Thoughts 
Dead End Gene Pool by Wendy Burden ARC Gotham Books 2010, 279 pages
MOTIVATION for READING: I have always been fascinated by the Vanderbilts; Wendy Burden is a descendant of the Commodore. Lisa at Books on the Brain was having an online discussion with the author last week, so I signed up. Thanks Lisa! I loved the cover, too. I love those big mansions…
However, I was pulled in too many directions and was unable to finish the book. OK, let’s be honest, I got about 100 pages in and at one scene during her childhood, I shook my head in sadness and decided to pick up another book instead. Later, I attempted to skim and jump to the end and THEN, started reading reviews and… I decided I could go no further; thus this makes my second DNF of the year.
Not that I hated it! I felt sorry and sad and rather detached. Despite my two slice pie rating, I do understand that others might really enjoy Burden’s humor, her way with words and be fascinated by a childhood so extremely different than most.
May I recommend another book about the Vanderbilts? Before blogging, I read Fortune’s Children: the Fall of the House of Vanderbilt by Alfred T. Vanderbilt and enjoyed it very much.
HIdeinWhitetoSkipLine
I finished it, but felt sort of the same way — just kind of meh and sad and curious about the Vanderbilts more than anything. Oh well
And, oh my gosh, see you tomorrow!
But get over that cold, will you?!
I’m almost packed. woo hoo!
I’m still trying to get through this one myself. I love the author’s sense of humor but her childhood is so tragic that in places the humor is just more than I can take. I want to be so sad but then she’s funny and it leaves me feeling strange about the whole experience. I’m going to finish it, digest it, and then see what I think.
Good for you. I’ll watch for your review.
Even though everyone’s impressions are not strong or positive, I still think this looks a bit interesting.
It’s something, tis true.
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This one kind of sucks you in with the premise that you’re going to learn something about the Vanderbilt family. But you don’t; what you learn about is how highly dysfunctional one really wealthy family was and how two children survived it. I kind of liked her humor–it was what helped me get through it.
I finished this book but didn’t like it as much as most readers have.
I’m with you, Care, and I guess pretty much everybody here. The dark humor covered up so much pain that it was almost uncomfortable to read it, and a little repetitive after a while, and I learned very little about the famous family. Didn’t love.