Fortune's Children

Rating:
Summary: A Book For the Soap Opera Fan, that's True
Review: The many impressions this book left me with, are almost overshadowed by the wonder that no one turned it into a mini series. Everything the Tv/Movie audience of today craves is here: Rags to Riches, Business back stabbing that makes JR Ewening look like mother Theresa, Mistress' divorce, goldigging women, History of steam ships and Railroads, The back drop of NY City, Political Weasles, Amusing stories, Sex , Extravagance beyond belief, The family tragedies( Alfred V> went down with Lusitania, Heroically), decline and financial ruin, Battles over the estates by rich heirs played out in public, and even the often unhappy state of people who have more money than anyone. The story of Consuelo being sold to an English 'lord' to acquire a title, while mommy locks her up to keep her from the man she loved. AND ITS ALL TRUE ! Truth is stranger, and better than fiction. Most people will enjoy this book, for many reasons. There is much to be learned in the lessons of the Vanderbilt family, all begun with the birth of 'The Commodore' 18 years after the birth of America. I only wish the author had added a chapter on how he felt about his ancestors, and their accomplishments/failures. Not only is the book worth the price, I've bought three copies because over the years I keep forgetting who borrowed it. And everyone I've recommended it to, has thanked me.

Rating:
Summary: The authoritative work
Review: This book is the authoritative work on the Vanderbilt family. If you're interested in the Gilded Age in America, this book is a wonderful way to start- it details the history of one of America's leading families during the Industrial Revolution. The first few chapters are somewhat tedious, but once you get past that, you feel whipped up into the frenzy of wealth the Vanderbilt descendants must have felt. The book details how the Vanderbilts made their money, the scandals that shook the fabric of their family, the incredible ways they spent the money, and their (in some cases) spectacular fall when they ran out of cash.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible look at a fasinating family
Review: This books grabs you from the time you read the first page. Not one living Vanderbilt is a millionair. The book starts with how the first dollar was made down to the almost penniless family it is now. Not only do you see the greed between the families, but also the struggle for social power. If you are interested in any kind of biography, this is the one for you.

Rating:
Summary: All you wanted to know about the Vanderbilts-and more!
Review: What can I say? This book is truly fabulous. Even if you are not interested in the Vanderbilt family, you must read this book! It just shows how truth is stranger than fiction. The cast of characters in this book includes: Cornelius Vanderbilt, his son William Henry, the famous Alva Vanderbilt (who practically sells her daughter to an broke English lord for marriage) to Gloria Vanderbilt as a little child getting fought over. These are just some of the interesting people you will meeet in this book. I would give it ten stars, if I could!

Rating:
Summary: All you wanted to know about the Vanderbilts-and more!
Review: What can I say? This book is truly fabulous. Even if you are not interested in the Vanderbilt family, you must read this book! It just shows how truth is stranger than fiction. The cast of characters in this book includes: Cornelius Vanderbilt, his son William Henry, the famous Alva Vanderbilt (who practically sells her daughter to an broke English lord for marriage) to Gloria Vanderbilt as a little child getting fought over. These are just some of the interesting people you will meeet in this book. I would give it ten stars, if I could!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Story
Review: While I found the subject matter absolutely compelling, I was a little disappointed in some aspects of the book itself. First the good parts: extremely well-documented history with lots of first person quotes and in depth character details; excellent pictures; fascinating story especially the chpaters on the Commodore, Alva and Alice. Now the parts that could have been better: I kept getting the later characters confused, a family tree would have helped enormously; the one Vanderbilt house I toured in Hyde part this summer was mentioned only in the footnotes. What hpappened? Who of the family is still alive today? The most important thing that I would have like to see in this book was some analysis about what conclusions the author may have drawn about his family's history. He does not attempt any kind of analysis. Overall, an enjoyable read but not much depth.