The Vanderbilts

This book is wonderful, I really could not put it down. The pictures are exquisite and the text is highly informative. The Vanderbilts may have not always been happy, but by God they did enjoy their money. Unlike many of the Gilded Age American aristocrats, like the Rockefeller's and Carnegie, the Vanderbilts where not ashamed of their money and they wanted to show it off...granted they do not have the lofty philanthropic legacy of the Rockefeller's or Andrew Carnegie, but they did give us wonderful estates and a taste of what it was like to be fabulously wealthy at this amazing time, they lived like French nobility before the Revolution, and to this day when you list the ten greatest American mansions, you can bet that the Vanderbilts will be well represented. This book captures all of this and more...if you have any interest in this Age or this family or quite frankly interesting people and good writing then you will enjoy this book, it really is a five star book.

If you are a fan of the Vanderbilts or of the Gilded Era, this book is a must. I have to admitt that I own lots of coffee table books. Usually, I just look at the pictures, read the captions, but never a word of the text. This book caught my attention from the start. It's a wonderful history of the Vanderbilt family, although not too heavily involved. I found that the family tree charts were loads of help while reading the book ... with such a large family it would be easy to forget who's who.The pictures are exquisite, they bring the Vanderbilts and their fabulous homes to life. There are 291 illustrations, 92 of them are in full color.I bought this book on a visit to George Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate in the mountains of North Carolina. If you live any where near the area, I highly recommend a visit. The house, gardens and winery are out of this world!

This book serves a myriad of purposes. If you are interested in turn of the century architecture, this book is for you. If you are interested in the social mores of the day, this book is for you. If you are interested in the Vanderbilt familiy in particular, and America's aristocracy in general, this book is for you. With hundreds of wonderful photos and illustrations, and an objective account of the history of one of America's richest families, "The Vanderbilts" takes the reader back to an era of nonchalant decadence. A time when prosperity was the plaything of the gods, and the gods were called Vanderbilt, and were lead by "The Commodore". America today is enriched by the spoils of their success, boasting some of the best in arcitecture and art collections. The family who gave us Grand Central Station, The Metropolitan Opera, and a good deal of the exhibited contents of the Met Museum also provide us with a fascinating tale of the rise and reign (and stumbles and pratfalls along the way) of American royalty.

LIVING IN THE SHADOW AND SPELL OF BILTMORE, IMAGINE MY SURPRISE AT FINDING BILTMORE BUT ONE OF MANY FINE HOUSES BUILT BY THIS GREEDY FAMILY IN SEARCH OF EXTRAVAGANCE, SAFETY AND MODERN CONVENIENCE. THE INFORMATION PRESENTED SHEDS A WHOLE NEW LIGHT ON THE VANDERBILT FAMILY AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIVES, REVEALING NOT ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL STYLES OF THE HOMES BUT OF THEIR CAUSES AND CRUSADES AND UNBELIEVABLE SHENANIGANS. I WORE OUT THE ROAD TO THE LIBRARY AND NEARLY WENT BROKE PAYING FINES UNTIL I LEARNED I COULD OWN THIS BOOK THAT HAS CHANGED MY THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR LOCAL "CASTLE." WE STILL LOVE BILTMORE - WE STILL ABHOR THE GREED OF THIS FAMILY THAT THOUGHT NOTHING OF STRANDING RAILROAD PASSENGERS IN THE SNOW. JUST AS WE CAN'T WAIT TO VISIT ASHEVILLE AGAIN, WE CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS FASCINATING ACCOUNT AGAIN!!