Renée Rosen had already written a young adult novel and
Dollface, a historical novel about Chicago gangsters, but it was
What the Lady Wants, her novel about Marshall Field, the Chicago department store magnate, that put her on the radar with several of us at Boswell. She followed that up with novels about the
Chicago Tribune and Chess Records, two other Chicago landmarks of Chicago history before detouring east. Her New-York-set novel of Helen Gurley Brown and
Cosmpolitan,
Park Avenue Summer, turned out to be her breakout hit nationally - Chicago isn't second city for nothing, and more often than not, it's third or even fourth, and she isn't the first or last author find greater success in the Big Apple. Look at the success Thomas Dyja recieved for
New York, New York, New York compared to the much quieter reception for
The Third Coast.
She returned to New York for
The Social Graces, a novel based on the feud between the Astors and The Vanderbilts. The new-versus-old money story is an evergreen for fiction writers; we saw it just play out in Nghi Vo's
The Chosen and the Beautiful, her alternative, magical take on
The Great Gatsby. While Rosen hews closer to historical facts than Vo, historical fiction is still fiction. Rosen often lets her story play out around a fictional everywoman, but in the case of The Social Graces, the protagonists are the real Mrs. Astor and Mrs. Vanderbilt.
The results have won critics over.
Publishers Weekly called
The Social Graces a "witty and beautifully imagined Gilded Age outing," while
Library Journal called Rosen's story" a vivid and ravishing picture of the Gilded Age, bringing to life some of the people and parties that rocked this particular era, in an altogether believable tale. And Jennifer Funk in
Library Journal noted, "Rosen paints a vivid and ravishing picture of the Gilded Age, bringing to life some of the people and parties that rocked this particular era, in an altogether believable tale. Recommended for fans of Rosen's other works and readers who enjoy historical fiction and authors such as Kristin Hannah and Elizabeth Gilbert."
Rosen is doing a special Powerpoint for us (we tested it on Saturday), and based on her past experiences, we know historical fiction fans will enjoy this program. As part of the Lynden Sculpture Garden Women's Speaker Series, there's a $5 admission charge, all of which is donated to the Lynden and their beautiful sculpture garden. We hope to return to the actual grounds in the months ahead. Producer Margy Stratton is talking about an in-person Jenna Blum event for November. But the date to mark on your calendar for Renée Rosen is Monday, June 21, 7 pm Central Time. Can't make the event? We'll send you the recording afterwards. Tickets at
rosenlynden.eventbrite.com.
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