Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

Dissipation. Journalist Anderson Cooper and historian Katherine Howe collaborated to write an account of the Vanderbilt family in a book titled, Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty. Cooper is the great-great-great-grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt who built a family fortune in shipping and railroads. We see the gilded age from a family perspective in this book and watch the dissipation of the dynasty through family dysfunction and overspending. The individual family members are presented with insight and sensitivity. Readers interested in history and family dynamics will find a lot to enjoy in this entertaining and interesting book. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Vanderbilt from amazon.com.