Bunny Mellon: The Life of an American Style Legend

I admit it: I purchased this book to see how the REALLY rich live and I was not disappointed. My desire was precipitated after seeing the library and garden conservatory that Bunny had built on their Virginia estate and after seeing the interiors of her New York townhouse.This is a cradle-to-grave biography of Rachel “Bunny” Mellon who was already born into privilege through her grandfather (a chemist who invented “Listerine”) and her father (who invented Gillette Razor Company and was the founder of Warner-Lambert). The author’s research is incredible and she had access to many of Bunny’s private letters and papers as well as cooperation from Bunny’s family members. Since Bunny died at age 105 this is a huge biography and will keep your interest throughout. Seriously, it’s unimaginable to comprehend the lifestyle of Bunny and her second husband, Paul Mellon (yes, son of THE Andrew Mellon) lived. One of her neighbors who saw their private jet depart their Virginia estate, only to fly around and land again, said that “…Bunny must have forgotten her scarf…” Her husband created the National Gallery in Washington, DC and purchased Old Master paintings by the truckload. And, of course, everyone knows that Bunny was asked by JFK to create a Rose Garden on the White House lawns….a garden that exists to this day. There’s a real sense of style about Bunny and the times she lived in. The era of writing Thank You notes; of dressing appropriately for every occasion; of correct behavior. However, Bunny Mellon’s ONLY claim to fame was her creation of the Rose Garden at the White House and this is referenced throughout the book. OK, I get it….she created the Rose Garden. I didn’t think that referencing that practically in every chapter was necessary. The rest of her life – before and after the Rose Garden – was spent as a very rich man’s wife.The author’s writing style is very good and she doesn’t have an agenda – it’s all here, the good, bad, and ugly. Very objective - which lets the reader form their own personal opinion of the book’s subject and peripheral characters. There are photos in the book – all black and white. I would have hoped to have color photos in the book showing, at least, their Virginia estate, the gardens, the NY townhouse. I’ve seen color photos of these places in other publications so I was surprised that only a minimal number of photos were in this book.However, having money does not always make a person better or nicer which is SO true in this case. Bunny was a nasty, mean, spiteful person who continuously attempted to dominate and control her children and step-children treating them like trash most of their lives. She dropped – friends and very long time friends – without any rhyme-or-reason in a New York second without a backward glance. Then, when she needed the dropped friend for some reason, she brought them back into the fold. And shame on those friends who just didn’t tell her to “get lost” after being treated so badly. But their association with Bunny meant more to them than their pride. To them, it was more important to say in a conversation, “…when Bunny and I had lunch….” so that people would be impressed. There were several of these men in her later years and they are covered in the book. She dumped her first husband when Paul Mellon showed an interest because he was SO very rich. And when Paul started having affairs she, like the well-bred person of her day, looked the other way because she obviously didn’t want to lose her social standing or her access to Paul’s enormous wealth. Although it seems she reconciled, to some degree, with her children once they reached middle-age, she remained stingy to her grandchildren during her lifetime and in her bequests to them when she died. She had enormous debt in her later years after Paul died and instead of getting rid of about 200+ staff, she took out loans against her properties and art. She could have easily downsized her staff by giving them some type of lump sum compensation but chose not to do so. So in the end, she cared more about her staff than about letting her blood family get more of her wealth when she died.

Bunny Mellon was just like most of us. Well, not exactly. She had many more resources with which to address her needs and make her dreams come true (properties, paintings, antiques, jewelry, connections), and she could afford to escape many of the inconveniences of life that most of us must struggle through (household chores, crowds at airports, auto repairs). However, like us, she was complicated and contradictory: both shallow and profound, foolish and wise, insensitive and considerate.Drawing from Mellon family private papers and letters and from extensive interviews, Meryl Gordon takes us chronologically through Bunny Mellon's life from childhood to death, portraying her as a many-faceted woman. She gave generously to friends, provided retirement benefits and health care for her employees, and visited everyday with her tragically-injured daughter. Yet she also became infatuated with handsome young men whose looks were important to her, such as John Edwards, dropped people after she lost interest in them, showed marked favoritism toward some family members, and did not reply to a request from a previous friend who was dying of cancer. Predictably, she left some people feeling entranced and others bitter.Three aspects of Bunny Mellon's character stood out and impressed me. When quite young, she saw photos of the harsh living conditions endured by the employees at her father's Arkansas cotton plantation and struggled to reconcile them with her own family's lifestyle and with her belief that her father, the head of an exploitative company town, was a good man. That discrepancy between worlds stayed with her. Later, she encouraged Paul Mellon to give more than $300 million to causes supporting minorities and the less fortunate. "She was not the usual rich lady," said Vernon Jordan, head of the Urban League.I was also impressed that Bunny Mellon did not dwell on the past. Even late in life, she remained a forward-looking woman, always thinking toward the future, always planning her next project. Another garden needed to be planted, another room needed to be arranged, another property needed to be refreshed. Something new and interesting always called her toward the future. This tendency was a saving grace which helped her move beyond the loneliness of her last decade. It also benefited the larger community in that she left a splendid country church, a marvelous library, and a well-endowed foundation for people to enjoy.Finally, I was impressed by Bunny Mellon's imagination and creativity. She was a true artist, designing beautiful interiors, landscapes and gardens with a keen awareness of color, space, shadow and light. She perfected the ability to shape her environment even while leaving it looking natural. While she strove for exquisite forms and patterns, she also instructed gardeners to let wisps of grass grow between the flagstones and let apples remain on the ground after they had fallen from trees. Human art and nature must compliment each other. After reading this book, I will never look at the horizon in quite the same way again and am now interested to learn more about landscape design.

What a read, it was not just that Bunny Mellon was old (over 100 when she died), but that every year even to her last, she was an active member of the public canon in one way or another. The first 80% of the book was quite interesting. It covered her childhood, her family, her various hobbies (oh which she was no dilettante, she mastered everything she did with dedication), homes, and whatnot. The last 20% covered her involvement with John Edwards, and it was heady. I think the author was trying to exonerate her, with dignity, but it came off as verbose. While I am a fan of gardening, art, and architecture, I am not sure if some of the more nuanced details need to be repeated so often throughout the book...as in we get it the woman had taste, but that may be more criticism for her life than the author. I don't want to give anything away, because it was a great read and a good story.

Everything in the book is exactly what I was expecting. No more no less!

Pretty fascinating book, had a hard time shutting off the lights to get some sleep. What a woman!

Interessant und inspirierend!

An in depth biography of a beautiful life. As an Interior Designer, I was aware of the exquisite taste that Bunny Mellon had and this book completed the picture of an incredible woman who lived a life of extreme privilege and wealth. The great thing about this book is how it draws you into Bunny’s private world..so much so that you feel real joy and pleasure, almost as though you are living in it. Bunny was a complex character who faced tragedy and much heartbreak. She never gave up however, always seeking the beauty in the smallest thing to bring a glimmer of happiness to her life. A great read.

This is one of those biographies that probably should have been written but didn't have to be.In the end, it's hard to resist saying, "Oh, okay, it's alright for her... given all her advantages"still, very well written and enjoyable to read.