Nowaday, the name Rebekah Harkness probably raised only a few eyebrows for the uninitiated. But at one time, not so long ago, she was one of the richest, and also infamous woman in the world.

"Blue Blood" tells the story of Rebekah Semple West, the rebellious socialite daughter of a wealthy businessman who went on to marry William Hale Harkness, one of the richest men of his days. After his untimely death, Rebekah inherited his fortune, and it seems where money goes, trouble follows.

To the public at large, Rebekah Harkness was a rich, generous (in truth, too generous) woman who backed the arts, including the Harkness Ballet. But what they don't know was that as generous as she can be, Rebekah's favor is also a fickle, and all too often, a fleeting thing. People who displeased her are quickly written out of the picture....but all too often, Rebekah, in an ever vicious cycle, replaced them with similar, if not worse, opportunists and syncophants.

While she may appear regal in public, her private life was a shambles. Even with all the money in the world, Rebekah failed miserably as a mother, sharing strained relationships with her children. Her attempts to buy approval and affection with her money only ended in ruined lives and a squandered fortune.

All that aside, Blue Blood did its research and constructed a complex and fascinating view of Rebekah Harkness. While it might paint Rebekah as a villain at times, it also remind us that for all her faults, Rebekah is still a human being and not a saint; and she's not supposed to be.

Chock full of interesting tidbits and gossip (and photos in the middle of the book), Blue Blood provides a rare look into the world where the rich mingled....

And reminds us that the only people who can truly appreciate wealth are those who didn't have it before and earned it themselves.