I adored this book, gobbling it up in just a few days. A reader had recommended it to me, telling me that it felt like a real life Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Marjorie Merriweather Post was the heiress to C.W. Post’s Cereal Company (that she later helped to grow into the General Foods empire). The book begins with her childhood, growing up in humble Battle Creek, Michigan. Her father is sick and hospitalized, and from that, discovers cereal and winds up building an empire. Marjorie goes from gluing labels onto cereal boxes in the barn to becoming American royalty. We watch her grow up and marry (four times!), with never a dull moment along the way. There are the houses and parties, her time abroad living in Russia as wife to an ambassador. Surviving multiple wars and a depression, hosting numerous presidents, collecting Russian art, amassing millions, building beautiful homes (Mar-a-Lago!)and becoming the wealthiest woman in America. It’s unputdownable and such a fun read (you’ll fall in love with Marjorie!) but you also feel as though you’re learning a lot as it is a true story.
Author: Allison Pataki
