The Right People

by Stephen Birmingham

An enlightening and entertaining inside look at the lifestyles of America’s extremely wealthy from the bestselling author of Our Crowd.

It’s no secret that the rich are different from the rest of us. But the rich, as author Stephen Birmingham so insightfully points out, are also different from the very rich. There’s Society, and then there’s Real Society, and it takes multiple generations for families of the former to become entrenched in the latter. Real Society is not about the money—or rather, it’s not only about the money—it is about history, breeding, tradition, and most of all, the name.

The Right People is an engrossing and illuminating journey through the customs and habits of the phenomenally wealthy, from the San Francisco elite to the upper crust of New York’s Westchester County. It is a marvelously anecdotal, intimately detailed overview of the lives of the American aristocracy: where they gather and dine; their games and sports, clubs and parties, friendships and feuds; their mating, marriage, and divorce rituals—a potpourri of priceless true stories featuring the Astors, Goulds, Vanderbilts, Vanderlips, Dukes, Biddles, and other lofty names from the pages of the Social Register.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Journalism, American History

300 pages, paperback

First published January 1, 1958

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outdated!

I love history. I love things that are historical. I gave this book a try for those reasons. But, I have to confess, I never thought that reading a book that is about something that happened long ago would be uninteresting.

I mean the book is about rich people, for goodness sake. And the book is just boring. Took me so long to read it. Had to put it aside many times.

I guess it’s because the book is just dated. I mean Birmingham has written a book about the rich and famous, but none of these people have l ever heard of. Not even the celebrities he mentions are famous. I never heard of most of these people!

A book about the “right people” is hardly going to be compelling when the people under discussion has had their day.

To be honest, books that are historical in content should not necessarily be about someone famous, but the unfamiliar should at least be interesting.

Grudgingly give it two stars. 💫💫

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This vintage non-fiction book about "America's Snobocracy" (Saturday Review) is quite dated, but none the less interesting. The author writes with rather commanding authority about the resorts, neighborhoods and debutante parties of the 1950's and 60's. My paperback edition was presumably edited for its publication in 1968 (ten years after the book's introduction) and already Birmingham's world had changed in some ways---but not all.

I was very amused by his take on some of the resorts and neighborhoods that I also know well. In many instances his ultra-refined, American upper class world has moved on---but the fun is in reading and recognizing the parts that have not and will not ever change.

[Karon Walkee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievable....

This is easily the most offensive book I have read in decades (I have not read The Art of the Deal...). I don’t blame the author so much, except for his occasionally unabashed admiration for some of his subjects, but rather the era in which it was written and the elements of society it depicts. There is only so much about debutants and watering holes and prep schools that one can stand.

[Seaby Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this book was written in 1958, it is shockingly prophetic in that it predicted the rise to presidency from nowhere of a second rate Hollywood movie actor, Ronald Reagan. For that ALONE this book should be read by any one serious about understanding who really runs this country.

The book also helps introduce us to the prominent families in America. They haven't changed much in 56 years since it was writen. I would love to see an update of the book to modern day... I'm certain it would contain most of the same families, though it might have some new families whose wealth has aged long enough to have become "old money". A few of the families may have sunk into mearly being "rich" rather than being in the leading families. It would be nice to know.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first clue should have been that it was written in 1958. Thank you to the publisher for suggesting I read this, since I thoroughly enjoyed OUR CROWD, written by the same author. This book just wasn’t my cup of tea. Long winded and thoroughly researched - it was incredibly meticulous in its findings. I am very happy for these overly wealthy families, but honestly, I cannot even fathom 400,000,000 dollars, in money or diamonds, nor do I particularly care.I would rather read a book on the research of Modern Dance History. While written intelligently well, just not for me. Now..I loved OUR CROWD.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved that the families of many of the donors with whom I work are mentioned in this book. Is a great read and helpful in getting clued in to the culture of old money families.

[Zee Monodee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover should've let me know ... but this book being released and pushed in front of people recently made me think it was a modern book. Except, it's the same thing that was written in the late 1950s. Now, I don't know that much about America's big families, and maybe they're still the same today as back then. Still, it is dated and I wonder how much of it is really accurate now, or is just stale stuff that better belong to the 'historical' category. For example, the 'difficulty in finding good household workforce' - does it mean the same thing now as it did back then, or has there been a cultural change, a need to adapt to the times?
If you want to know how the golden life was in the 50-60s, then read this book. Otherwise, it is a waste of your time.

[William C.]

People writing the negative reviews are taking the author and this book much too seriously. There is lots of humor sprinkled throughout this book that, unfortunately, isn’t being recognized or understood. I’m sure it was all the talk back in 1958 and through most of the 60s amongst the WASP establishment, which was still going very strong in those days. Of course the WASP establishment has disappeared, but that’s a whole other topic. I am sure that cocktail parties on the Philadelphia Main Line and other exclusive neighborhoods back in the day were full of laughter over this book! I have been doing a lot of giggling myself.

[S · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the other books I read by this author ( Our Crowd etc). I couldn't finish this one. I don't think it was his writing but my reaction to the subject matter. It was hard to find anything to respect or admire about the 'social elite.' It was , of course , a different time. Women had few choices, it was all about who they married. Individual accomplishment was about the clubs they belonged to and the parties they gave. Perhaps if I hadn't given up I would have found something redeeming.

[Sherry Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved Stephen Birmingham's books. There is a lot to love in this book, too, but it doesn't really have a conclusion. Although I know it was written decades ago, there still should have been something about the next generation of WASPs. That said, there are few books by Birmingham that I still haven't read and plan to, as well as rereading his trilogy about the elite Jews in the United States.

[Janie A. Hutchison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read many of Stephen Birmingham's books. I give it three stars only because it was published in 1968 and was never updated. Sadly, now that Mr. Birmingham has passed, there will be no update and no more polished and candid
biographies. A singular author.

[Stephanie Newman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, these people and their rarefied world do exist. Some of the chapters sounded a bit dated but book interesting nonetheless.

[Adrienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moderately entertaining, very dated.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Right People is a very outdated book that gives an interesting snapshot of "high society" in America in 1958. If you read it more or less as a history lesson, you can gain interesting insights to various communities throughout the United States. Communities such as Coral Gables and Palm Springs used to be meccas for the super rich. Maybe they still are?! I will pay better attention now. I especially loved the mantras from successful people. "Obedience to the unenforceable" is the mantra of the well-connected Auchincloss family, who repeated the phrase at every Sunday dinner and believed that their family's strength lay in the observance of the more subtle laws of morality and ethics. I highly enjoyed the book.

[Mandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book soon staled and became very tedious. Essentially it’s a list of famous names and anecdotes about their vacuous lives. Some historical interest about how the rich lived those lives, and their attitudes and customs, but it is indeed historical because although the publication date of the e-book is August 2016 the actual book was published in the 1950s so it all feels very dated. Not recommended.

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about old money society.

[TR · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the culture of America's top social classes around mid-century. This is one of Birmingham's better books.

[jodi watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting book - a bit too long and somewhat repetitive in its chapter information. enjoyable enough to read and gain an understanding of what the difference between rich and &*(& rich is...