Without Drums: A child of wealth comes of age in The Great War

by Peter Arrell Brown Widener

Peter A.B. Widener II was among the last of the scions of the great Guilded Age, an age that saw great disparities in wealth and opportunity. They built Lynnewood Hall in Elkins Park, a suburb of Philadephia. His family fraternized with the Dukes, the Vanderbilts and European royalty. They amassed one of the greatest collections of classic art in the world, art that now largely hangs at The National Gallery in Washington, D.C. But after his harrowing experiences working in hospitals and seeing first-hand the carnage of World War I, Widener came back a changed man.

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2020

About the author

1834-1915

Reviews

[Ed Mendez · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an excellent first person perspective of someone who grew up in one of America's greatest mansions as a member of one of the richest families at the time. Very enlightening and gives us a glance behind the scenes of what it was like to live in the gilded age. His account of going to Europe in WWI is fascinating. The mentions of connections and personal interactions with known historical figures was also an interesting bit of information. The later chapters go into too much detail on his kennels and stables, listing every animal's name and lineage, but it's still interesting to read.