6 Novels About Wealthy Families
It’s the day after the final episode of Succession, one of the finest examples of television writing (or any writing, really) in recent history. No spoilers here, but we’ve been thinking of novels that deal with similar themes of extreme wealth, control and family trauma, and come up with a few options to fill the void. Of course, some of the themes of the show are so universal that you could fit a multitude of works into this category, but here are six that felt most compelling.
King Lear - William Shakespeare (1606)
Arguably the play that inspired the show, and a masterful classic in itself, Shakespeare’s play tells the tale of a king who tries to divide his power and land between his successors, only to end up with a host of problems and political machinations. It’s a work that has inspired people for centuries, and a tragic tale that still resonates.
The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton (1920)
The winner of the 1921 Pulitzer Prize, making Wharton the first ever female recipient, this novel centers on the impending marriage of an elite New York couple in the 19th century, and the complications that follow. One of the most prominent themes of the book is wealth and social status, the competition between old and new money, and the way these influence relationships and perceptions.
Bonfire of the Vanities - Tom Wolfe (1987)
A novel that captures New York City in the 1980s through the lives of a bond trader, an attorney and a journalist, Wolfe’s masterful work is less directly about a single wealthy family, but touches upon various aspects of class, race and ambition in striking ways. It also showcases various sides of a city in turmoil, bringing to the fore many of the themes that shows like Succession dissect in surprising and unnerving ways.
The Man Who Owns the News - Michael Wolff (2008)
As a bonus - this profile of Rupert Murdoch explores the life and impact of one of the billionaires who Succession is allegedly based on, and the colourful and often despicable life Murdoch has lived. Exploring various sagas around the decades-long career of Murdoch as he buys and develops various media properties, with scandal rarely far away, it’s a compelling account of an outsized life.
Rules of Civility - Amor Towles (2011)
Another retro tale of finding yourself and your fortune in jazz age Manhattan, Amor Towles’ book is clearly inspired by classics like the Great Gatsby and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Set in 1938 in New York, the novel is about a year in the life of a twenty-five year old woman and her journey from nobody to the gilded upper echelons of New York society.
Rich People Problems - Kevin Kwan (2017)
The final segment of the infamous Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, Kevin Kwan’s book takes the kind of abhorrent people you enjoy watching on television and relocates them to Singapore, now amongst the world’s most expensive cities. From family dynamics to Asian customs to expectations in marriages to obscene displays of wealth, the book hops between continents with ease as an ultra-wealthy couple from Singapore navigates the perils of their class.
Trust - Hernan Diaz (2022)
A book that gained great traction over the past couple of years, Trust is a novel that spans a century and explores the fallout of great wealth and the life of New York tycoons that feels like a homage to Edith Wharton or Fitzgerald, but adding post-modern elements and a style that is uniquely his own. A story within a story that seems to be about wealth but actually reveals itself as an exploration of identity and the fictions we invent, it’s definitely worth a read.