Some of you may have seen Janet Maslin's review in last Monday's NY Times
of "Archie and Amelie: Love and Madness in the Gilded Age," by Donna M.
Lucey (who happens to be my wife).  This biography tells the story of John
Armstrong Chanler, an Astor heir, and his wife, the Virginia novelist
Amelie Rives, later known as the Princess Troubetzkoy.  Much of the story
takes place in NY, notably at the Astor estate, Rokeby.  Archie was
confined at Bloomingdale Asylum in White Plains until he escaped in
dramatic fashion in 1900.  Merritt Bookstore, Red Hook, is holding a
reading/signing event at Rokeby this Friday, 7/7, at 5:00 pm.  Details can
be found on the Merritt Bookstore website.

Henry Wiencek
Charlottesville, Virginia