Million dollar baby: An intimate portrait of Barbara Hutton

by Philip Van Rensselaer

Hardcover

Genres: Biography

285 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1979

Reviews

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very interesting biography of Barbara Hutton who is the famed Woolworth’s heiress. She was a people pleaser and very generous with giving people money, but she also liked to shop and live the high life. It’s a story of the rich and famous enjoying life and the perks money can buy. One of Barbara’s downfalls was men. She had a total of 6 husbands many times obtaining an aristocratic title and the book discusses the first three in detail. #3 was actor Cary Grant. Lots of social history and travels in the 30’s – 40’s throughout Europe and then back to the US during WWII. Despite all her money and riches she had many issues with weight, health and family strife that she held with her from her sad childhood.

[Stephanie Baird · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating woman! There is nothing I love more than a little messy celebrity gossip,and this book was full of it. Barbara knew how to have a good time and cause a stir, and this book gave me all the sordid details I needed. I would guess that the author took a few creative liberties to make things more dramatic, but it was hardly needed. A massive fortune, 7 husbands of various levels of status, and every famous friend you can think of is enough to be intriguing as is.

[Yvonne O'Connor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a biography of Woolworth heir, Barbara Hutton. When 21 years old. she came into between 40-50 million dollars. She married 6 times in her life, including a 3 year stint with Cary Grant. She was hated by the public for her wealth - America was in a Depression and then a war. She seemed to only attract men who wanted her money (except for Cary), and they soon found they had nothing in common, and was "used" over and over. She spent $20 million in 10 years while married to Kurt, but still lived-out her last years in a luxury suite in Beverly Hills.

It's hard to believe that someone with so much money couldn't be happy. But, when your own parents want the fortune, whom can you trust? All of her advisors were self-promoting and how was Barbara to know real love when she never got any from her own family? At times it seemed that she purposely ruined good relationships (Cary, Bobby, Sweeney), but again, no one had ever taught her how to be in a healthy relationship. The book cut her last three marriages short, and more detail was definitely needed on the later years.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting bio. I especially enjoyed the author’s style. So many bios read as boring historical accounts, but this read like fiction. I am also continually fascinated by how people deal with extreme wealth, there doesn’t seem to be a safe option.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enormous wealth=extreme sadness.

[Anne Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money cannot buy happiness.