299. Carnegie’s Maid

Rating:  ☆☆☆1/2

Recommended by:

Author:   Marie Benedict

Genre:  Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

283 pages, published August 12, 2014

Reading Format:  Audio Book

Summary

Fresh off the boat from Ireland in the 1860s, through a case of mistaken identity, fresh faced and intelligent Clara Kelly finds herself serving as a ladies’ maid to the mother of prominent businessman Andrew Carnegie.  By the end of the book, Clara and Andrew find themselves in love, but at a crossroads.  Throughout the book, we witness Andrew Carnegie’s transformation from hardnosed industrialist into one of America’s greatest philanthropist.

Quotes 

“As Mrs. Barrett Browning says, ‘The world of books is still the world.”

“You know what they say. Any fool can earn money, but it takes a wise man to keep it.”

“Whatever I engage in I must push inordinately; therefore should I be careful to choose that life which will be the most elevating in its character.”

 

“Andrew Carnegie, who is the man who built this free library and thousands more libraries with his own money. A man who gave the gift of books and education to every person, regardless of how much money they had.” 

My Take

Other than his namesakes Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Mellon University and his donations to many, many libraries throughout the U.S., I didn’t know much about Andrew Carnegie prior to reading Carnegie’s Maid.  Through the viewpoint of a maid in his house, the book paints a detailed and sympathetic portrait of the man and the times that he lived in.  Not the greatest book, but it is worthwhile for its illumination of this famous man and period of American history.