The financial fall-out from the scam perpetrated by Bernie Madoff claimed many victims and many of their tragic stories have been heard: people's lives turned upside down, crushed and ruined, some with no hope of recovery. Bernie Madoff is in prison, but there is no retribution...no answers for those who have been hurt beyond measure. One victim, silent until now, is Stephanie Mack Madoff, the widow of Mark, Bernie's eldest son who took his own life. And if you scoff at her being a victim, then you must read her story...it's truly heartbreaking. I picked it up out of curiosity and I was blown away.
I've often wondered, (and I'll bet you have too what it must have been like to be a member of the Madoff family...this book brings it home: It is filled with intimate details of Mark and Stephanie's courtship, their marriage (including the rough patches), their daily life, Mark's devotion to his children from his first marriage and their two children together. Stephanie discusses her relationship with both Ruth and Bernie....where credit is due she gives it e.g. both Ruth and Bernie were loving grandparents.) The mind boggles! She comes across as totally sincere, totally honest, and totally devastated by the betrayal and what it did to her husband and her family. Put yourself in her place...there is no training for enduring the nightmare that her life became.
But this is also the story of her husband Mark who, because of the legalities involved, was never able to publicly stand up for himself and deny the accusations of his involvement in the debacle. Again, I urge you to read about him from Stephanie's perspective...her passion for you to know Mark as she knew him is palpable. There is also the description of the children and how they're coping with Mark's death. Anyone who's been there will recognize the gut-wrenching difficulty of keeping oneself together on their behalf.
I think it's important to note that this book doesn't come across as tabloid fodder...there's nothing trashy about it. What it is, is well-written and compelling. You'll want to finish it in one sitting.
There is a spirit in this young woman that is to be admired. She's had a lot on her plate to contend with and she is managing to do so with spunk and grace and hope for the future. I for one wish her the best and hope that future is bright.
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