Greed in the Gilded Age: The Brilliant Con of Cassie Chadwick

Greed in the Gilded Age is a tale of mystery, money, sex, and scandal, featuring Cassie Chadwick, who conned 2 million dollars by claiming to be the illegitimate daughter and heir of Andrew Carnegie. She was a product of her time and broke boundaries of class, education, and gender to beat the men of the one percent at their own game.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 212 pages
Publication date: 16 April 2024
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Greed in the Gilded Age is a captivating tale of mystery, money, sex, and scandal that mirrors the style of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." In this captivating narrative, Hazelgrove skillfully weaves together newspaper articles to recount the story of one of the most remarkable cons in American history. The protagonist of this tale is Cassie Chadwick, a woman who exploited her gender and the societal expectations of the time to con her way to millions of dollars. Chadwick's scheme was simple yet effective: she claimed to be the illegitimate daughter and heir of steel titan Andrew Carnegie, and she used this claim to convince highly educated financiers to loan her hundreds of thousands of dollars based solely on a rumor and her word. Chadwick's success was a testament to her intelligence, inventiveness, boldness, and aggressiveness, as she was able to break through the boundaries of class, education, and gender to outsmart the elite of the one percent. However, it is important to note that the times in which Chadwick lived rewarded such qualities, and portraying her as a criminal is only one way to look at her story. In many ways, Chadwick was a product of her time, and her actions were a reflection of the societal norms and values of the era. While her scheme may have been unethical, it also highlighted the flaws and inequalities of the Gilded Age. Greed in the Gilded Age serves as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked ambition and the consequences of exploiting others for personal gain. It is a cautionary tale that reminds us of the importance of integrity, honesty, and empathy in our pursuit of success.

Weight: 327g
Dimension: 229 x 151 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538189405