The Last Castle

July 15, 2017
The fortunes and misfortunes of the famous Vanderbilts.At the end of the 19th century, the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, was the biggest, grandest, most opulent home in America. Set on 125,000 acres, the 175,000-square-foot mansion contained 250 rooms, 43 bathrooms, 3 kitchens, 65 fireplaces, and a 72-foot-long banquet hall. Eight million bricks cloaked its 750-foot facade, and a massive dining table could seat more than 70 guests. Filled with art and sculpture, the house was the pride and obsession of George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862-1914), grandson of the shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. Biltmore House is the setting for Kiernan's (The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II, 2013, etc.) family history, featuring George and his wife, Edith Dresser. Unfortunately, the house itself emerges as a livelier presence than its inhabitants. George was a mystery even to his best friend, who called him "cold-blooded," moody, and reticent. He enjoyed napping and reading. "You know I do not for a moment envy the position of GV," his friend noted. "He is not one speck as happy as I am, and the spending of money gives him absolutely no thrill." He seemed not interested in women, either, but at the age of 35, "America's richest bachelor" became engaged to Edith, the well-bred, though not wealthy, daughter of a noted New York family whose ancestors included Manhattan governor Peter Stuyvesant. Kiernan discloses little about their personalities and nothing about their courtship or relationship as husband and wife. She does chronicle their wedding, honeymoon, return to Asheville, and many other travels as well as the declining fortunes that made Biltmore an exceedingly expensive undertaking. Edith engaged in much charity work before and after George's sudden death. The couple had one child, but the author hardly looks at her relationship with her parents, focusing mostly on the family's financial woes, which became increasingly dire. One-dimensional characters undermine the potential drama of life within a castle.

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2017

Kiernan (The Girls of Atomic City) presents an intriguing history of the largest private U.S. residence: the Biltmore House. This thoroughly researched book begins with the story of the Vanderbilt family, particularly Edith Stuyvesant Dresser and her husband, George Washington Vanderbilt II. Included are details about the original design and construction of the estate in Asheville, NC, as well as the home's architect, Frederick Law Olmstead. This family history is also the story of a changing nation; the author delves into how Biltmore's residents and the country at large grapple with significant historical events, including two World Wars and the Great Depression, and how the couple built and maintained their legacy despite hardships. With plenty of famous characters sprinkled throughout, there is enough action and history to keep readers engaged and eager to turn the pages. VERDICT Kiernan fans and those new to her work are sure to devour this latest volume.--Mattie Cook, Lake Odessa Comm. Lib., MI

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.