Evalyn Walsh McLean

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Father Struck It Rich is a memoir written by Evalyn Walsh McLean, the daughter of a successful mining entrepreneur. The book chronicles McLean's life growing up in the American West during the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as her experiences as an adult living in Washington D.C. during the 1920s and 30s.The title of the book refers to McLean's father's discovery of a rich gold mine in Colorado, which made him incredibly wealthy. McLean describes the extravagant lifestyle that her family led as a result of this newfound wealth, including their travels around the world, their lavish parties, and their extensive art collection.However, the book also delves into the darker aspects of McLean's life, including her troubled marriage to a man who was addicted to drugs and alcohol, as well as the tragic loss of her son in a car accident.Throughout the book, McLean reflects on the highs and lows of her life, and offers insights into the challenges that come with great wealth and privilege. Overall, Father Struck It Rich is a fascinating and engaging memoir that offers a unique perspective on American history and culture.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

The last and longest private owner of the Hope Diamond, Evalyn Walsh McLean led anything but an ordinary life. Evalyn grew up a poor girl in a rough Colorado mining town where her father discovered one of the largest gold mines in the United States. The newly wealthy family relocated to Washington, D.C., where she met and married Ned McLean, who inherited the renowned Washington Post and the Cincinnati Enquirer. With the combined influence of the Walsh and McLean families, Evalyn developed friendships with the politically prominent in the nation’s capital and became the city’s favorite hostess. Notorious for giving magnificent parties, she counted the Tafts, the Hardings, the Coolidges, Alice Roosevelt, J. Edgar Hoover, and Ethel Barrymore among her many personal friends.The McLeans purchased the Hope Diamond when Evalyn was only twenty-four.Wagging tongues and the diamond’s supposed curse did not, however, prevent her from wearing it. She lost the diamond a few times, too, once by putting it around her Great Dane’s neck. When she left the Hope Diamond to her grandchildren in 1947, it was worth two million dollars.Evalyn loved her diamonds, but she loved children, pets, and life more. The deep indigo stone is but a single facet of her story. Her autobiography, Father Struck It Rich, became a best-seller in the mid-thirties. Now illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, Queen of Diamonds is that autobiography with a foreword by her great-grandson and an epilogue describing the last decade of her life.