St. Charles library hosts William Hazelgrove for book talk on massive Gilded Age scam
On Wednesday, Sept. 10, national bestselling author William Hazelgrove will be at the St. Charles Public Library to discuss his recent book “Greed in the Gilded Age: The Brilliant Con of Cassie Chadwick” at 1 p.m.
Hazelgrove will tell the story of one of the greatest con artists in American history, Cassie Chadwick, who scammed wealthy bankers out of millions in the 1890s.
Chadwick was front-page news at the turn of the century when she successfully conned at least $2 million from wealthy New York financiers simply by claiming to be the illegitimate daughter and heir of steel titan Andrew Carnegie.
Hazelgrove is the national bestselling author of 10 novels and 12 narrative nonfiction titles. His books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, Book of the Month Selections, and ALA Editor’s Choice Awards Junior Library Guild Selections. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence, where he wrote in the attic of Hemingway’s birthplace; he has written articles and reviews for USA Today and other publications; and has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered. The New York Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, and USA Today have all covered his books with features.
The St. Charles Library Foundation funds this program. Books will be available for purchase. To register, visit scpld.org or call (630) 584-0076.