Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for this advanced copy of The Marvelous Marjorie Post!

This book will be published Feb 15, 2022. 📚

I had NO IDEA the figure that Mrs. Post was! This book took you on a tour from the early 1900s through her death in 1978 - of a developing country (of which Marjorie Post and her father had so much to do with!) and of Marjorie’s four husbands.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, definitely pick this one up! The only complaint I have is that I do think the writing was a bit choppy in places - we made huge leaps in her life within just a couple of sentences.

All in all - this is a great way to learn about a figure in history that I believe is under appreciated .

Four stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really wanted to like this book, yet I found it to be a bit dull and I trudged through more than 50% of the book. This novel is based on the life of Marjorie Merriweather Post, heiress to the Post/General Foods corporation. While I was interested to read/learn about her, as I had not heard of her before, I was left wanting her to be more than she was.

At first I thought, oh here is a powerful historical woman who has helped shape the lives of future generations, and I was sadly disappointed as the story progressed. In this novel, she comes off as a spoiled socialite who cares more about possessions and her standing in society. While she may have had some great ideas that helped the Post/General Foods company to further develop into the corporation it has become and her generous monetary support to WWI and WWII, during the depression, and other philanthropy, she really was uninspiring. It seems throughout the book, she thought she was more of a role model or trailblazer than she was. There are many references to Marie Antionette and here is where I find our main character to be quite similar to her, especially the section of the book detailing her life in Russia. Hello!- it was like she had no idea what had been going on in the world. (As you can tell, a frustrating section of the book for me, LOL.)

If you are someone who enjoys reading about socialites and their lifestyle, then this may be a book for you. If you are someone wanting a bit more of a trailblazer character, this may not be the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Marjorie Merriweather Post - a name we have all come to be familiar with as the heiress to Post Foods. This book takes you on a journey through her magnificent life, including multiple marriages, affairs, business deals, travels, and of course, cereal! This book gives you a peek behind the curtain of the brand we have come to know and love and that changed the breakfast habits of Americans. I loved hearing her story from start to finish, and while at some points, parts of her life were hard to believe, it just goes to show what a strong and independent woman she truly was. I highly recommend this for anyone that enjoys historical fiction and wants a peek behind the curtain of one of America’s favorite brands. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

This book is a mix of historical fiction and biography of Post Foods heir Marjorie Merriweather Post. I found this book informative and fascinating. I loved how the book showed Marjorie going through difficult times in the world, The Civil War, WWI, The Great Depression and WWII! She is an extraordinary woman of strength, heart and good character. I loved learning about her and her life and all the wonderful things she's done. The writing was very descriptive and it was easy to put myself there in the times. I think I would have loved being friends with Marjorie if I were to meet her. What an interesting character from history that I previously knew nothing about.

This was truly a grand read, telling the life story of a woman who was the toast of society and feared no one in her quest to find true love. The story does only focus on the protagonist’s love life though, since the real focus is on Marjorie’s strengths as a pioneer in her field and the fact that she bowed to no one.

A very interesting fictionalized look at the life of Marjorie Post. I loved reading the history of this marvelous woman and all she’d done in her life.

This main character in this book is found in the title, as is the theme. Marjorie Merriweather Post was heir to the Post Cereal Corporation and a philanthropist, feminist, mother, wife, and art collector. This story is the story of her life, taken from those her knew her and have written about her. The book flows easily, is well written, and a great read for anyone who likes historical fiction about amazing women.

Pataki has written a fascinating novel of the life of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Her life of privilege is underlined by pain. Of course, all of us are familiar with her iconic home, Mar-A- Lago and here we are introduced with the fascinating story of how it came into the possession of Trump.

Of course her life was interesting and reading about her gives the reader a history lesson about the 20th century. Her marriages and the people she came in contact with made this a very interesting bio. I suspect we will see it made into a mini-series since it is such a rich, no pun intended, story.

Thank you Netgalley.

I was almost 100 pages in before I had the realization that I was reading about the cereal families. It was fun reading about their sagas and being enlightened on how even the rich and famous have delusions about marriages, relationships, and such.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House – Ballantine Books for this eARC in exchange for this honest review.

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
Allison Pataki
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Review Date: September 26, 2021

Dive into the extravagant world of Marjorie Post who lived as a daughter, mother, wife, socialite, hostess, diplomat, and philanthropist while dripping in diamonds, other precious stones, and glamorous gowns. But, her story begins as a child, gluing labels onto cereal boxes in a barn. Her father, C.W. Post invented Grape-Nuts and Postum and forever changed the breakfast habits of Americans.

At age 16, she marries her husband after a short engagement. He was from old money and she was from new money. She believed in hard work and he believed in hard partying. See the conflict? I’ll leave the rest of that story to you for your reading pleasure.

When I was reading The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post, I didn’t realize it was historical fiction. It was a good thing I read the author’s acknowledgements at the end of the book or I would have thought her life was just too outrageous to be true. But, it was. What a role model!

Don’t miss this one! 4 stars

I see many five-star reviews on NetGalley but this just wasn't the story for me. I like Allison Pataki's writing style but I didn't care for any of the characters including the title character. Marjorie Merriweather Post was the daughter of a self-made millionaire, C.W. Post of Grape-Nuts fame, but I found her choices in life frustrating and I found the character's voice annoying. I did not enjoy reading this book so I guess I am in the minority - but to each his or her own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THE MAGNIFICENT LIVES OF MARJORIE POST
BY ALLISON PATAKI

I knew very little about the life of Marjorie Merriweather Post beyond hearing her name mentioned over the years. Allison Pataki, has brought her vividly to life in her excellent new biography which is quite extensive. Daughter to Charles William Post the creator of the breakfast cereal Grape-Nuts and many other healthy foods this would be the blueprint for their legacy to go on producing and bringing to the twentieth century many healthy foods.

As her parents only child Marjorie would become wealthy beyond any one's wildest dreams and yet become an orphan with both parents dying by the time she was just thirty year's old. She would not have been able to take over the helm for the company her father C. W. Post had left her during the early 20th century because she was a woman.

During her first marriage she had two daughters. Her oldest Adelaide and her second child Eleanor. Her first marriage to Ed who was the father of her two daughter's ended in divorce. Marjorie's second husband who seemed perfect for her and who sat on the board earning more vast money to her fortune had an older son who died. Marjorie and her second husband Ned, had her last born child another daughter nicknamed Deenie who was just a baby compared to Adelaide and Eleanor. Sadly, after what seemed like a promising marriage also ended in divorce. Her first husband seemed completely incompatible as he was known as old money or a blue blood seemed to bring the downfall of the first marriage by drinking too much and by spending more and more time away. Her second husband gambled quite a bit and ended up cheating on her with one of her maid's.

Marjorie's third husband was an ambassador to Moscow and they lived there on the cusp of the beginning of World War II. Marjorie was gifted many jewels and Russian works of art. Her third marriage ended because her husband turned out to be cruel. Her last, and fourth husband was a widower but she ended the marriage when pictures of him appeared one day of him taken with other male lovers.

As much money as Marjorie had she was always wanting to give back to those who were poor and starving especially during the Great Depression. She donated over $100,000.00 dollars for a field hospital during World War I. She was a great philanthropist giving throughout her lifetime. She had many magnificent homes that she decorated herself. She died at the age of eighty-six.

I don't read many biographies like I used to but this one was fascinating. It read like fiction. It did seem like it was long but I was never bored. I suppose its length was due to the large scope of her life which included many more details that I have left out. Marjorie seemed very family oriented and loved her daughters and grandchildren. It seemed like when it came to her marriage's she tried her best to make them work. I came away from this really admiring Marjorie Merriweather Post. This was written in the first person and had an intimate feeling to it. I tend to think it is of the genre of historical fiction but has inspired me to want to read more books about this truly remarkable woman.
Highly recommended for those reader's interested in reading about iconic women. I really did enjoy this. LOVED IT!

Publication Date: February 15, 2022

Thank you to Net Galley, Allison Pataki and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own

#TheMagnificentLivesofMarjoriePost #AllisonPataki #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #NetGalley.

Such a fascinating woman! I loved her story from start to finish. As Pataki says in her authors note, “My job as the writer of historical fiction is to gather up and absorb many different details and facts and then attempt to get at the emotional truths that lurk therein. The history, the dates, the individual people, and the facts of Marjorie’s life—these all provide the raw material with which I may then build a story, offering up an imagined narrative to the reader.” And she does this so well. The story really came alive for me I was entertained by Marjorie, frustrated with her, heartbroken with her and most of all inspired to use whatever gifts and blessings I have to make the country I love a better place. Such a great, well written story. Thank you to the publisher for giving me an advanced reader copy. Opinions are my own.

Being from Battle Creek, I was very excited to hear about this book and couldn't wait to read it. I loved the book and the writing, even though I already knew Marjorie's, story, kept me engrossed. I do have some issues with some discrepancies in facts: Edna Hutton died in 1917, yet is placed at a social event that takes place in 1919, from the location of where the Posts stayed in Battle Creek they would never have crossed Washington to reach the San, my mother was one of the student attendants when Mrs. Post came to Battle Creek to dedicate C.W. Post Stadium and there was no inappropriate attention paid to any male student by Mr. May and there was NO alcohol served at a high school football game by high school students. All in all, however, I very much enjoyed the book.

I have read many of Allison Pataki's previous works and was thrilled to learn that she was writing about Marjorie Merriweather Post. Pataki was able to condense Post's remarkable life into a work of historical fiction that is entertaining and insightful. Although I had a familiarity with Post after reading a book about the history of Palm Beach and Mar-a-Lago, the details about her early life and time spent in Russia were particularly interesting. Pataki's has a gift for being able to synthesize her extensive research, and her latest work is further testament to her talent.

Ill be honest Ive never read a novel by Ms Pataki before but it was thoroughly enjoyable. Let me just say her writing style is.extremely easy to read thru and makes you want to read more and more. The way she built up her characters made it easy to follow along and digest. The flow of the plot was enjoyable!

As for the subject matter I am in the minority as I grew up in Michigan and had known about the family and partial history. So I already knew going in what wonderful potential this book had of telling her story. I am so glad I was able to read this. I will look for more Pataki books in the future, she is an excellent writer and one I enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for this advanced e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book tells of an amazing true story of an extraordinary woman.I really enjoyed reading this story.
I highly recommend everyone to read this wonderful book! It does not disappoint….
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel prior to publication.

I'll be honest-- I had no idea who Marjorie Post was or the legacy of her family before I read this book. I've never been big on historical fiction either so I went in worried I wouldn't enjoy this one. I am so glad I was wrong! Marjorie Post's story was absolutely fascinating and now I want to read her ex-husband's book just to learn even more about her story.

If you're not familiar with her story (as I'm sure most people aren't), Marjorie Post was the heiress to the Postum Cereal Company (now General Foods) after her father started the company. Her life at the Postum Cereal Company is absolutely fascinating--you learn about how her father becomes inspired to create simple breakfast solutions that are healthy and taste great while under the care of Dr. Kellogg (yes, there is a connection to a certain competing cereal company). Marjorie grows up watching her father's company quickly find success and after his death, she assumes control of it through the men in her life. I'm sure an entire novel could be written just about the ideas and innovations she helped push for, but Allison Pataki blessed us with so much more: her philanthropy efforts (a highlight: she "loaned" a very expensive ship to the US during a World War), her service to the United States government (for example, she was the first U.S. Ambassadress to the Soviet Nation), and several cycles of romance and heartbreak in the form of her former marriages.

When I finished this one, I had to stop reading for a bit because I knew it would be hard for the next one to top it. I definitely recommend it now.

Allison Pataki does it again! She has a knack for re-imagining historical tales and making them compelling pieces of historical fiction. The book details the life of American heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, She was a tour de force as a businesswoman and pushed the envelope of travel and adventures worldwide at a time when women were often confined to domestic roles. I learned a lot about Post that I did not previously know.

I love Alison Pataki's books so I was eager to read an advanced copy of this. Marjorie Merriweather Post, a beautiful name and beautiful soul. This intriguing woman was the daughter of a self made millionaire, creating the Post cereal Grape Nuts. She married 4 times, had 3 daughters. Marjorie was the first woman to serve on a board of directors. She took her father's company after his death and branded it to General Foods. The company continued to make millions and bought several other companies, including Bird's Eye. Not only was she incredibly rich and talented in business but she was a philanthropist. She gave endlessly throughout her entire life. She became the first Ambassadress in the U.S and the District Hostess. Movie stars, presidents and royals were her inner circle of people. She designed incredible homes and gardens. Her love of beautiful things made me smile:). Wealth would be a burden unless you could share it. What an interesting and inspiring story of a strong, remarkable woman. Thanks for the read and meticulous research.