World renowned for its vast woodland gardens, its 175-room house, and its unrivaled collection of American decorative arts, Winterthur in Delaware is today among the most beloved museums in the United States. In its earlier days Winterthur was the family home where Ruth du Pont Lord grew up and where her father, Henry F. du Pont (1880-1969), envisioned and then brought to fruition his great museum of Americana. In this memoir, Ruth Lord engagingly describes the development of Henry F. du Pont from a shy, lonely child, a seemingly hopeless student, to a man who went on to achieve singular distinction in three disparate fields-as art connoisseur, horticulturist, and eminent cattle breeder. Based on her personal experience, and on extraordinary family archives, the author provides a behind-the-scenes view of the legendary lifestyle of the du Pont family, brings to life other family members, including her brilliant mother and her irrepressible aunt, Louise Crowninshield, and tells of her father's many additional activities, which culminated in his leadership role in Jacqueline Kennedy's White House restoration.Library JournalLord, daughter of Henry F. du Pont (18801969), has written a memoir of her father and his times. Her book is also the story of the beloved family home, Winterthur, which has become a renowned museum. Lord, a research affiliate at Yales Child Study Center, devotes most of the memoir to her parents, Henry F. du Pont and Ruth Wales du Pont, and her aunt, Louise Crowninshield. Lord describes her fathers various accomplishments as art connoisseur, horticulturist, and cattle breeder. Two of his major achievements were the opening of the Winterthur Museum and his work on the restoration of the White House during the Kennedy administration. This is both a firsthand account of growing up in a remarkable family and the story of a multitalented man. It is also an inside look at the establishment and history of the Winterthur Museum. Genealogical charts and bibliographical references are included. Recommended for both history and fine arts collections in academic and public libraries.Lucy T. Heckman, St. Johns Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY