The Bettencourt Affair the Worlds Richest Woman and the Scandal That Rocked Paris Review
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The book reads similar a novel every bit Liliane falls victim to a con man. One of the questions brought up was information technology actually her family that was the real villain. You lot will demand to read the volume and make up your ain mind.
Liliane's girl, Françoise Bettencourt Meyer, filed a lawsuit confronting Liliane's friend Franc
With the contempo decease of Liliane Bettencourt, the heir to the L'Oréal fortune, I idea this newly published book (August 2017) about her was a skillful fourth dimension to learn more than about this reclusive adult female.The book reads like a novel as Liliane falls victim to a con man. Ane of the questions brought upward was it actually her family that was the real villain. You volition need to read the book and make upward your ain heed.
Liliane's girl, Françoise Bettencourt Meyer, filed a lawsuit against Liliane's friend Francois-Marie Banier. The lawsuit accused Banier of exploitation of a weakness. This was in 2007 merely at the onset of Liliane's Alzheimer's disease. Liliane gave Banier approximately i billion euros. I found information technology interesting that Liliana's begetter was anti-Semitic. Then his granddaughter, Francoise, married a Jew and is raising her two sons in the Hebrew faith.
The volume provides insight into the French judicial system which is based on Napoleonic code. It is a arrangement that seems made to delay final decisions as cases wind their way through the unlike court systems. The book is well written and meticulously researched. It is piece of cake to read and entertaining. I found the information about how the French courts work most interesting and I am glad I live nether the American system of law.
I read this equally an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The volume is fourteen hours long. Amanda Carlin does a good job narrating the book. Carlin is an actress and longtime audiobook narrator.
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Liliane gifted unbelievable amounts of money on Francois-Marie too as corking works of art, stocks in 50'Oreal, real estate and anything else that she felt he would savour. And he accepted them gladly and as he later stated, it made her happy to share her wealth with him. What exactly was their relationship? Her daughter saw him as an interloper who was taking reward of her mother's deteriorating mental condition and somewhen took him to court. The courtroom battles which escalated and included various others including politicians who were influenced by Banier, takes upwardly the latter half of the book which does tend to slow down the narrative.
The author avoids making this story a gossipy tell-all and sticks to the facts every bit much as possible. It leaves the reader with this question.......was Banier a con man or just someone who kept a alone sometime woman entertained and feeling needed?
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While not important to the case, I'grand offended that Lillian but accepted her father's racism and still adored his memory, especially afterward her merely kid married a Jewish man. Phone call me crazy, but all of that money given to some useless gadfly could have done and then much more trying to educate people of our terrible history of racism and endeavour to open up their hearts to all.
Lastly, at that place is family strife and Alzheimer's. As Tolstoy said, "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family unit is unhappy in its own fashion." The person in my family unit that was the strongest, that we all respected, and looked to for direction was laid depression by Alzheimer'due south. Lillian Bettencourt seems to have been an even powerful strength now laid low by the same affliction. While it seemed like coin grubbing to many, I applaud her daughter for her years of work and court cases. I wish they could have found more mutual ground when they were both younger and it mattered, but in the stop, her daughter was protecting her mom. I can't fault that.
The book was ultimately readable and equally I said, the wheels of French justice are so different from ours, that it was interesting. My only complaint is that at that place were a lot of players in this saga, however, Sancton did a really great job of keeping them all straight for his readers without being cavalier or a creating a flowchart.
In the end, in that location was a lot more than to like than to dislike, so I gave information technology 4 stars. Well-nigh non-fiction isn't for every reader and this is true here, but that doesn't mean it is a "meh" book.
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The Bettencourt family are the heirs of L'Oréal/Lancôme fort
The concluding fourth dimension I read such a gossipy journalism piece was a popular biography of Princess Diana—awhile ago. In improver to fantabulous enquiry and writing, this volume is fascinating considering of the prominence and influence of the Bettencourt family unit and the legal battle that captured the attending of all of French republic for near of a decade surrounding the world's richest woman, Lilian Bettencourt, and her artist-companion, François-Marie Banier.The Bettencourt family unit are the heirs of L'Oréal/Lancôme fortune. Since the beginning of the L'Oréal company before WWI, Lilian's granddad and father were deeply involved in French politics, an involvement that continued up to the decease of Liliane Bettencourt's married man. Liliane herself, sole heir to her father's house, attended to the family's business concern fortunes. The inveiglement and profiteering of the family fortunes through support for Nazis and the Vichy regime during the state of war years is a separate and intriguing aspect of the L'Oréal legacy that makes the family more interesting, every bit well as giving any story about the Lancôme/L'Oréal family an added soupçon of historical obloquy.
After her married man's decease, and for sometime before, Liliane formed a highly questionable attachment to a somewhat younger author/photographer/creative person, François-Marie Banier, who managed to extract something over 2 billion euros from his benefactress before the heiress's girl, Françoise, realized the extent of Banier'south influence, every bit well as her mother's declining mental state, due to dementia. Françoise sued Banier and and others who were shut to her mother, striking panic among officials and politicians, including Nicholas Sarkozy, who had reportedly received lavish illegal campaign funds and gifts from the famille Bettencourt, and the scandal was front page news in Paris and throughout France for nigh of a decade.
I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. The national crisis and its eventual dénouement is such a French-style scandal, that information technology was pure reading pleasure. I had to laugh when 1 character suggested that no American President could ever become away with such blatant abuse of entrada finance laws equally Mr. Sarkozy--I don't recollect they could have imagined our current Presidential debacle. Anyway, I enjoyed this French scandal which was a bit of a lite soufflé for me--well-written, gossipy, and entertaining.
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The Bettencourt Matter is virtually Liliane Schueller Bettencourt, the daughter of the founder of 50'Oreal; Françoise, her daughter; and François-Marie Banier, an artist that grew close to Liliane and whom Françoise accused of swindling her mother out of millions.
The truth is hard to discer
So I impulsively borrowed this for the train ride home from Bordeaux but it turned out to accept an unexpected connexion to the city! Turns out that the trial (or trials) at the Center in this book were held there.The Bettencourt Affair is most Liliane Schueller Bettencourt, the daughter of the founder of L'Oreal; Françoise, her girl; and François-Marie Banier, an artist that grew close to Liliane and whom Françoise defendant of swindling her female parent out of millions.
The truth is hard to discern. There is as definitely one point where Liliane wasn't fully in control of her mental faculties, simply it also seems similar even earlier that, and during her lucid moments, she knew for sure what she was doing and that she didn't care information technology would make her daughter angry. In fact, I think that Liliane's advisors may have manipulated her even more than.
And actually, no one in this volume is very likeable. Even Françoise, whom I initially sympathised with because she has a hard starting time due to Liliane's inability to connect with her, concluded upwardly appearing like all she cared about was command over her mother and her money rather than actually having true business concern (the part about how they stopped giving her dividends that they agreed she would exist paid after a settlement was negotiated was particularly distasteful).
And while the whole Bettencourt affair was riveting, what surprised me the near was how the founder of L'Oreal was anti-Semitic and might have supported Nazis and somehow, everyone just kept glossing over it. Like sure, in that location was some news in the press, but information technology seems like L'Oreal wasn't afflicted at all past this, which I found surprising.
Overall, this book was actually interesting. I don't really know much near L'Oreal or French politics (which is pretty intertwined with the Bettencourt case) so a lot of what the book covered was new to me. If the story of the Bettencourt interests you lot, definitely pick this volume up!
This review was get-go posted at Eustea Reads
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"THE BETTENCOURT Matter" at its heart is a story well-nigh a scandal that arose over the past decade from i of France's wealthiest families (who normally kept a v
I was attracted to "THE BETTENCOURT Thing: The World'southward Richest Adult female and the Scandal That Rocked Paris" by its cover. It caught my eye in a local independent bookstore several weeks ago. I weighed the book advisedly in my hands and glanced through its pages before deciding to purchase information technology. What an unexpected merry ride this book has given me!"THE BETTENCOURT AFFAIR" at its middle is a story about a scandal that arose over the past decade from one of France's wealthiest families (who commonly kept a very low contour). Information technology was a scandal that began equally a family drama between mother (Liliane Bettencourt, daughter of Eugène Schueller [1881-1957], a chemist by profession who founded L'Oréal, "the earth's leading company in cosmetics and dazzler" products -- who herself was one of the earth's wealthiest women) and daughter (Françoise Bettencourt Meyers) which, once leaked to the press in French republic, became a major scandal touching upon politics and L'Oréal'due south shadowy history, as well equally the family'south murky secrets arising out of the Second Earth War. This book had many layers that absorbed my involvement and read at times similar a spellbinding thriller.
Earlier reading "THE BETTENCOURT Affair", I knew very, very piddling about Fifty'Oréal. For me, it was a name of some large cosmetics company that dealt with dazzler and mode whose products I had seen advertised on TV over the years. Thank you, Tom Sancton, for this book. Information technology's truly impressive and reflects well the research that went into its creation and evolution. The author taught me a lot and deepened my already broad-ranging fascination with French history and culture. This volume is a keeper.
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Liliane Bettencourt, heir to the L'Oréal cosmetics fortune, is one of the globe'southward richest women. Married to Andre Bettencourt, a politican, Liliane became tired of her bourgeois life. She met and was attracted to Francois-Marie Banier. Banier was an creative person and photographer and a fellow member of artistic order that fascinated Liliane. Infatuated with him, she presented him with hundreds of millions of euros worth of real manor, painti
A Neat Fortune, A Lonely Adult female, A Con-human, and a Jealous DaughterLiliane Bettencourt, heir to the L'Oréal cosmetics fortune, is i of the world's richest women. Married to Andre Bettencourt, a politican, Liliane became tired of her bourgeois life. She met and was attracted to Francois-Marie Banier. Banier was an artist and lensman and a member of artistic society that fascinated Liliane. Infatuated with him, she presented him with hundreds of millions of euros worth of real manor, paintings, and greenbacks. Andre didn't complain nearly the money. He said it was her's to practise equally she wished.
Liliane's daughter, Francoise, thought differently about Banier and the family fortune assertive that he was taking advantage of her female parent. She had not been particularly close to her mother, probably because Liliane was not a maternal person and was absent during the early years of Francoise's life taking a tuberculosis cure, The rupture never healed. When Liliane started becoming dislocated. (She is presently suffering from Alzheimer's.) Francoise filed a law suit against Banier.
The lawsuit devolved into a major scandal involving corporate secrets, WWII relations with the Nazis, Swiss Bank accounts, and political payoffs.
This is a fascinating book. The unusual characters, tangled emotions, and high level political maneuvering makes the volume read more similar fiction than history. The book is very well researched, going in depth on the background of the characters as well as the trial.
For me, the volume started rather slowly with the history of the L'Oréal Visitor founded by her male parent Charles Schueller, a bright chemist and business man. This history is important to the rest of the story, and so information technology's necessary in order to understand the afterwards trial, simply it did make the early on chapters deadening when you lot're interested in the scandalous trial.
I received this volume from Net Galley for this review.
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The most interesting thing nigh the book for me was trying to determine whether I actually reached my own conclusion about the matter - that Banier wasn't so bad, that the old lady truly cared for him and that she had and then many billions that she was hardly depriving her estranged daughter of her great expectations by dropping one of her many billons on Banier. To me the daughter was an ungrateful wretch, a cold fish who caused a lot of unnecessary hurting, a classic example of using the legal system in the wrong way to torture people and and so end up mainly torturing yourself. Or did I only let myself exist led to this signal of view, which I remember the author shares, even so his seemingly objective approach to the story? I decided in the end that I was led, and information technology just goes to show how sometimes the greatest persuasive writing is done in a mode which appears to be objective facts neutrally presented, when it's really a subtle argument that pushes you inexorably to a single conclusion.
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I would have liked to see more on the Swiss banking concern accounts and the undeclared isle, and perchance a flake less on the personality of Banier. But and then over again, Sancton A pretty good summary of the affair, and besides the nighttime nazi past of its founder, every bit well as Mme Bettencourt's husband, André. At the same time a psychological analysis of immature men suppressed by their fathers, every bit well as their longings to delight others. In addition, an account of the mechanisms of political campaign financing in France.
I would accept liked to run across more than on the Swiss bank accounts and the undeclared island, and perhaps a bit less on the personality of Banier. But so again, Sancton had access to Banier, then he made detailed use of it. All in all, a good read. ...more than
1 key difference that our group raised however, is the writer'southward position vis-à-vis the affair that is being investigated. Different Bad Blood where John Carreyrou'southward affiliation to Washington Post besides his experience being followed and fifty-fifty intimidated during his investigation made it clear where he stood and what he was trying to attain. He was beginning tipped off about Theranos' fraud and and then gathered enough evidence to exist convinced that the startup presented a real societal danger and had to exist stopped. In the example of The Bettencourt Affair, things are non so clear-cut. Tom Sancton manages to makes sense of a complicated story with incredible talent. Sancton's power to walk the reader through the diverse legal developments in example and the skillful ways in which he recalls who is whom without ever doing information technology too much is quite admirable.
Notwithstanding, our volume club members were left with a general feeling of sympathy toward Liliane Bettencourt and could not quite decide whether that was a off-white stance to have after finishing the book and being presented with as full a movie every bit possible, or whether it indeed resulted from the author's own predisposition and bias. Although near of the volume comes across a off-white account of what happened, Sancton at times comes beyond as slightly irritated by Banier's attitude (granted, it is difficult non to be) as well as slightly outraged with Françoise's attitude towards the affair. Past the finish of the read, it becomes clear that the author believes Françoise has been consumed all of her life by her mother'south lack of amore and that Françoise'due south jealousy toward Banier (whom Liliane painfully loved similar a son) was most likely the driving force behind her adjust. In addition, the author more than hints that both Françoise and her husband always had the larger goal of gaining control over L'Oréal. Ultimately, it is difficult to accept any sympathy at all for Françoise and we felt uncomfortable about the fact that this might be partly considering of the author'south slight bias. In all fairness, this is non entirely the writer's doing, given that Françoise and her husband declined to exist interviewed within the framework of Sancton'due south inquiry.
I of the risks with writing a volume about a story similar this one is always to cease up being labeled as gossip and loose readers in an sea of insignificant, unsubstantial details. The Bettencourt Matter, though, is a phenomenal business relationship of a complicated family tragedy and an exciting tale of collusion between money and power. It provides for an interesting and fair - though non unbiased - critique of the French judicial organisation, every bit well as a near-ethnographic study of the oh-and then-french taboo and unease toward money and the rich.
...more Liliane Bettencourt is worth $36.one billion. She is cute, smart, articulate and likes to live life on her own terms. Her daughter, Francoise is quiet, plays the piano v hours a 24-hour interval and is married to a Jew. The women live across the street from each other merely have piffling contact and even less business organization for each other. This book is a modernistic day Greek tragedy virtually coin: the creation from scratch of one of the world's great fortunes (L'Oreal) and the apply and abuse of the wealth through
Rated 3.0Liliane Bettencourt is worth $36.1 billion. She is beautiful, smart, clear and likes to live life on her own terms. Her girl, Francoise is placidity, plays the piano 5 hours a twenty-four hours and is married to a Jew. The women live across the street from each other just have little contact and even less concern for each other. This volume is a modernistic day Greek tragedy about money: the creation from scratch of one of the world's great fortunes (L'Oreal) and the use and abuse of the wealth through iii generations. Should Liliane exist able to spend $1 billion of her money on a much younger man who is continually asking for money or should Francoise obtain guardianship of her female parent to ensure all the money comes to her and her family unit. The trial capture the world as obscene amounts of money was transferring easily to many greedy people, including the President of France.
I found this book difficult to read. The writer often included and so many details that were not necessary for the chief story. I didn't really care how each room was busy nor the lifestyle of each attorney involved in the case and at that place were many. I lost interest during these detours into the weeds in this book. The overall story was sorry in many ways. Liliane'southward deafness played an important role throughout the book. Francois' manipulation of Liliane was disgusting even if Liliane enjoyed him and wanted to bear witness her dear with money, fine art and real manor. Francoise's law suit to better position her family seemingly could have been resolved in far better means. Overall, this book was interesting but I often felt I was slogging through the swamps.
Was the earth s wealthiest woman Liliane Bettencourt heir to an estimated xxx-half dozen-billion-dollar L Oreal fortune, the victim of a con human? Or were her own family unit the real villains? This riveting narrative tells the real-life, shocking story behind the cause celebre that has captivated both France and the world.
Liliane Bettencourt is the world s richest woman and the eleventh wealthiest person on the planet, equally of 2016. Merely at ninety-four, she s embroiled in an incredible controversy that has dominated the headlines and ensnared a onetime president of French republic in the controversy. Why? Thanks to an artist and photographer named Francois-Marie Banier, who was given hundreds of millions of dollars by Liliane. Liliane s girl, Francoise, considers Banier a con human and filed a lawsuit against him, but Banier has a far different story to tell. Information technology south all become Europe s biggest scandal in years, uncovering a shadowy corporate history, cached Globe State of war Two secrets, illicit political payoffs, and much more.
Written by Tom Sancton, aVanity Faircontributor and formerTimecorrespondent currently living in French republic, The Bettencourt Affairis part court drama; part upstairs-downstairs tale; office concern narrative of a glamorous global company with past Nazi connections; and part grapheme-driven story of a complex, fascinating family unit and the intruder who nearly tore it autonomously."
A glimpse into the life of the FILTHY rich was, admittedly, kind of a fun endeavor. I thought I knew some rich Not generally subject matter that would especially interest me, but reviews were good so I read it. Very coherently written; at that place are a lot of characters involved, pretty much a agglomeration of French people a lot of whom have the name "Marie" in their names or some form of Francois/Francoise. Impressively, Tom Sancton somehow keeps them fairly articulate in my mind, which is no small undertaking.
A glimpse into the life of the FILTHY rich was, admittedly, kind of a fun attempt. I idea I knew some rich people. I thought a few of my friends were rich. In reading this volume, I realize that I had NO Idea. The Bettencourts are people to whom $100 Million Euros is like $100 to usa. They started the L'Oreal company way back when, and perfected the chemistry of pilus dyes. If y'all colour your hair and don't get cancer from it, you tin can thank Lillianne Bettencourt's grandfather.
I found myself rooting for ... no one, actually. None of these people accept done a damn thing to go all that coin, and then I really didn't intendance what happened to it. The rich old lady inherited it from her father who, indeed, did apparently work hard, although some unsavory anti-semitic politics in his past makes it way to the limelight, which had to be embarrassing.
The gigolo/friend, the gay artist (it doesn't seem to have been a sexual relationship, although apparently a very emotional one) does seem to work hard at his craft, although how he came to fall into the "patronage" of Lilian Bettencourt was just good luck and a charismatic personality.
Lilianne's daughter Francoise I tin can have a bit of sympathy for, as it doesn't audio similar Lilianne was much of a mother...later on Francoise pays her off past existence not much of a girl... maybe. Or mayhap it just actually got nether her skin that her female parent was existence played by this cad. Had Francois Marie (the guy in the story) won the arrange and walked away with every Euro he had managed to wheedle out of Lilianne Bettencourt, Francoise nonetheless would take had enough money to run a pocket-sized country.
Francoise is married to a Jewish guy, which adds a bit of interest, given her granddaddy'south and father's antisemitic writings and political back up of pro-German interests in the past, and her mother's dislike of him. Merely the Jewish guy, alas, adds no interest to the story; he merely supports and pushes for Francoise's financial interests.
I kept wanting to scream, but give information technology to clemency, for crying out loud! How much coin practice yous guys need?? How many homeless dogs could this feed? How many children could be educated?? How many miles of border wall tin France put up with all this coin? (Never mind ... too late.). Is this because I am American and don't particularly worship rich people unless they are a. cocky-made or b. do great things with their money? Or God forbid I am a cupboard socialist...Nah ...
Spoiler alert: the lawyers for both sides make a LOT of coin on this conflict. Bet you didn't come across that coming, LOL.
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The story follows Lilliane Bettencourt, the daughter of the founder of 50'Oreal, the make-up empire. It starts with her father and how he builds upward the company, giving us history into his background (anti-semetic Nazi sympathizer), we also learn how Lilliane'south time to come husband also had a shady background in relation to occupied France during WWII. The story moves al Fascinating volume about a scandal that hit Paris but honestly wasn't fifty-fifty talked well-nigh in America, so for me, everything was make new.
The story follows Lilliane Bettencourt, the daughter of the founder of L'Oreal, the make-up empire. It starts with her male parent and how he builds upward the company, giving us history into his groundwork (anti-semetic Nazi sympathizer), nosotros also learn how Lilliane's futurity husband also had a shady groundwork in relation to occupied France during WWII. The story moves forth to Lilliane as an adult, her estranged relationship with her just child, a daughter (she comes off as a very cold female parent) and we go to the meat and potatoes of the tale. I forgot how it comes about but Lilliane meets this photographer, Francoise-Marie, they become fast friends and in due grade Lilliane starts lavishing him with over the peak gifts, in monetary amounts that I tin just dream off.
The coin amounts bandied effectually in this book are obscene and the socialist in me thought almost all the good things that could have been done instead of buying one painting or having a life insurance policy of $iii meg.
Post-obit Lilliane'south husband's death and rumors that she was because adopting Francoise-Marie equally a son (thus entitling him to a lot more of her wealth), does Lilliane's daughter bring a court case against Francoise-Marie, likewise as other characters.
This book has shades of Empty Mansions. In the end, despite non really liking Lilliane, I felt a flake bad for her, seems similar everyone effectually her was just using her for her money. Everyone wants a piece of her fortune. I would say probably the but person who might have truly loved her for her, was her girl, who she treated like dirt.
I recollect this book would be interesting for a book gild, to see where people autumn, who they believe. I recommend as a nice piece of cake read - good for a commute, you can stop and start with ease. ...more
Sad, by the time it was all said and done, Lillian had Alzheimer's and the affair she feared most... having a guardian appointed by her daughter was the stop upshot. The love of money...
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At face value, it is the story of a younger person exploiting and playing on the loneliness and generosity of a wealthy elderly person. But, every bit the elderly person in question was Liliane Bettencourt, the wealthiest woman in the worl
I'm going to try and read more not-fiction this yr and I saw this on a book of the year list from NPR so thought I would requite it a effort. It is non normally something I am interested in - glory gossip and scandals - then perhaps take my review with a pinch of common salt.At face value, it is the story of a younger person exploiting and playing on the loneliness and generosity of a wealthy elderly person. But, as the elderly person in question was Liliane Bettencourt, the wealthiest woman in the globe, the scale is increased somewhat. Every bit the matter progresses, it becomes clear that any kind of moral high footing is missing with family, friends, staff, colleagues and politicians all swarming effectually the ailing billionaire, carving out a slice of coin for themselves. Surprisingly, the very rich seem to take few moral scruples when it comes to getting richer. Who'd take thought? For this reason, I establish it very difficult to engage with or care virtually any of the characters in the tale. They are all playing the same game trying to get as much as they possibly can for themselves and pay as little tax as possible and, while Liliane was mentally capable, it was clear that the sums she was doling out to Banier (the 'con-man') and others was a drib in the ocean of her billions. It made no difference. Then, overall, a depressingly familiar tale of wealth and hardly the earth-shattering story that the blurb describes it as.
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You desire a rags to riches story? It'southward got it.
Yous desire Nazis and French collaborators? Hell yeah
You want a deafened rich woman who cannot connect to her daughter? Get hither!
You want an eccentric artist? Yup
An eccentric artist who the author always reminds us knows Johnny Depp? Yo
You want a rags to riches story? It's got it.
You want Nazis and French collaborators? Hell yeah
Y'all want a deafened rich adult female who cannot connect to her girl? Become here!
You lot want an eccentric artist? Yup
An eccentric artist who the author always reminds united states of america knows Johnny Depp? Yous know the drill by now
You want some crazy French legal drama? Open up this book already!
I'll never see L'Oreal in the shop and not think nearly this story or the family unit behind it. Fact is sometimes more than interesting than fiction.
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