by Stephanie Madoff Mack
Description
An explosive, heartbreaking memoir from the widow of Mark Madoff and daughter-in-law of Bernard Madoff, the first genuine inside story from a family member who has lived through- and survived-both the public crisis and her own deeply personal tragedy.
When the news of Bernard Madoff 's Ponzi scheme broke, Americans were shocked and outraged, perhaps none more so than the unsuspecting members of his own family. After learning that their father's legendarily successful wealth management company was "all just one big lie," Mark and Andrew Madoff turned their father in and cut off all communication with both parents. Mark and his wife, Stephanie, strove to make a fresh start for the sake of their two young children, but Mark could not overcome his sense of betrayal and shame-he and other family members were sued for $200 million in October of 2009. He hung himself on the two-year anniversary of his father's arrest. Left to raise her children as a single mother, Stephanie wrote this memoir to give them a sense of who their father really was, defend his innocence, and put her personal statement on record once and for all. In this candid insider account, she talks about her idyllic wedding to Mark on Nantucket, what it was really like to be a part of the Madoff family, the build-up to Bernard's confession, and the media frenzy that followed. It is about the loss of the fairytale life she knew, adjusting to life with a man she hardly recognized anymore, and the tragic and final loss of her husband.
DetailsWhen the news of Bernard Madoff 's Ponzi scheme broke, Americans were shocked and outraged, perhaps none more so than the unsuspecting members of his own family. After learning that their father's legendarily successful wealth management company was "all just one big lie," Mark and Andrew Madoff turned their father in and cut off all communication with both parents. Mark and his wife, Stephanie, strove to make a fresh start for the sake of their two young children, but Mark could not overcome his sense of betrayal and shame-he and other family members were sued for $200 million in October of 2009. He hung himself on the two-year anniversary of his father's arrest. Left to raise her children as a single mother, Stephanie wrote this memoir to give them a sense of who their father really was, defend his innocence, and put her personal statement on record once and for all. In this candid insider account, she talks about her idyllic wedding to Mark on Nantucket, what it was really like to be a part of the Madoff family, the build-up to Bernard's confession, and the media frenzy that followed. It is about the loss of the fairytale life she knew, adjusting to life with a man she hardly recognized anymore, and the tragic and final loss of her husband.
Hardcover: 253 pages
Publisher: Blue Rider Press (October 20, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399158162
ISBN-13: 978-0399158162
Genre: Health, Relationships , Marriage
Praise
"[An] explosive memoir...[Madoff Mack] reveals what it was like to marry into the Madoff family and how she coped when it imploded."
-People
"[P]erhaps the most truly 'insider' account of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme to date...engrossing from the start...Madoff Mack's account contains personal details that make the book worth reading....[F]ascinating."
- Forbes
"The End of Normal gives an intimate account of Mark Madoff's two years of torment over the infamous swindle that wiped out thousands of investors and-by his wife's account-left him a man broken beyond repair."
- Associated Press
"This is a love story wrapped up in a news story, and that's tricky to tell, because there is a really deep bond between these two people, Stephanie and Mark....Stephanie is just coming forward because she wants people to hear her, and her husband's, version of what their life has been. It's as pure and as simple as that."
- ABC's 20/20
Review
This is a beautifully written book full of pain and love and loss. It is a very personal look at the deepest pain caused by Bernie Madoff. Of all the many people that Bernie hurt and the pain and loss that he caused, those who suffered the most were his family. He took their money and their futures (as he did with many people) but he also stole their past and their foundations. I knew Mark and never for one minute believed that he had any knowledge of his father's evil until he confessed in December 2008.
Stephanie gives voice to the agony that she and Mark went through at the hands of Bernie, as well as how the media, bloggers, and public exacerbated that pain. Mark was unable to share his story with the public and very much wanted to let the world know his truth. I had hoped that he would one day be in a place emotionally and legally to be able to tell his story. Sadly, that was not to be, but Stephanie does a fantastic job of letting the world into their private space and painting a true picture of Mark.
The book also shows the heartache and pain that suicide brings to those left behind. Stephanie does an excellent job of conveying the questions, pain, and process that suicide of a loved one brings. Her journey is sad and her loss is real, but the book also manages to be a beautiful love letter to Mark and his children.
