I absolutely loved this article in today's New York Times about Wendy Burden, a descendant of the Vanderbilt family who has just published a book "Dead-End Gene Pool." Not only is her house beautifully decorated, she also has a resilient sense of humor that has given her a unique perspective on growing up in the lap of luxury. She is neither full of resentment nor trying to come across as another victim of the silver spoon lifestyle. I would love to have a house full of heirlooms from wacky family members and plenty of stories to go along with them. Maybe when I'm home I'll pick up a copy of her book and indulge.
Below are some more photos and some hilarious quotations from the article.
“My whole life, all I do is arrange things,” she says. “I can’t see three rocks without putting them on top of each other.”
“I don’t want this to be seen like a poor little rich girl thing,” she says. “I don’t see myself as having been mistreated, the neglected childhood. I had a great time. Can you imagine growing up with all that stuff?”
