Mrs Parkington

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In this splendid novel, we meet Susie Parkington, who at eighty-four prepares for Christmas dinner in a Manhattan mansion. Set in the years following the Great Depression of 1929, her family's fortune has endured thanks to the cunning of her late husband, Gus Parkington. As she enters the drawing room to join her children and grandchildren, the scene is both tragic and revealing: those who haven't crumbled under the weight of boredom have made disastrous marriages; others have engaged in petty schemes, trading worthless stocks and inflating the market with false promises. All await the moment when Susie will pass on, eager for the inheritance to be divided. Yet, she remains resolute, determined to ensure that the future holds meaning for honest work. This strong and intelligent woman navigates the intrigues of Wall Street and walks the streets of early 20th-century New York, embodying a character that resonates with contemporary struggles against corruption, with only the length of skirts having changed.