joyreadsinnc 's review for:

Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon by The Biltmore Company, Howard E. Covington

3.0

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The thing I really like about this book is that it gives you details about the Biltmore history that aren't necessarily told at the actual house. The book gives you the real story of financial struggle and details of how each family member dealt with this massive responsibility. Whereas, at the home itself, it feels like they are selling more of an image of what the home was meant to be without telling you details that may look negative on the family - such as Cornelia Vanderbilt and John Cecil getting divorced and Cornelia wanting to sell Biltmore; after the divorce she moved to Europe for many years while John Cecil lived at and managed Biltmore.

All in all, it is an interesting story for anyone interested in these details about the family and house history.