"Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you.... So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard - even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweather Post lived an epic life few could imagine.

Marjorie’s journey began gluing cereal boxes in her father’s barn as a young girl. No one could have predicted that C. W. Post’s Cereal Company would grow into the General Foods empire and reshape the American way of life, with Marjorie as its heiress and leading lady. Not content to stay in her prescribed roles of high-society wife, mother, and hostess, Marjorie dared to demand more, making history in the process. Before turning thirty she amassed millions, becoming the wealthiest woman in the United States. But it was her life-force, advocacy, passion, and adventurous spirit that led to her stunning legacy.

And yet Marjorie’s story, though full of beauty and grandeur, set in the palatial homes she built such as Mar-a-Lago, was equally marked by challenge and tumult. A wife four times over, Marjorie sought her happily-ever-after with the blue-blooded party boy who could not outrun his demons, the charismatic financier whose charm turned to betrayal, the international diplomat with a dark side, and the bon vivant whose shocking secrets would shake Marjorie and all of society. Marjorie did everything on a grand scale, especially when it came to love."

I wonder what she'd think about that Nazi living in her house...

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book tells the story of Marjorie Post, daughter of the founder of General Foods. The concept had promise; I knew just enough about her to want to know more, and the synopsis painted her as a fascinating person. After forcing my way through this, though, I don't know if the person was just spoiled and annoying or if the author's writing made her seem less tolerable than she would've.

For the most part, this book reads more like a biography than a work of fiction. Despite being told in first person, you don't really get a great sense of Marjorie as a character, and every major event is breezed over at such a birds-eye level that there weren't really enough details about anything. Honestly, had this been my biggest complaint though, this book would've been a solid 3-4 stars; I love a good biography.

After about the halfway point, though, I started finding more and more issues with this book. While I still never felt like there was enough characterization to grow attached to Marjorie, I began to notice a trend: nothing was ever her fault. She never did anything wrong. All four of her divorces were because of her ex-husbands alone; she played no role in the lead-up to any of the divorces. Every thought she had about the company was, surprise! An absolutely perfect idea! Random snippets about how woke she was would be thrown in, interspersed between her lavish parties and selfish moments, so that really they lost all effect. I was honestly excited to get to the acknowledgements; with how much this book read like propoganda, I was certain the author had to have some affiliation with the Posts.

But that's not even touching on some of my major, major issues with this book. Around the 80% mark, around when World War II is kicking off, Marjorie returns from Russia to DC, where the country's most wealthy sometimes gossip about her. Ignoring how disgusting I found her attitude while in Russia, I could've been sympathetic to her plight back stateside.

Except, according to Marjorie, being the subject of petty gossip was comparable to the rise of Nazi Germany and Hitler's invasion of Czechoslovakia. Or Francisco Franco's atrocities in Spain. Or the rise of Mussolini in Italy. I was genuinely shocked to read this paragraph, and had to reread it twice to make sure I'd gotten it correct, because surely no one could be that tone deaf as to include such a comparison in a book. Massive crimes against humanity are comparable to this bazillionare being the subject of gossip? Really?

After this part, I found myself growing more and more annoyed by what before then had been relatively minor errors. Absolutely basic, elementary school historically facts were gotten wrong. Marjorie found herself in instant love after instant love. Everyone who criticized her was wrong and could be swayed to worship the ground she walked on if they only gave Marjorie the chance to have a single conversation with them.

Now, again, I don't know enough about Marjorie Post to pass any judgement on her as a person. But if she's actually a wonderful person, as this book fails to portray her as, then I'm even more disappointed in this book.

Personally, I hate coming across as mean and I hate giving books bad ratings or reviews, and maybe if I'd given myself some time to cool off after reading this last 40% I would think a bit more highly of it. For now, though, I'm sad to say this book was a complete miss for me.

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post was a bit slow at the start, but by the end of the book it was a delightfully delicious read.

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.

This is a great historical novel with elements of truth. However it seemed a bit drawn out to me. The authors writing style makes for an easy enjoyable read though.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. For the most part I found this book interesting, It was an easy read and I did like the characters. I really enjoyed learning more about Marjorie Post, someone who I hadn't heard of before. The one thing I wasn't a fan of was all of the descriptions of her jewelry, every now and again would be fine, but it felt like they were everywhere and started to take away from the story a bit.

This book sounded so interesting! I was aware of this history of Marjorie's father, C.W. Post but knew little about the woman herself. This book did fall a little flat for me due to the fact that it was almost 400 pages. I think the first part about her life as a child could have been edited down and shortened. The writing was good and very detailed just too much time spent on certain aspects of her life.

This was a quick and cozy read. The book follows the life of Marjorie Merriweather Post and I found it a lovely way to spend a quiet night at home. However, I think it would be a bit difficult to follow without background information on Post despite the book being very well-researched. Thanks to NetGalley!

Pub date: 2.15.2022
3.5 rounded up


This book follows the journey of Marjorie Merriweather Post from before her father started Post Cereal (renamed General Foods) and through the rest of her life. We follow the ups and downs of relationships, her efforts during WWI, and even her time as an ambassadress in Russia, Belgium, and Luxembourg as WWII was beginning.

This read more like an autobiography than a historical fiction and included very detailed day-to-day experiences. This story didn’t flow as well as I would have liked, and it felt like there was too much and not enough information all at the same time. Although Pataki’s writing style didn’t work well for me, she clearly put a lot of time and research into this and I did enjoy learning through this story.

There’s a lot of home building and renovation detailing in here, so if that’s something you love, this could be a great fit!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

What an interesting book. First, I knew nothing about Marjorie Post. After finishing the book, I feel as though she and I could have been good friends. I love biographies and always have since I was a child. Perhaps some of the little tid bits are not true, but for the most part, I am sure Mrs. Post was a very caring and loving lady. She gave so much of herself and her money during WWI and WWII for good causes. . I did feel so sad for her during the break up of her marriages, and after grieving, she picked herself back up and started to live again. . I don't see that she was selfish and her husbands thought she ran the family, and everything belonged to her. Not once did I think she rubbed her husbands noses into the fact that it was her money that supplied all of the luxuries they had. Also, I didn't get any inclination that she was snobby, uppity, or anything else. When she first moved to Washington, she was snubbed by the people who ran Washington. She knew who she was, she knew she had money, but yet it did not appear that she flaunted her wealth to anyone. She enjoyed her wealth, and she did exemplary things with it. She loved her girls and it was a surprise to learn Deenie is Dina Merrill. This was definitely a good book, and if you enjoy reading about the rich and famous, don't pass this one up. Thanks NetGalley for letting me read this before it hit Amazon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an e-galley of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post.

I loved this book from start to finish - especially when the book covers historical aspects with an element of truth. I was so fascinated by the story of Marjorie and the trailblazing work she did. Allison Pataki wove a wonderful story that sucked me in from the start. Marjorie was a tour de force in her personal life as well as in the business world. From her family's humble beginnings creating a "quick, healthy breakfast" to the vast food empire the Post Company eventually became, Marjorie was involved every step of the way. Even at a time when women were not involved with the corporate world.

Marjorie created a life for herself and her children that was absolutely unbelievable. Learning more about this new to me person in such an entrancing way made for a pleasurable read from start to finish.

This historical novel tells the story about the impressive and very busy life of Marjorie Merriweather Post, of Post Cereal, Birdseye, and General Foods. Brought up in a home with an entrepreneurial father, Marjorie grew up following in his footsteps and became a prominent and wealthy professional. Faced with several bumps in the road such as a husband who drank too much and felt that a woman’s place was at home taking care of the children (which she tried but was not content at doing just that), Marjorie continues to pull through and focus on her goals and dreams. Her life is full of social events with prominent people with glamorous homes and lifestyles, and her vibrant personality charms everyone. I had never heard of the Marjorie Post before, nor did I know how the Kellogg and Post legacies begin, this was fascinating and interesting to read about. Sometimes historical fiction novels can be dry and boring, but this one definitely is not.

📚𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📚
4.5/5 🌟
Two of my favorite shows are on the History Channel - “The Men Who Built America” and “The Foods That Built America” - and this was like mash of up the two. I loved this book from its glamorous cover, and through every word tracing the exceptional life of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Her father, CW Post, revolutionized the way America ate breakfast in the the late 19th centuty with his invention of Grape Nuts. Post fought the breakfast cereal battle with Kellogg, with Marjorie by his side. She grew into an astute - and very wealthy - businesswoman who eventually created conglomerate General Foods (later purchased by Philip Morris then merged with Kraft Foods). She was an innovator and a disruptor, before that word was even coined.

Set against the backdrop of a fascinating time in history, Marjorie’s story goes through both world wars, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the roaring 20s, Great Depression and on as she traveled and lived around the world, elevated herself to the heights of society, became “America’s hostess,” and befriended presidents, titans of industry, and royalty. She amassed an incredible collection of artwork and other priceless items, collected homes and husbands, and all the while was a devoted mother. While she lived a sumptuous life, she never forgot about giving back to those in need, even funding hospitals during WWI and doling out free food during the Depression.

I loved reading about Post’s exceptional life. It’s clear Pataki - who writes about fascinating women from all time periods - did a lot of research and she was able to craft a compelling and dramatic story, seemingly true to Post’s life.

If you’re looking to escape back in time and live in the shoes of one of the wealthiest women in history, check this one out!

And, maybe The History Channel could consider a series called The WOMEN Who Built America?

This book will be released February 15, 2022 - will it be on your TBR list? My gratitude to @netgalley and @balantinebooks for the opportunity to read the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

#bibliophile#stephsalwaysreading#bookstagrammer#bookstagram#bookreviewer#bookreviews#tbrlist#whatshouldireadnext#marjoriemerriweatherpost#allisonpataki#eARC#netgalley#

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Afllison Pataki was a fascinating read. I enjoyed the historical details and learning about this historical figure. I loved it! Five stars.

I started this book without knowing anything about the fascinating life of Marjorie Post, so every page was a pure delight. Post was the daughter of the man who created the Post cereal dynasty. Though the family came from humble beginnings, after some lucky breaks in the breakfast industry, they were soon one of the richest families in the country, if not the world, along with the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts. This historical account of Marjorie Post's life covers more than 80 years of history, from the late nineteenth century through two world wars, the roaring 20's, the Great Depression, etc. I had no idea that Ms. Post built Mar-a-lago, the estate in Palm Springs where Donald Trump now lives. She was fascinating socialite with innovative business ideas, and she pushed the boundaries in a society that didn't always accept women in leadership roles. Married four times, she lived in many places, including Moscow, New York, and Washington, DC. Throughout all her failed marriages and all the scandals, she remained a true philanthropist, giving away millions of dollars in charitable gifts to schools, hospitals, food banks, and other good causes.

Allison Pataki does a fantastic job of making Marjorie Post into a fascinating, larger-than-life character. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and can't wait to read her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

What a magnificent ride! I love historical fiction of this caliber. You get facts mixed with delicious niblets of supposition and gossip—just my perfect cup of tea during these cold months of winter.

Ms. Post had an incredible life, and I did some research on my own to see just how much of this book had real history behind it. Plenty! Yes, she was a bit of a spendthrift (well, to my middle-class outlook at any rate!), and for the life of her, she could not find the perfect man. In my opinion, she should have just quit with the men, but what can I say? It was a different era.

The founding of Post Cereal was fascinating, as was when Post bought Birdseye Frozen food and then turned this multi-million dollar company into General Foods. This was something considering the time period. This was the late 1920's - just think, not everyone even had electricity back then, but Marjorie was introducing frozen foods to America.

What a life-WWI, WWII, the Spanish Flu, women's suffrage, becoming director of a multi-million dollar company before women even had the right to vote, 4 husbands, three daughters.

All I can say is WOW! I admit the author does get a little taken with the money Marjorie spent, but it was fascinating. Especially when she and husband number 3 were Ambassadors to Russia just as WWII was creeping in.

Frankly, I don't think there are very many women alive today that can do all that Ms. Post did and did with so much flair!

I recommend this book highly to those who like history, women's issue books, romance, and gossip.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher, Random House, the author, and NetGalley.

Wonderful telling of this incredible woman whose generous heart and can-do spirit inspires us to this day. It's incredible to think of all the ways in which she and her family changed history from the way we eat breakfast to the treasures of history she kept preserved for generations to enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed Allison Pataki’s “The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post.” I immediately was immersed in the story, which begins when Marjorie is a young girl and her father is very ill. The author took me to a different era with her wonderful descriptions and historical details.

I knew very little about Marjorie Merriweather Post before I read this book and found her life fascinating. The author brings this amazing story alive, through her father’s recovery and founding of the Post cereal company to her taking this inheritance and building a successful company into an empire. The story is riddled with famous people she came to know, from numerous presidents going back to the first Roosevelt and Dr. Kellogg of the rival cereal company to the wealthiest families in the country.

While the story of her building the Post company into General Foods was fascinating enough, Pataki also takes the reader into Marjorie Post’s struggles and heartaches in her personal life. She had several husbands, each marriage an interesting story. She also became immersed in politics, war efforts, and supported numerous charitable organizations. This glimpse into a fabulously wealthy lifestyle was fun, but Post’s use of her money was admirable.

I highly recommend this book and will certainly buy it as a gift for others to enjoy as well.

Read 8% of the way into this book but kept starting and stopping. I had trouble getting into it and figured it was better to review as is. It was written well just not my cup of tea.

very interesting story of Marjorie post. I didn't know she was associated with post cereal. really liked this story, learned alot about her life. would highly recommend.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I have been a fan of her books and this one did not disappoint. It flowed so well and the descriptions made you feel like you were right there. Plus, I learned about a woman in American history I would have never looked twice at.