under her leadership, the company expanded dramatically and eventually evolved into General Foods, one of the largest food corporations in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2310\" data-end=\"2757\"\u003ePost's influence extended well beyond business. She assembled one of America's finest collections of Russian Imperial art, supported numerous cultural institutions, and built several celebrated residences, including Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Her life intersected with many of the major political, social, and economic developments of the twentieth century, making her story a remarkable lens through which to view modern American history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmong Post's most enduring legacies is Mar-a-Lago, her lavish Palm Beach estate constructed between 1923 and 1927. Designed as both a winter residence and future cultural center, the estate remains one of the most recognizable private properties in America--now owned by Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIllustrated with black-and-white photographs throughout, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmerican Empress\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e provides a fascinating portrait of a woman whose influence extended far beyond her inherited fortune and whose life intersected with many of the defining events and personalities of twentieth-century America.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNear mint condition with original dust jacket. Clean pages, tight binding, and minimal signs of handling. Dust jacket remains bright and attractive. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs throughout. Published by Villard Books in 1995. This copy is from the second printing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin: 22px 0 14px 0; padding: 8px 14px 6px 14px; border-left: 3px solid #C1A97B; background-color: #f7f3eb;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #8a6b2f; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0 0 6px 0;\"\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNancy Rubin Stuart\u003c\/strong\u003e is an award-winning American author, journalist, and historian specializing in biography, women's history, and social history. A graduate of Tufts University with a B.A. in English and Brown University with a Master of Arts in Teaching, she has written extensively about influential women whose lives shaped American culture and politics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBefore focusing on historical biography, Stuart wrote for \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/em\u003e under the byline Nancy Rubin. Her early works explored changing roles for American women and families, while later books turned to historical subjects. Her publications include \u003cem\u003eThe New Suburban Woman, The Mother Mirror, Isabella of Castile\u003c\/em\u003e, and the bestselling \u003cem\u003eAmerican Empress: The Life and Times of Marjorie Merriweather Post\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn recognition of her contributions to literature and historical scholarship, Mount Vernon College (now part of Georgetown University) awarded her an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1995. Her biographies are noted for combining rigorous research with accessible storytelling, bringing complex historical figures vividly to life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more historical biographies, browse our \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Biographies and Reference Books\" href=\"https:\/\/thetownhouseantiques.com\/collections\/reference-instruction-books-field-guides\"\u003eBiographies and Reference\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003ebooks collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Villard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43366258835523,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0114\/3262\/4186\/files\/AmericanEmpress001.jpg?v=1781047957","url":"https:\/\/thetownhouseantiques.com\/products\/american-empress-marjorie-merriweather-post-1995","provider":"The Townhouse Antiques \u0026 Vintage","version":"1.0","type":"link"}