First published 2023
Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe examine the rise and fall of America's Astor dynasty across two centuries. Beginning with German immigrant John Jacob Astor's arrival in 1783, the authors trace how a beaver trapping venture evolved into a vast empire anchored by Manhattan real estate. The narrative follows the family through their dominance of Gilded Age society, their integration into American political and cultural circles, and their dramatic reversals of fortune. The chronicle includes the famous Titanic tragedy that claimed an Astor life and culminates with the 2009 conviction of Anthony Marshall for defrauding his mother, Brooke Astor. Cooper and Howe use photographs and archival materials to illustrate their unconventional biographical approach. The book positions the Astor story as a lens through which to understand broader American themes of ambition, innovation, collapse, and renewal. This historical biography reveals how one family's trajectory mirrors the nation's own transformation.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, 21st-century, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-secrets, rags-to-riches
Setting: Manhattan, New York
Period: 1783, Gilded Age, Titanic Tragedy
322 pages · Hardcover · Harper