The Vanderbilts

September 1, 1989
Those fond of the smell of money will adore this book, crammed with photographs of Persian rugs, crystal chandeliers, a never-ending train of evening dress and sprawling grounds of New England castles. In chronicling the rise of the Vanderbilts, Patterson ( Living It Up ) traces the ever-interesting story of American-style getting and spending. As devotees of Edith Wharton--and others practiced at distinguishing ``old'' from merely ``big'' money--may be surprised to learn, the first ``van der Bilt'' of record was a resident, ca. 1650, in Flatbush, N.Y. The family never had much money until, in the 19th century, Cornelius parlayed a $100 investment into America's greatest fortune. Railroads entered Vanderbilt holdings relatively late: Cornelius, the man whose statue scowls over Manhattan's Grand Central Station, had no use for the locomotive until, in his old age, a son showed him he could turn a profit with railroads.

The fairy-tale story of Cornelius Vanderbilt's rise to fame and fortune is worth hearing. Add to that the grand residences and social empire his descendants built, and this story positively glitters with opulence. Ray Childs delivers vignettes that illustrate the ingenuity and extravagance of the New York-based clan. He alters his voice so that quotations stand out from the narrative. His warm, rich voice expresses, in turn, admiration for and humor towards the Vanderbilts' numerous escapades. While Childs does his best to clarify the tangled branches of the Vanderbilt family tree, the sheer number of family members is confusing. Without the photographs and captions from the print book, it's difficult to fully appreciate this biography. Still, those fascinated by this American "royal family" will find much food for thought. C.A. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine