Wicked Newport: Sordid Stories from the City by the Sea

What irritated me was some of the stories contained information that was told in a way that misleads the reader regarding the sequence of events. In particular, when talking about Lizzie Borden the author says "The speculation was that LIzzie killed her wealthy banker father to support her struggling actress girlfriend." According to historical fact the murders occurred in 1892 and Lizzie Borden didn't even meet Nance O'Neal until 1904 so in 1892 no one could have speculated on that. And one other example, when talking about the murder of Stanford White by Harry Thaw, the author tells the story in such a way that the reader is left ignorant of the fact that Thaw married Evelyn Nesbit knowing full well of her previousproblems and affair with White, he didn't all of a sudden find out on their honeymoon. So, is the author telling stories that are sordid or are the stories sordid because of the way they were told?

Wicked Newport is a pleasant rehash of the well-known society hijinks of turn-of-the-20th century Newport. For 300 years, however, the juxtaposition of great wealth and privilege with common humanity has produced a very rich and sordid history that is essentially ignored here. Newport has always had a motley collection of; rich yachtsmen, Naval men, U.S. Presidents, courtesans, ladies of the night, thieves, bootleggers, visiting dignitaries, servants, entertainers, con-men, politicians, celebrities and tourists. I'm a native Newporter, and I grew up hearing bits and pieces of juicy stories about such folks. Not having been recorded, though, these tales will be lost to the ages. It's too bad that yet one more book has been devoted to the Astors and Vanderbuilts. A lot more went on in Prohibition-era parties and the Newport Casino than was reported here! This book could have been researched solely on Wikipedia, whereas the older, lower-middle-class Newporters (including musicians like myself) have the real compelling information.

Great read! Tells funny and interesting stories of Newport. Perfect coffee table and guest room book! Each chapter is pretty short (3-6 pages)

It is fun to read about Newport before going to visit.

I live in Newport and love reading about the Gilded Age of Newport especially the intricate details of those times.

Having become a Downton Abbey fan (yes I admit it), I had to get this book. Great gossip and quick read. Have provided it to others in the office and they read it in one night.Love the quirky and crazy stories of the old rich and famous.

This book was surprisingly full of juicy stories about the gilded age and recent times of Newport, Rhode Island. Everything from the Astors at the turn of the last century through Sunny and Claus Von Bulow. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the history and scandals.

Book has interesting stories but is a little dry. Shipping from seller was very quick and exactly as described.