Riches, beautiful women, race horses, an opulent lifestyle all over the world. The characters, Aga Khan III, his playboy son Aly Khan and the grandson Karim who is the present Aga Khan attracted me to reading this book for the fun of something juicy and gossipy. In many ways it is just that, but to my surprise it presents a fascinating history of what is in fact a succession of religious leaders who are descendants of Muhammed. This makes the book as much history of a people (Ismailis-a Shia sect)as of just the lifestyles of the rich and famous. This religious group has a more liberal view then we are familiar with-towards women, personal freedoms, women's rights-and they are from not one country, but many including places in the middle east, India, African nations. During the reign of Aga KhanIII he was a loyalist to the British rule in what was his then home country of India-but he and his son and grandson were based in multiple estates across Europe, making their tours to meet the faithful from London, Paris and the Riviera. A pleasant surprise in its combo of details about people, places, events.

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