Title: Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty
Author: Anderson Cooper
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography
"Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty" is the history of the Vanderbilt family, as told by the great great great grandson of railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, Anderson Cooper and historical fiction novelist Katherine Howe. The authors go through the rise of Cornelius Vanderbilt and his mania for money that helped him amass a fortune in the 19th century. Then, move on to Cornelius' decision to leave 95% of his fortune to his son William, much to the chagrin of his 10 other children. William would become the first and last Vanderbilt to ever build on Cornelius' fortune. Lavish lifestyles, massive parties, and even bigger real estate lead to the downfall of the Vanderbilt dynasty.
Cooper makes his way through his long family history at a good pace, focusing on specific members and (in most cases) their downfall. The final section of the book focuses on Cooper's own mother, Gloria Vanderbilt who, in his words, was the last to have a "Vanderbilt life." I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, read by Anderson Cooper.
- Beth
Check out Vanderbilt by Anderson Cooper @ the library!
