La Grande Therese : The Greatest Scandal of the Century

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Hilary Spurling's masterful biography The Unknown Matisse mentioned the little-known story of Thérèse Humbert, the woman who brought financial disgrace on the great artist's family. In La Grande Thérèse, she devotes an entire book--slim though it is--to this fascinating subject. A hundred years ago the fabulously wealthy Thérèse Humbert and her husband lived like royalty on a fashionable street in Paris, where they employed Matisse's parents-in-law as servants. Thérèse let it be known that she had had an even wealthier American lover, and she paid for her extravagant lifestyle by borrowing money against the legacy he'd left her. But his children disputed the will, she claimed, and the subsequent lawsuits dragged on for years. Meanwhile the Humberts lived it up, socializing with the great and the good and running up debts all the while. In this wittily piquant morality tale, Spurling describes the spectacular rise and fall of a cunning French peasant girl with a wicked imagination and irresistible powers of persuasion. Thérèse died in disgrace and without a penny, but her hoax had fooled an entire society. As told by Spurling, her story is as rich and entertaining as anything by Dickens or Zola. --Lilian Pizzichini

Book Description

La Grande Thérèse is the true story of a scandal that nearly destroyed the French Third Republic.

A hundred years ago Thérèse Humbert was one of the most powerful women in France; her salon was the center of Parisian life, and her wealth--as the assumed illegitimate daughter of an American billionaire--was fabled. She lived life on a grand scale and was the toast of Paris. But Thérèse was not who she claimed to be. Her lifestyle, her history, and, most important, her fortune--all were an elaborate hoax. When her con was finally exposed, thousands of small investors and creditors, including the in-laws of the artist Henri Matisse, were completely ruined. Thérèse was tried and sentenced to five years' hard labor. When she was released from prison, she vanished, and the fantastic story of her life was mostly hushed up, because it has disgraced so many wealthy and important people.

Hilary Spurling has done meticulous research into the life of Thérèse Humbert. La Grand Thérèse is the remarkable story of the spectacular rise and fall of a French peasant girl with an extraordinary imagination and irresistible powers of persuasion.

Customer Reviews:

A Short Fast Very Interesting Read.......2006-11-19

The story of a lady living far beyond her traditional means but with the extraordinary capacity to persuade people to give her money. The surprising thing is how long her scam lasted until she was finally caught, investigated, and sentenced to five years hard labour.

This is a short fast read, but tells a little known story with insight and humor. Ms. Spurling seems to write like a journalist withgreat attention to detail but keeping the story moving right along.

Great Story, Mediocre Writing.......2003-06-04

Who was Thérèse Humbert? She was part Heidi Fleiss, part Frank Abagnale, part Don Juan, part politician, part Nelson Rockefeller, part Jackie O, part social Niccolo Machiavelli and part dumb lucky.

The tale of Thérèse Humbert's ability to build a career of fame and fortune out of completely nothing is better than Spurling's ability to tell it. A better writer would taken this intriguing story and made it into a great book.

To credit Spurling, she did her research well, but she writes with the method of a common feature journalist. The story is strong enough and compelling enough to keep any reader interested.

The story, in the end of it all, is a historic tragedy -- a sad docudrama put to print. Quickly read, it totals roughly 150 pages with ample leading and margins.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

Another scandal of the Third Republic........2002-08-04

I am interested in the Third Republic period of France, and this book detailed another scandal from that period. The book details the life of Therese Daurignac who married a son of the founder of the Republic. It details how Humbert, his son Theodore, and his wife committed a fraud on the French nation by pretending to be rich when in fact they were peasants with no money. Eventually, their scheme of borrowing money to pay other creditors collasped, and Therese and her husband were sent to prison.
If there is a criticism of this book, it is the brevity of it. 132 pages cannot bring to life how thousands of people were cheated out of their money, so that Therese could live the good life. For other books about scandals in the Third Republic, read Prisoners of Honor, The Dreyfus Affair by David Levering Lewis and The Panama Affair by Maron J. Simon.

Short and disappointing.......2001-03-20

The book doesn't take long to read, but I found it inadequate to tell what is an intriguing story. Its chronolgy leaves something to be desired, and I at least would have appreciated more footnotes, more explanation of the importance of the historical figures who are involved in the swindle, and a more documentary-like account. In my (1958) edition of the Encyclopedia American there is a one-paragraph account of The Humbert Swindle, but in my (1940) edition of the Brittanica I find no mention of the affair. Is this because it involved people who were Dreyfusards rather than anti-Dresfusards? I really think this swindle deserves a better book, tho I suppose Hilary Spurling will say that she has told us all she could find on it. But in view of the extensive press coverage I find that hard to believe.

Read the reviews instead - the book's not much longer.......2001-02-27

Having looked forward to reading this book, I was rather disappointed. There's not much more to Spurling's brief story than what you'll gather from reading the editorial and/or customer reviews. In my opinion, it could all have been covered in her Matisse book, if not in a footnote, then in a two or three page appendix. If you continue to be curious, I'd recommend trying the public library before spending your money here.

LA Grande Therese: The Greatest Scandal of the Century

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LA Grande Therese: The Greatest Scandal of the Century
Hilary Spurling
Manufacturer: Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OF1ZWS

Book Description

This definitive illustrated atlas of the Amazon River and its tributaries presents full-color maps and spectacular photos From headwaters high in the Andes the Amazon River flows more than 4,000 miles through the world's greatest rainforest, into the Amazon delta, and finally into the Atlantic Ocean. More water moves through the Amazon than any other river in the world; it is a giant hydraulic system that drains almost 40 percent of South America. This extraordinary atlas is the first comprehensive view of not only the Amazon River but also its 13 major tributaries.

More than 150 color maps and nearly 300 vivid photographs provide spectacular views of the river and rainforest. Along the way, the authors explore many intriguing topics such as why some of the Amazon's tributaries have black water, what happens when the freshwater of the Amazon reaches the salty ocean, and why we all should be concerned about the deforestation that contributes to the loss of species biodiversity.

Surely a benchmark in the rising fight for preservation of this mighty river, The Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon will undoubtedly be the standard source for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

An atlas it's not.......2006-11-06

An atlas is generally defined as a collection of maps and charts. Calling the Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon an "atlas" is a bit of a stretch. It is more a compilation of statistics about the region; useful and interesting to be sure, but not an "atlas" in the conventional sense. I was looking for detailed maps and charts of the region. You will not find them in this "atlas."

THE BEST ATLAS OF THE AMAZON AVAILABLE.......2004-01-23

The Atlas of the Amazon is the best comprehensive view of the many different natural and social aspects that emcompass the Amazon river basin. It does a thorough job of describing the natural environment and the differences between sub-regions.

Unfortunately, the entire Amazon is altogether too large and too diverse for a single volume such as this one, but I believe that it does reasonably well at condensing some of the main aspects and choosing specific themes to focus on. For example, the book focuses on the geology of the reason, explaining the differences in river color by showing the different origins of the rivers (there are yellow, black, green, and transparent waters). Additionally, the book singled out the lifecyle of local catfish, that crisscross the region by their feeding and breeding habits.

One of the outstanding qualities of this book is the images, which try to do justice to the beauty of the region. Through the pictures, one can tell the deep differences between the sub-regions; some are mountainous, some are planes, some are swamps, in some places the forest is denser, etc.

If you are planning a visit to the Amazon, or have a strong interest in the Amazonian ecosystem, this may be the best book available today. I strongly recommend it.

A must have atlas of the Amazon Basin.......2004-01-17

This is simply the best atlas I have ever reviewed on the subject of riverine hydrology, and presents the huge scope of the Amazon Basin (not just the river itself but all of the contributory watersheds)in a wonderful mix of maps, photographs and accompanying text. As an environmental engineer and scientist who routinely works with production of this type of document, I am very impressed with the level of detail, and the very reasonable cost of an atlas of such quality. If you are interested in the hydrology and ecosystems of the Amazon, this atlas is for you....

Good effort, but far from comprehensive.......2003-12-03

While thorough in some areas, such as its discussion of sedimentation and flow volume river by river, this atlas of the Amazon is sorely lacking in others. Some examples: while major tributaries are named, many large ones that are minor only by Amazonian standards are never named. Despite the fact that many maps cover significant mountainous areas, including the Andes, none of the maps are colored to show altitude, which would greatly help the reader in visualizing the direction and rate of riverine flow.

Too few cities are shown on the maps, and then only on some. Cities that are mentioned as being in a map area are sometimes not shown on the relevant map at all. Other items significant to an atlas are completely omitted. Areas used for cattle ranching, rice growing, etc., are mentioned, but there are no maps that delineate them. Such areas are only shown as "deforested". Important roads, such as Pucallpa-Lima, are not labeled. Important proposed roads are referred to, but their routes are not shown. With the exception of Macchu Picchu, important archeological sites are mentioned but not shown. Contentious oil discoveries are discussed, but their locations are not shown on any maps, nor are the relevant pipelines. On page 213, protected-reserved areas are shown via three separate maps, but the areas are not combined, which would give a clearer picture of how much of the region being discussed (Rio Negro) is actually under some form of protection.

Book Description

In recent years there has been considerable rethinking of the whole concept of development, including a growing awareness of its gender, cultural and environmental dimensions, and the impact of globalization. The contributors to this volume seek to extend these debates to a more fundamental level, tackling major issues and transcending those critiques of development which simply engage in a blanket dismissal of the whole enterprise. Instead they offer innovative ways of re-engaging with a reality that, despite globalization, is very much still a dimension of our era.

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Made me cry like a baby, changed my life

Dunamis: The Ancient Power of Victory
Ronaldo I. Archer
Manufacturer: Book Clearing House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Ron Archer On Teams

ASIN: 0972131108

Book Description

Creative accounting. Golden parachutes. Bankrupt companies with billionaire CEO's. Worthless 401(k) accounts. Frustrated workers who see their good ideas ignored by management. It is no wonder many in the workplace are cynics who often undertake their duties with a sneer. There simply aren't very many corporate leaders who inspire confidence and loyalty. That's why it is time for a new model of executive leadership--Dunamis.

It is a fresh take on leadership with roots in ancient Greece. Rather than commanding and controlling employee, Dunamis leaders inspire employee to new heights of loyalty and efficiency.

Dunamis breaks the mold of the business leader as dictator and outlines a spiritual mandate for leading with transcendent power. There are 9 attributes of the Dunamis Leader: Agape, Entheos, Shalom, Patience, Kindness, Goodness Faithfulness, Humility and Self-Control.

Customer Reviews:

Made me cry like a baby, changed my life.......2002-11-16

The book teaches you how to transform your pain into power and how to turn your misery into minstry.

Book Description

We inhabit a world of consequences and butterfly effects. When global economies integrate, what disintegrates as a result? The answer, Ronaldo Munck contends, is social equality. This is the first book to view globalization through the lens of social exclusion--defined as all the ways in which people are prevented from obtaining the necessities of life.

To illustrate how globalization deepens the existing inequities of race, place, gender, and class, in both the global North and South, the author highlights disparities in living conditions; the feminization of poverty and the global sex trade; the effects of racism, migration, and multiculturalism; and the formation and political manifestations of social class.

He boldly develops a politics and ethics of transformation to move us beyond social exclusion-—even beyond mere social inclusion. He provides us with the tools to transform society from within, creating a more democratic and just global order.

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Ronaldo: The Journey of a Genius
James Mosley
Manufacturer: Mainstream Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The World Cup: The Complete History

ASIN: 1845961145
Release Date: 2006-07-04

Book Description

The first in-depth biography of the colourful Brazilian soccer star — one of the most famous and iconic sportsmen of the last decade.

Author James Mosley has been given exclusive access to the footballer’s close management and advisers who have shared with him their experiences with the player over the last ten years. They reveal the inside story of how Ronaldo made his way back to the top of the football world following a horrific knee injury in 1998 which threatened to prematurely end his playing career.

After making a remarkable recovery, Ronaldo has since returned to his prolific goal-scoring ways for his team, Real Madrid, making him Spain’s leading scorer in 2003. Ronaldo continues to be a genuine icon of world football, matched only by David Beckham for fame, recognition and marketability. He has been named FIFA World Player of the Year three times, European Player of the Year twice, and is close to breaking the record for scoring the most international goals.

Ronaldo: The Journey of a Genius reveals how the player rose from humble beginnings in Rio de Janeiro to become a football phenomenon. His wealth has been massively boosted by countless advertising and sponsorship deals, which have in turn enhanced his status as an idol around the world. This exhaustive biography also takes us off the field to unearth aspects of Ronaldo’s private life, including the circumstances behind the failure of his first marriage and his long-awaited second marriage to Spanish model Daniela Cicarelli.

The Catfish Connection (Biology and Resource Management Series)

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This is a fascinating read

The Catfish Connection (Biology and Resource Management Series)
Ronaldo Barthem , and Michael Goulding
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 023110832X

Book Description

Offers a groundbreaking ecological view of the Amazon as seen through the large predatory catfish that dominate the river channels and estuary. Bartham and Goulding detail the various methods employed by small-scale and commercial fishing operations in their exploitation of the commercially valuable resource and propose the first realistic measures for the management of the commercial fisheries based on the large catfish.

Customer Reviews:

This is a fascinating read.......1999-08-04

This is a very slim book for the price, but it is packed with data and insight gained over years of research into the natural history of the large predatory catfish in the Amazon basin. This is frontier fisheries biology. Some of the discoveries revealed in this book say as much about the Amazon as it does about the fish themselves.

I would have preferred that they had eschewed the use of the local common names in favor of the scientific names as it can be confusing. For example when they refer to Sorubim, they don't mean Sorubim lima nor do they mean Sorubimichthys planiceps or even Hemisorubim platyrhynchus. They are referring to what American aquarists call the Tiger Shovelnose: Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum. There is a chapter covering the names and information about each fish to help out when such confusion arises. The chapter includes some great photographs of some of the largest specimens compared to the size of people, but it is unfortunate that all the photos are in black and white. It would have been particularly nice to have had color photos of the specimens of Merodontodus tigrinus and Brachyplatystoma juruense shown in the black and white photos.

One of the surprising revelations in this book is that while these catfish eat just about anything that moves, they seem to have a preference for Prochilodins. It seems that there are other very similar prey items (such as Leporinus spp.) that would serve just as well as Prochilodins.

This book would have been very helpful to me when I was majoring in fisheries biology and was primarily interested in aquaculture and viewing with disdain the put-and-take approach to fisheries required of the local government to maintain fishing sites for the "sportsmen". I'd have been much more interested in the wildlife aspect of the discipline if I'd had this book.

Product Description

Andy Brassell spends the 2003/4 season travelling from Marseille to Moscow, from Madrid to Manchester, getting to the heart of the Champions League, the world's greatest club football competition.

Ronaldo (Robbie Readers) (Robbie Readers)

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Ronaldo (Robbie Readers) (Robbie Readers)
Tamra Orr
Manufacturer: Mitchell Lane Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1584154926
Release Date: 2006-10-27

Product Description

From just being Dadado to his family when he was a child in Brazil to being O Fenômeno (The Phenomenon) when he was out on the soccer field, Ronaldo has entertained and amazed soccer fans for years. He joined his first professional team at age 14, and just a few years later became an international player. He has played for teams in Brazil, Spain, Italy. and Holland. Despite a few injuries and setbacks, this speedy striker has scored hat tricks, won the World Cup, and earned the Golden Boot award. The Phenomenon always keeps his fans excited about seeing him run out on the field.

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