The Whims of Fortune: The Memoirs of Guy de Rothschild.

Rothschild... the name has an unmatched allure, conjuring up a private world of privilege as well as a unique place in history. "The glory and myth of the Rothschilds lies not only in their having known how to make and maintain their fortune," writes Guy de Rothschild, the head of the French branch of the family, "but also in their having dared something much more difficult: to be themselves in all times and places." In this sparkling, incisive and witty memoir, Baron de Rothschild surprises us again and takes us beyond the myth to reveal the unexpected ups and downs of a life that one would have thought of as most protected; we find him heroic, and more of an Everyman.