Warning: SPOILERS For The Gilded Age Season 3, Episode 7 - “Ex-Communicated.”
The Gilded Agehas always included some real historical people and events, with season 3, episode 7, introducing Ward McAllister’s tell-all book about New York’s high society. Ward McAllister has been in the series since season 1, helpingThe Gilded Age’s charactersmaintain and grow their power and social status.
The Gilded Ageseason 3has already seen Bertha Russell’s secrets revealed in the news, but episode 7 just expanded that in a big way. Ward McAllister’s book inThe Gilded Ageseason 3, episode 7,upsets the social balance and causes a scandal,and this was drawn from its real-life publication.
Ward McCallister’s Real Tell-All Book In The Gilded Age Explained
Mr. McAllister Released Society As I Have Found It In 1890
The Gilded Ageseason 3, episode 7 begins with the publication and immediate popularity of Ward McAllister’s book,Society as I Have Found It, a tell-all memoir in which the arbiter of Gilded Age society shared personal details about many of his friends. While the series takes place in 1884,the real-life book was actually released in 1890.
As outlined inThe Gilded Age,Society as I Have Found Itis composed of stories both from McAllister’s early life and (mostly) stories from New York society. Similar to Nathan Lane’s character inThe Gilded Age, Ward McAllister’s real book makes it clear thatmuch of his time was spent instructing others to have good taste.
Within the book, this takes the form of both anecdotes of him helping wealthy elites throw balls and banquets and him directly including advice in the book (viaProject Gutenberg). Strangely,McAllister even includes several chapters on the best wines, particularly Madeira, and highlights some New York elites who have good wine cellars.
Society as I Have Found Itincludes plenty of these extraneous details, but it also includes the many stories that upsetThe Gilded Age’s characters.The real book name-drops some famous New Yorkersthat would have made him look good to his contemporaries, but it also highlights the extravagance of the group.
What Happened To Ward McAllister After His Tell-All Book Was Published
Ward’s Book Caused Trouble In His Social Life
Looking at the book today,nothing that McAllister said feels particularly scandalous. He recounts the details and prices of events and a few minorly-embarrassing-for-their-subject anecdotes. Likewise, he even removes the names of many of the people discussed, making it difficult to know who he is referring to, but that was not the case for contemporary readers.
Interestingly, despite removing the names of certain people,McAllister still gave identifying details within his stories(such as the street the person lived on or an aspect of their appearance). As a result, it does make sense whyThe Gilded Age’s characters and their real-life counterparts were upset by its publication.
The Gilded Ageseason 3 finale “My Mind Is Made Up” will premiere on HBO Max on June 14, 2025, at 9 pm EST.
As seen inThe Gilded Ageseason 3, episode 7, after the publication ofSociety as I Have Found It, Ward McAllister was shunned by his elite former friends in real life. The book was seen as a betrayal of their trust, and Mr. McAllister was never able to recover the popularity he previously enjoyed before his death in 1895.
