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La grande Thérèse, or, The greatest swindle of the century
Book by Spurling, Hilary
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
9 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Hilary Spurling
28 books49 followersHilary Spurling, CBE, FRSL (born 1940) is an English writer, known as a journalist and biographer. She won the Whitbread Prize for the second volume of her biography of Henri Matisse in January 2006. Burying The Bones: Pearl Buck in China was published in March 2010.
She is married to playwright John Spurling, and has three children (Amy, Nathaniel and Gilbert) and two grandchildren.
She is married to playwright John Spurling, and has three children (Amy, Nathaniel and Gilbert) and two grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 15, 2009
Hilarious and outrageous story. Have no idea why no one has made a movie out of this.
January 30, 2013
This was a long article, not a book.
October 25, 2020
Man hätte es auch als Ratgeber "Wie man am besten reiche Leute abzockt" verkaufen können.
Aber ernsthaft: es ist eine ganz grandiose (und echte!) Erzählung über eine Frau, die Menschen wirklich zu allem bringen konnte. Thereses Verstrickungen in die französische Politik sind irgendwie skandalöse Elite und irgendwie auch einfach faszinierend.
Sie wird im Buch diverse Male als naiv bezeichnet, was ich bei ihrem Lebenslauf doch sehr stark zu bezweifeln wage, aber das kann man sich beim Lesen zum Glück auch schnell wegdenken. Die gesamte Geschichte ist so spannend und abgefahren, dass Netflix eigentlich am besten sofort eine Serie dazu schreiben sollte!
Aber ernsthaft: es ist eine ganz grandiose (und echte!) Erzählung über eine Frau, die Menschen wirklich zu allem bringen konnte. Thereses Verstrickungen in die französische Politik sind irgendwie skandalöse Elite und irgendwie auch einfach faszinierend.
Sie wird im Buch diverse Male als naiv bezeichnet, was ich bei ihrem Lebenslauf doch sehr stark zu bezweifeln wage, aber das kann man sich beim Lesen zum Glück auch schnell wegdenken. Die gesamte Geschichte ist so spannend und abgefahren, dass Netflix eigentlich am besten sofort eine Serie dazu schreiben sollte!
May 29, 2018
I loved this story and immediately want to write a novel about it. The length was perfect, in my opinion - I find many books to be longer than they need to be, but I breezed through this one in an hour while having a coffee. This book provides a well-written and well-researched overview of a fascinating story. I wish more books had this wealth of detail and economy of story.
January 27, 2013
La Grande Therese: The Greatest Scandal Of The Century by Hilary Spurling. It was published on June 1, 2000. A Non-fiction, biography and history book that seems like a novella, but it's all facts. Therese Daurignac (her maiden name) was a peasant girl who lived in Languedoc, south of France. According to the author, there was nothing special about her except her power of imagination which led her to an elegant life later on but only lasted for years.
"When Therese was small, she invented palaces for her siblings to live in, and once she was grown up, her castles in the air came true." Raised as the eldest of six, she took in-charge of the family when everything fell apart. When their mother died, her father was sunk in fantasy but Therese took care of her siblings, begged and borrowed money for her family's daily living. She became the head of the family.
For years, Therese's tricks and imaginary money convinced almost every rich individuals that she was wealthy. She had escapades, excursions, flirtations, being pretty all the time. She also thrown some parties, picnics and musical evenings. She told the dressmakers, bootmakers, halters and hairdressers of Toulouse: "I'll pay you as soon as I get my inheritance." When her debts mounted, she announced and wept that she must go to Bordeaux (southwest) because she's engaged to the son of a Bordeaux shipping mandate. The shopkeepers in Toulouse realized that they have been tricked. Therese was seventeen years old then. The Daurignacs left the place and never returned.
Therese's motto in life is "What I want, I will have" In French: Je veux, j'aurai.
She was not yet out of her twenties when she finally moved with her family into the castle of her dreams in 1885. She and her little sister got married to the Humberts. People were so puzzled as to why and how the Humberts fell in love with the Daurignacs. This castle that Therese's mansion was located in 65 avenue de la Grande Armee, Paris. They lived an elegant life yet full of lies.
"The number of dissatisfied, often dangerous, sometimes almost unhinged customers demanding their money back increased each year as the workings of the Humbert's scheme screwed down more and more tightly on its victims." With all the problems that the Humberts faced, they left Paris for a "vacation". Among all the big names whom the Humberts owed money, one of them shot himself after knowing that the Humberts disappeared. They owed nearly Two Million Francs. Scum. Cheats. Hypocrites.
The Humberts were finally caught and sentenced to five years' solitary confinement with hard labor. But nobody knew where they were after they got out from prison.
This is a funny event in the past because it was obvious that these people were easily fooled by the Humberts and even Therese's younger self. It must be interesting to be in her time; to see and hear another trickery she's made up. Not all people praised her maybe because they felt something is wrong knowing that Therese didn't have a good family background. Spurling did a great research about her life and how it affected the French society a century ago.
(http://debiegracebersabal.blogspot.co...)
"When Therese was small, she invented palaces for her siblings to live in, and once she was grown up, her castles in the air came true." Raised as the eldest of six, she took in-charge of the family when everything fell apart. When their mother died, her father was sunk in fantasy but Therese took care of her siblings, begged and borrowed money for her family's daily living. She became the head of the family.
For years, Therese's tricks and imaginary money convinced almost every rich individuals that she was wealthy. She had escapades, excursions, flirtations, being pretty all the time. She also thrown some parties, picnics and musical evenings. She told the dressmakers, bootmakers, halters and hairdressers of Toulouse: "I'll pay you as soon as I get my inheritance." When her debts mounted, she announced and wept that she must go to Bordeaux (southwest) because she's engaged to the son of a Bordeaux shipping mandate. The shopkeepers in Toulouse realized that they have been tricked. Therese was seventeen years old then. The Daurignacs left the place and never returned.
Therese's motto in life is "What I want, I will have" In French: Je veux, j'aurai.
She was not yet out of her twenties when she finally moved with her family into the castle of her dreams in 1885. She and her little sister got married to the Humberts. People were so puzzled as to why and how the Humberts fell in love with the Daurignacs. This castle that Therese's mansion was located in 65 avenue de la Grande Armee, Paris. They lived an elegant life yet full of lies.
"The number of dissatisfied, often dangerous, sometimes almost unhinged customers demanding their money back increased each year as the workings of the Humbert's scheme screwed down more and more tightly on its victims." With all the problems that the Humberts faced, they left Paris for a "vacation". Among all the big names whom the Humberts owed money, one of them shot himself after knowing that the Humberts disappeared. They owed nearly Two Million Francs. Scum. Cheats. Hypocrites.
The Humberts were finally caught and sentenced to five years' solitary confinement with hard labor. But nobody knew where they were after they got out from prison.
This is a funny event in the past because it was obvious that these people were easily fooled by the Humberts and even Therese's younger self. It must be interesting to be in her time; to see and hear another trickery she's made up. Not all people praised her maybe because they felt something is wrong knowing that Therese didn't have a good family background. Spurling did a great research about her life and how it affected the French society a century ago.
(http://debiegracebersabal.blogspot.co...)
March 28, 2016
Revolviendo en la librería de la terminal de ómnibus, me encontré con este pequeño libro, en muy buen estado, y a precio de saldo. en un principio, pensé que era una novela corta o un relato (pese al resumen), pero con el correr de las páginas me di cuenta de mi error.
Thérèse Humbert es una de esas mujeres que la historia, en su afán patriarcal, deja de lado. Demasiado talentosa para su sexo, demasiado astuta para la sociedad, dejó en ridículo a todo París y alrededores en el siglo XIX, luego de llevar a cabo la que, con todas las de la ley, se considera la estafa del siglo.
La historiadora que rescató a esta inteligente, imaginativa y hábil mujer, reconstruye la historia de cómo Thérèse, en principio una niña con mucha imaginación, llegó a emparentarse con políticos, banqueros, abogados, fuerzas de la ley y lo mejor de la sociedad parisina. Se incluyen caricaturas, fotografías y un árbol genealógico de la familia Humbert entre sus páginas.
Este bocadito fue inesperadamente sabroso, siendo que no es una obra de ficción. Quizás el sabor de sus palabras se ve mejorado por el hecho que esta es una de esas mujeres brillantes que la historia, de nuevo, patriarcal, deja de lado con asco. Con una ética flexible, una red de apoyo que se formó en torno a sus talentos, y una historia que llega más profundo de lo que se podría creer, Thérèse logró ganarse la confianza de muchas personas importantes, de la confianza de quienes le prestaban dinero y le vendían a cuenta, y hasta en su último juicio se mostró con todo su carisma y astucia. Una mujer ejemplar, no por sus crímenes, sino por cómo los llevó a cabo, aprovechándose de todos sus recursos.
Un bomboncito delicioso, que pese a sus muchas páginas, se lee rápido, ya que tiene un formato curioso para un libro, con poco texto en sus páginas y numerosas ilustraciones y fotografías.
Thérèse Humbert es una de esas mujeres que la historia, en su afán patriarcal, deja de lado. Demasiado talentosa para su sexo, demasiado astuta para la sociedad, dejó en ridículo a todo París y alrededores en el siglo XIX, luego de llevar a cabo la que, con todas las de la ley, se considera la estafa del siglo.
La historiadora que rescató a esta inteligente, imaginativa y hábil mujer, reconstruye la historia de cómo Thérèse, en principio una niña con mucha imaginación, llegó a emparentarse con políticos, banqueros, abogados, fuerzas de la ley y lo mejor de la sociedad parisina. Se incluyen caricaturas, fotografías y un árbol genealógico de la familia Humbert entre sus páginas.
Este bocadito fue inesperadamente sabroso, siendo que no es una obra de ficción. Quizás el sabor de sus palabras se ve mejorado por el hecho que esta es una de esas mujeres brillantes que la historia, de nuevo, patriarcal, deja de lado con asco. Con una ética flexible, una red de apoyo que se formó en torno a sus talentos, y una historia que llega más profundo de lo que se podría creer, Thérèse logró ganarse la confianza de muchas personas importantes, de la confianza de quienes le prestaban dinero y le vendían a cuenta, y hasta en su último juicio se mostró con todo su carisma y astucia. Una mujer ejemplar, no por sus crímenes, sino por cómo los llevó a cabo, aprovechándose de todos sus recursos.
Un bomboncito delicioso, que pese a sus muchas páginas, se lee rápido, ya que tiene un formato curioso para un libro, con poco texto en sus páginas y numerosas ilustraciones y fotografías.
February 4, 2017
Was 'cleaning' up a bunch of old books from my room and came upon this. I keep buying non-fiction books always feeling 'I'm sure I'll be in a mood to know about this person someday' and Therese Humbert certainly doesn't disappoint. Prose doesn't get in the way of the facts, but also there's enough in it to actually make me want to read more about the subject matter. Pretty good quick reading for a lazy day.
August 10, 2013
It's the tale of Therese Humbert's great deception at the turn of the century. It may have surprised a lot of the readers that it's not a novel. The book's narrative is a true blue biography. I didn't mind that at all as I truly enjoy biographies at its own right. This book is a bit on the short side, similar to a novella. And, that was the book's biggest disappointment.
From the get go, we both learn and love Therese Humbert. She has one of the must humblest beginnings as the daughter of bastards. We learn that she lived in poverty with nothing but her great imagination and storytelling prowess as assets. When I ventured into this book, I was completely unaware of who she was and what this great scandal was about. In fact, I didn't really care about in the long run. I was more interested on how Therese managed to do it and keep it up.
It's short and enjoyable.
The short comings: it's a cross between a research paper and a literary piece. As a research paper it's too dramatic. As a literary piece, it's not dramatic enough. I understand how hard it is to transform a research paper into something that will appeal to a larger audience. Since I am comfortable reading both, I would have enjoyed the book more if it had chosen either one and was edited accordingly.
Still, as other reviews had mentioned, the story is so riveting that I'd love for it to be turned into a movie.
From the get go, we both learn and love Therese Humbert. She has one of the must humblest beginnings as the daughter of bastards. We learn that she lived in poverty with nothing but her great imagination and storytelling prowess as assets. When I ventured into this book, I was completely unaware of who she was and what this great scandal was about. In fact, I didn't really care about in the long run. I was more interested on how Therese managed to do it and keep it up.
It's short and enjoyable.
The short comings: it's a cross between a research paper and a literary piece. As a research paper it's too dramatic. As a literary piece, it's not dramatic enough. I understand how hard it is to transform a research paper into something that will appeal to a larger audience. Since I am comfortable reading both, I would have enjoyed the book more if it had chosen either one and was edited accordingly.
Still, as other reviews had mentioned, the story is so riveting that I'd love for it to be turned into a movie.
April 22, 2013
About the major and sophisticated swindle/scandal done by Mme Theresse Humbert and her uncle/father-in-law , Sr Humbert. Scandal was sophisticated and cunning. In the scandal Mme Theresse contributed her charm and daring and a grand splendor (achieved by other’s money which was acquired based on a fake non-existent inheritance), Sr Humbert(uncle/father-in-law) brought his political position and Frederic (cousin/husband) brought his methodical planning/management.
Sheer scale of the swindle is unbelievable. It seems like girl had some charm from the childhood itself. So much so that some victims got conned twice and thrice despite knowing that they have not yet got their first one. People described this as some kind of magic she used to cast. One guy described not only not getting his money but also ending up paying taxi fare.
A Small but informative and enjoyable book about a small episode of past.
Sheer scale of the swindle is unbelievable. It seems like girl had some charm from the childhood itself. So much so that some victims got conned twice and thrice despite knowing that they have not yet got their first one. People described this as some kind of magic she used to cast. One guy described not only not getting his money but also ending up paying taxi fare.
A Small but informative and enjoyable book about a small episode of past.
November 24, 2011
This is a very small book, can be read in couple of hours. It is little known story of a female shyster in late 1800's France who bilked people out of funds, reminding me of the Madoff scandal. She was poor and lied her way into living the high life among the rich and famous. Amazing story of how a whole family got involved, how duped people can be.
April 11, 2014
What’s found in this book are things that can actually be found everywhere else, like Wikipedia. In fact, I find the telling in Wikipedia and other sites more detailed than what’s in here. I was hoping there could be something else. I was hoping for a more detailed, well researched, documentary-like account on the life and swindling of Therese Humbert. I was hoping for more.
Bitin.
Bitin.
January 17, 2009
One of the best short books ever, highly recommended.
How far can one charming young girl get in society simply by lying her eyes out? You'll be amazed! By the time people figure out what's true, many of the richest families in Paris had lost their fortunes in her schemes...
How far can one charming young girl get in society simply by lying her eyes out? You'll be amazed! By the time people figure out what's true, many of the richest families in Paris had lost their fortunes in her schemes...
December 28, 2009
Journalism, no more, but a fascinating story about a woman who lied her way into society and the rich life in late 19th-c. Paris, then came a cropper. The Madoff of her day, I suppose. A quick read; makes you want to know more.
May 24, 2014
I liked it- although I think this would make a much better novel than a short biographical sketch. The subject matter lends itself to wild speculation more than just the basic facts.
I actually can't think of a better story for a Masterpiece series. Or possibly a Baz Lurman movie.
library book
I actually can't think of a better story for a Masterpiece series. Or possibly a Baz Lurman movie.
library book
March 31, 2016
Good grief, this is tedious. In spite of my love of Matisse and the fact that this book deals with a fascinating major fraud, I found it very boring. It certainly did not make me want to read Spurling's biography of the artist.
December 22, 2012
a nice little book for about 2 hours, requiring little to no thinking. perfect while waiting for the plane at the airport...
February 17, 2013
Good book for killing time. I personally picked it up for the cover. Amazing what people can get away with.
March 29, 2015
As cunning as Therese, the author managed to trick me into thinking that this is a novel. :/
June 14, 2018
Thérèse Daurignac was born into very modest circumstances in 1856, but she went down in history as one of the most successful swindlers of the 19th Century. This is a short biography of an incredibly successful conwoman.
The little village of Aussonne, in the South-West of France is where the young Thérèse began her career in crime as a trickster. Many of the persuasive techniques she employed as a girl, would later be used to propel her into extreme wealth and a sensational lifestyle.
Thérèse reinvented herself and became one of the most powerful women in France. At her impressive Parisian salon, she engineered the guest list so that she got to meet the most powerful politicians, bankers and financiers along with the movers and shakers of Parisian high society.
Her brothers and sisters became her closest confidantes and they willingly aided and abetted her in fleecing the gullible and feathering the family nest with their illegally acquired gains.
Thérèse acquired her wealth by fakery, deception and sheer magnetism. She possessed an extraordinary imagination, criminal skills, astonishing powers of persuasion and a reckless boldness that knew no shame.
Although she was never known as a beauty, Thérèse knew how to dress the part and create an elegant townhouse that impressed even the most fashionable Parisians. She coolly defrauded the most sought-after couturiers, antiquarians, decorators, and art dealers. Only the very best would do for Thérèse and she was a rabid consumer of luxurious goods.
Eventually Thérèse was found out, bought to justice and trialled in the French courts as a criminal. The press covered her case with glee and journalists delighted in exposing those who’d succumbed to her wild, fantastical stories of inheritances that failed to materialize.
Caricaturists drew humorous cartoons of a portly Thérèse bursting out of her gown in a theatrical farce in which she played the ‘world’s greatest trickster’.
As one of her victims put it, ‘What gave her power was her astonishing fertility of invention, and above all her staggering, superlative audacity! She would ask you the most preposterous favours in such a natural way that you accepted them as natural too, and never realised you’d been had until it was too late.’
The little village of Aussonne, in the South-West of France is where the young Thérèse began her career in crime as a trickster. Many of the persuasive techniques she employed as a girl, would later be used to propel her into extreme wealth and a sensational lifestyle.
Thérèse reinvented herself and became one of the most powerful women in France. At her impressive Parisian salon, she engineered the guest list so that she got to meet the most powerful politicians, bankers and financiers along with the movers and shakers of Parisian high society.
Her brothers and sisters became her closest confidantes and they willingly aided and abetted her in fleecing the gullible and feathering the family nest with their illegally acquired gains.
Thérèse acquired her wealth by fakery, deception and sheer magnetism. She possessed an extraordinary imagination, criminal skills, astonishing powers of persuasion and a reckless boldness that knew no shame.
Although she was never known as a beauty, Thérèse knew how to dress the part and create an elegant townhouse that impressed even the most fashionable Parisians. She coolly defrauded the most sought-after couturiers, antiquarians, decorators, and art dealers. Only the very best would do for Thérèse and she was a rabid consumer of luxurious goods.
Eventually Thérèse was found out, bought to justice and trialled in the French courts as a criminal. The press covered her case with glee and journalists delighted in exposing those who’d succumbed to her wild, fantastical stories of inheritances that failed to materialize.
Caricaturists drew humorous cartoons of a portly Thérèse bursting out of her gown in a theatrical farce in which she played the ‘world’s greatest trickster’.
As one of her victims put it, ‘What gave her power was her astonishing fertility of invention, and above all her staggering, superlative audacity! She would ask you the most preposterous favours in such a natural way that you accepted them as natural too, and never realised you’d been had until it was too late.’
February 20, 2019
A very quick and fascinating read. How did this simple woman bewitch so many people? How did she get away with stealing from people for so many years? How do people protect and defend such a criminal? How does High Society blind people to reality and evil? This woman wrecked innumerable lives and perpetrated countless suicides and at her trial, people had no idea how they themselves had been duped. And then after her prison sentence had been served - a very short one - she disappeared never to be heard of again. What a story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2017
sadly a boring book about a very interesting true story
April 25, 2018
A wasted opportunity. So much more could have been done with this tale of the nineteenth century’s Bernie Madoff.
September 6, 2018
Would make a great film. Felt it was written up from notes without too much interest in the characters.
November 20, 2020
This book should be made into a movie!
May 20, 2023
A short book about a big con in belle epoque France. I had a hard time following this one. Maybe a novelist or someone who writes true crime could take a crack at it for me.
January 2, 2024
absolutely unhinged
April 29, 2024
Interesting biography but didn’t blow my socks off.
September 4, 2024
Genuinely more an extended Wikipedia rabbit hole than a biography - but a fun read. The French Belle Epoque Anna Delvey.
April 25, 2012
Satisfactory for a hist fic. Somehow Therese's lying makes me uncomfortable js. :P
April 21, 2017
4 Stars because I don't usually read Non-fiction books but this one held my interest up to the last page.
This is not a novel, but a Biography that (on my opinion) reads like one. The persona of Therese Humbert herself impressed me. It's amazing, and scary at the same time, how one's over active imagination can take him/her to actual places that used to exists only in their minds. This could really be a good movie, i would watch it even if it's in French as long as there's an English subtitle 😆!
Salute to Hilary Spurling, I've not enjoyed reading a biography until now! 😉i
This is not a novel, but a Biography that (on my opinion) reads like one. The persona of Therese Humbert herself impressed me. It's amazing, and scary at the same time, how one's over active imagination can take him/her to actual places that used to exists only in their minds. This could really be a good movie, i would watch it even if it's in French as long as there's an English subtitle 😆!
Salute to Hilary Spurling, I've not enjoyed reading a biography until now! 😉i
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews