Shades of Fortune

by Stephen Birmingham

Book Overview

This is a novel of a modern-day cosmetics empire and the dynamic family dynasty behind it. Stephen Birmingham is the author of more than 20 works of fiction and nonfiction including The Auerbach Will... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0515108448
• ISBN13: 9780515108446
• Release Date: April 1992
• Publisher: Jove Books
• Length: 472 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

A HOUSE-DIVIDED FAMILY SAGA

Mimi Myerson takes over the family business and deals with her sometimes neurotic family members, her departed grandfather's sometimes ruthless manner she learns more and more about, her grandmother, Flo's, intuitive understanding of the past and present family with her maneuvering the situations around while claiming "I can't see in my old age" (but we know she does!), the brothers, sisters, husbands, wives who turn in different directions, leaving you to wonder just how they will turn out at the end of the book. This family saga takes you to the rich and powerful people with names mentioned (Trump, Elizabeth Taylor, etc. and the cosmetic giants), and almost leaves you wondering where much of the personal information about these people came from? Mimi's launching of a new fragrance is met with some hurdles, and you may find the book slow to start due to introducing you to the family members, but once you're into it, you won't put it down. During this launching you'll learn about perfumes and cosmetics, how they originated, and even how mens' interest in these items started. And to think it all starts in Mimi's family with one man who accidentally thickened a can of paint and turned it into nail polish!

Great family saga

Mimi Myerson, head of the Myerson family company of cosmetics and perfumes, rescued her grandfather's failing company and turned it into a huge, successful empire.She's about to launch a new fragrance,Mireille, named after herself, at the cost of a multi million dollar advertising campaign which could turn them back into a private company if successful or cripple them financially if the new fragrance doesn't "take". Family rivalries and jealousies threaten her venture and episodes from the past come back to haunt various family members. If you enjoy a big family saga with lots of descriptions of fashion, jewels, magnificent houses and furnishings, this is the book for you...I loved it !