It's looking like another banner year for America's moneyed over-class, the lucky .0001 percent sitting on $30 million-plus in liquid assets.
But sadly, most of the newcomers joining their ranks are simply not prepared to make the decisions that come with having it all. Unsure about everything—butler or majordomo? St. Tropez or St. Thomas?—they will blow their hard-earned billions on tacky houses, outrageous wardrobes, and outré diversions of various stripes. Because, while there are countless ways to make a fortune these days, there's still only one way to be Filthy Rich.
Fortunately, in the spirit of The Official Preppy Handbook—the 1.3-million-copy bestseller that taught all of us how to be WASPily top drawer—help has arrived. A dead-on, deadpan guide to living large in the land of plenty, The Official Filthy Rich Handbook yanks the monogrammed pashmina off a world few mortals ever get to see. Packed with insight and savvy, it brings this rarified universe to scandalous new life, feeding our endless fascination with the tastefully loaded, while offering practical instructions for those who dream of joining them.
In it, you'll learn not only where to live and what to wear, but about the things that really matter. How to hire a household staff. The right cosmetic surgery procedures for you...and your children. The proper way to name your houses. The sacred role of privet hedges. Why the Filthy Rich swim naked. The down-and-dirty on your fellow plutocrats (The Nerdling, The Raider, and the Grande Dame, to name a few). The moochers and scoundrels to know and avoid. How to buy a gigayacht. The right spots to party in Sardinia, Aspen, Nantucket, and St. Barts. The world's hottest tax havens. The four interior decorators worth waiting for. The Filthy Richest rehabs. Boarding schools of the rich and feckless. Why it's so hard to break into the art market and how to sound smart about Richard Serra. And much, much more. The rich "are different from you and me," F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote. Wait until you see the Filthy Rich.
A must for any arriviste Making money is one thing, acquiring the tasteful mannerisms of the rich is another. This book helps newly minted money acquire the ways of old money.
I can't even begin to tell how many times I've met the noveau riche, and they've annoyed the heck out of me during the summer parties I've hosted in Newport, RI. I've instructed my butler to discreetly slip a copy of this book in the offender's butler's pocket so they may acquire better manners and taste.
These days, when I'm called on to deliver commencement addresses at sundry universities, I always make it a point to mention the book so that the kids know how to behave as soon as they sell their first dot-com. I'm also sponsoring translations of the book into both Chinese and Hindi so the newly rich from those countries can fit into our social scene here.
One final thought... show some taste by acquiring the hardcover. Leave the paperbacks to the staff "downstairs".
Thorough and Witty. a bonafide precious gem in a sea of cult lit cubic zirconia First, let me start by saying, based solely upon Tennant's book jacket author photo, he is probably one of the best looking straight dude authors I have seen in ages. This alone, would normally make me a little skeptical but the book is just so damn thorough that it makes it impossible to hate the guy.
Not only does he have an encyclopedic understanding of the lifestyles of the rich and fabulous but he actually conveys knowledge about stuff most people (including myself, and I happen to have impeccable taste) don't already know, and in a way that is informative, witty, impassioned and borderline satirical.
Also, following up the Preppy Handbook is no small feat but Tennant really gets an ace in the hole on this one. Doesn't disappoint!
Witty dissection of a subculture If, like me, you find the immoderately rich kinda fascinating in their loathsomeness--think Goldie Hawn in the guilty-pleasure movie, Overboard--this book will totally feed that fascination. It's also quite impressive as a tour de force of McSweeney's-esque chartiness.
It reminds me of the time I visited a college friend in Ohio and quickly realized she'd failed to warn me she was filthy rich. Her grandmother's "cottage" turned out to be a sprawling turn-of-the-century home with a vast formal English Rose Garden and a daunting assortment of cutlery (each piece intended for some insanely specific purpose...I remember they had a fork specifically for duck.) The whole trip was a nightmare and I ruined an entire set of "heirloom sheets" with ink from a cheap, crappy Bic pen while documenting the family's alien qualities in my journal.
Had I been equipped with this comprehensive book, things might have gone a lot better.
Must read entertainment!! Most enjoyable read in a long time! Well written and clever while giving information that, while not necessary, should not be missed!
Those crazy rich peps! Great book! Tennant nails the rich & fabulous life to a T (or so I've heard...) Go buy this book ASAP!
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