Too Much Money
Encyclopedia
Too Much Money is the last novel written by Dominick Dunne
, published posthumously in the year of his death 2009. A roman a clef
, its protagonist, August (Gus) Bailey, is an alter ego
of the author.
, his terminal cancer, questions about his sexuality, his dealings with Vanity Fair
, and his disdain for certain social climbers, notably Lily Safra
, an aim of his parting shot even "beyond his grave". Some of the appeal of the book is trying to find out who is who in real life and separating fact from fiction. The book describes lives in the upper echelons of the New York society as well as the people who surround it, walkers, florists, cooks, and undertakers. Many of the characters had been described in People Like Us and having not emotionally grown, live in a world separated from main society, preoccupied with trivial gossip and fierce infighting about their standing and recognition.
The final book has been found to have certain shortcomings; descriptions and characterizations are repetitive and sentences are loaded with information where items are bought and how much they cost, making for "clumsy" reading.
Dominick Dunne
Dominick John Dunne was an American writer and investigative journalist, whose subjects frequently hinged on the ways in which high society interacts with the judicial system...
, published posthumously in the year of his death 2009. A roman a clef
Roman à clef
Roman à clef or roman à clé , French for "novel with a key", is a phrase used to describe a novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people, and the "key" is the relationship between the nonfiction and the fiction...
, its protagonist, August (Gus) Bailey, is an alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
of the author.
Plot
Living in New York, Gus Bailey, a writer for Park Avenue, a monthly magazine, takes a last look as an insider into the affairs of the rich and famous. As a popular guest at parties people talk to him, but with his writings he has made enemies. Thus he is sued by former congressman Kyle Cramden for slander for falsely linking him to the murder of a female intern, he is facing the potential vengeance of Elias Renthal, a finacier about to be released from prison, and he is being investigated by Perla Zacharias, the third richest women in the world, who has been unhappy about Gus' interest in the circumstances of the death of her banker-husband in a mysterious fire at his penthouse. Gus interacts with members of New York high society, among them Lil Altemus who at the age of 76 starts working as a real estate agent to improve her financial situation, Ruby Renthal, Elias' wife who prepares for her husband's return into society, and Addison Kent, the kleptomane "walker" of Perla Zacharias, and attends the funeral of its Grand Old Dame, the 105 year-old Adele Harcourt. Gus's life is coming to an end, too; he learns that he has cancer. Perla is aware that Gus is about to write a novel based on her life and determined to stop it. She links up with his enemies, seems to employ Mossad agents, places a rumor that he is a pedophile, and pressures his publisher to back out of the project. Through philantropic lavishness she is trying to "buy" herself into the high strata of society. Refuting the ugly rumor Gus "comes out" about his former bisexuality, and claims to have been celibate for two decades. He settles the law suit, amends with the Renthals, and finds a new backer for his book to proceed with his final project.Comments
Dunne, known for writing "fact-based fiction" about high society and crime, delivered a book that may be more about him than about scandals. Gus' situation reflects on aspects of Dunne's life towards its end, his legal entanglement with Gary ConditGary Condit
Gary Adrian Condit is a former American politician, a Democrat who served in the House of Representatives from 1989 to 2003...
, his terminal cancer, questions about his sexuality, his dealings with Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, and his disdain for certain social climbers, notably Lily Safra
Lily Safra
Lily Safra is a Brazilian-Monegasque philanthropist and social figure who attained considerable wealth after four marriages. Her net worth is estimated at $1 billion, ranking her as the 701st richest person in the world according to Forbes in 2009...
, an aim of his parting shot even "beyond his grave". Some of the appeal of the book is trying to find out who is who in real life and separating fact from fiction. The book describes lives in the upper echelons of the New York society as well as the people who surround it, walkers, florists, cooks, and undertakers. Many of the characters had been described in People Like Us and having not emotionally grown, live in a world separated from main society, preoccupied with trivial gossip and fierce infighting about their standing and recognition.
The final book has been found to have certain shortcomings; descriptions and characterizations are repetitive and sentences are loaded with information where items are bought and how much they cost, making for "clumsy" reading.