{"title":"Tom Sancton","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the Tom Sancton collection, where captivating stories about remarkable lives come to the forefront. Tom Sancton is a distinguished author celebrated for his engaging works in the \u003cem\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/em\u003e genre. With a knack for meticulous research and evocative storytelling, Sancton transports readers into the intricate details of real-life narratives, captivating even the most discerning readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the standout works in this collection is \u003cem\u003eThe Bettencourt Affair\u003c\/em\u003e. This riveting biography delves into the fascinating and tumultuous life of Liliane Bettencourt, heiress to the L’Oréal fortune and one of the wealthiest women in the world. Sancton immerses readers in a world of glamour, power, and complex family dynamics, all set against the backdrop of a gripping legal battle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're drawn to stories of wealth and influence or simply appreciate a well-told biography, Tom Sancton's books provide both insight and intrigue. Discover his works and explore the profound narratives that offer a glimpse into lives that have shaped history.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-bettencourt-affair-by-tom-sancton-9781101984499","title":"The Bettencourt Affair","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn NPR Best Book of 2017\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Bettencourt Affair\u003c\/i\u003e is part courtroom drama, part upstairs-downstairs tale, and part character-driven story of a complex, fascinating family and the intruder who nearly tore it apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHeiress to the nearly forty-billion-dollar L'Oreal fortune, Liliane Bettencourt was the world's richest woman and the fourteenth wealthiest person. But her gilded life took a dark yet fascinating turn in the past decade. At ninety-four, she was embroiled in what has been called the Bettencourt Affair, a scandal that dominated the headlines in France. Why? It's a tangled web of hidden secrets, divided loyalties, frayed relationships, and fractured families, set in the most romantic city—and involving the most glamorous industry—in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Bettencourt Affair\u003c\/i\u003e started as a family drama but quickly became a massive scandal, uncovering L'Oreal's shadowy corporate history and buried World War II secrets. From the Right Bank mansions to the Left Bank artist havens, and from the Bettencourts' servant quarters to the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy, all of Paris was shaken by the blockbuster case, the shocking reversals, and the surprising final victim.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt all began when Liliane met François-Marie Banier, an artist and photographer who was, in his youth, the toast of Paris and a protégé of Salvador Dali. Over the next two decades, Banier was given hundreds of millions of dollars in gifts, cash, and insurance policies by Liliane. What, exactly, was their relationship? It wasn't clear, least of all to Liliane's daughter and only child, Françoise, who became suspicious of Banier's motives and filed a lawsuit against him. But Banier has a far different story to tell...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Bettencourt Affair\u003c\/i\u003e is part courtroom drama, part upstairs-downstairs tale, and part character-driven story of a complex, fascinating family and the intruder who nearly tore it apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46121406628076,"sku":"9781101984499","price":37.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781101984499.jpg?v=1737424759"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/tom-sancton.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}