Review #19: Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune by Anderson Cooper & Katherine Howe

Title:  Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune

Author: Anderson Cooper & Katherine Howe

Genre: Nonfiction, History

# of Pages: 336

Format: Audio - Audible

Part of Series? Not technically, but in the same vein as Cooper’s Vanderbilt

Rating: 3/5 stars, officially, probably closer to 3.5, although that is not a real rating

Source: HarperCollins

Thoughts: When a friend of mine saw my Goodreads rating of three stars, she asked why I didn’t like Astor. I did like it! But I didn’t think it was good enough to market unsolicited. I recommend this book, if you like keeping Wikipedia open on your phone to search names and places, if you like history, and if you like The Gilded Age (both show and time period). You need to have specific interests to like this one otherwise the grotesque imagery of beaver pelts will drive you to DNF (book acronym for Did Not Finish).

I listened to Cooper’s Vanderbilt and now, Astor. He narrates them, which is great because he has this distinct newsy yet approachable voice. What made me eyeroll is that Cooper just has a chip on his shoulder about Gilded Age families. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that they were called robber barons for a reason, but he feels a bit too negative, like he has to be so the woke police won’t come attack. I guess since he is a Vanderbilt, he has a bit of apologist in him. Cooper and Howe do a great job of creating an enjoyable entertaining read while listing off a family tree. Astor begins in 1783 when John Jacob Astor arrived in America and each chapter goes on chronologically to share a bit of history of the Astor family. It is set up such that each chapter follows a specific individual or branch of the family, explaining the marriages, divorces, children, and scandals. It ties together nicely as it ends with Vincent, Brooke Astor, and the end of the fortune.

Fun tidbit – if you are watching Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, Babe Paley’s sister, Minnie, was Vincent Astor’s second wife, prior to his marriage to Brooke Astor.

You will like this if you like: Vanderbilt, Gilded Age history, New York society, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans