Florence Gould’s
French parents did very well in turn-of-the-century San Francisco
amassing a substantial real estate portfolio. The San Francisco
earthquake changed all that. Although the family was safe, the
buildings were damaged or destroyed. Florence’s mother fearing a
worse catastrophe took her daughters to France.
From an early age,
Florence knew exactly what she wanted: money and love. Marrying Frank
Gould, son of the railway magnate, Jay Gould, she achieved financial
success. With Frank, she moved to France where they amassed an
entertainment empire of luxury hotels and casinos. World War II
ruined many fortunes, but Florence and Frank stayed in France and
prospered much through Florence’s contacts with the Nazis. Not only
did she continue to be wealthy, but she bought a substantial art
collection much of it looted by the Nazis.
The book is a
fascinating, well researched look at Florence’s life. The early
chapters present a picture of the young Florence and her
determination to get what she wanted from life. The middle chapters
describing Frank and Florence’s forays into French real estate are
interesting, but I think the best part of the book details her
activities during the Nazi occupation of France. Florence was a
hard-headed woman determined to get what she wanted.
The book is not a
quick read. I found parts quite boring. However, the ending chapters
were worth waiting for. If you’re interested in the WWII
period, I recommend this book. It gives an overview of the period and
one of it’s colorful characters.
I received this book
from St Martin’s Press for this review.
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