Mary Ellyn’s Favorite Item: The Grundy Books!
What books are on your bookshelf? What does your choice of books reveal about you and your interests? I love to peruse the titles on the shelves of The Grundy bookcase because the contents offer a personal glimpse into the residents of 610 Radcliffe Street.
The first thing that strikes me about the Grundy collection of books is the diversity of topic. From poetry to fiction, history to science, classic to current (for the time) – the books on the shelves reveal first and foremost a family that enjoyed a wide range of interests. They were remarkably well-read.
The individual titles also echo well-known activities that members of the family actively engaged in: For example, Margaret was involved in furnishing the reconstruction of Pennsbury Manor, so it was not at all surprising to find a biography of William Penn on the shelf.
I was invited to choose two books for display in 2026: In Margaret’s Room I placed “Around the World in Eighty Days” by Jules Verne and originally owned by Joseph Grundy. Written in 1872, it was pure science fiction for the day. But by 1889 Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane), a reporter for the New York World, set out to prove that such a trip was possible. As Nellie traveled around the world, her reports were widely read, and I could imagine Margaret (2 years younger than Nellie) following along her stories as Nellie beat the 80-day goal by a full week.
In Mary’s Room, I placed “Society As I Have Found It,” a witty but critical tell-all look into the highest levels of New York City Victorian society by Ward McAllistar. Familiar to fans of the HBO series “The Gilded Age,” McAllistar was a New York City society insider who famously decided that only 400 people in NYC could truly be considered fashionable.
As the wealthy scrambled to be part of “The Four Hundred,” McAllistar became the go-to authority on all matters of taste. But after he published his book, he found himself excluded from the world he shaped. The Grundy’s were familiar with the world McAllistar described, and I love that SOMEBODY in the family was curious enough about the scandal to read his book!
The Grundy Museum Tours are available Tuesday through Sunday. We added new schedule on Sundays at 1:30pm and 3pm, and on Wednesdays at 6pm, perfect for weekend and an after-work visit! Book your free tours with us and see these precious books on display!
