This book is an excellent example of the trouble that can ensue when a desire to tell a vivid story overrides scholarly. Gloria vanderbilt died on june 17, 2019, at the age of 95. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt was a meticulously and extensively researched biography of cornelius commodore vanderbilt. Stiles also won the 2009 national book award for nonfiction for the vanderbilt work. Scott fitzgeralds novel of the same name, is one of amazons most ambitious shows yet, but its not for sure yet that the last tycoon will return for season 2. This interesting and compelling book told not only the story of this powerful man but also the history of america during one of the most sweeping and memorable times in our history. The first tycoon won the national book award in 2009. The first tycoon is the fullest, most perceptive chronicle ever written of the life and times of cornelius vanderbilt, the epitome of unfettered, winnertakeall capitalism. In 1941, it was published posthumously under this title, as prepared by his friend edmund wilson, a critic and writer. Scott fitzgerald is a novel about a hollywood producer who finds himself not only struggling to find love and success in a world of cutthroats, but who is in the ultimate struggle for his own life.
The last tycoon tv series 20162017 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Even before the united states became a truly industrial country, he learned to use the tools of corporate capitalism to amass wealth and power on a scale previously. The vanderbilts lavish homes, opulent parties and colorful characters made them the gilded ages poster family. Vanderbilts story is indeed epic, and so is the first tycoon. Winner of the pulitzer prize and the national book award. Researched in great depth, written with verve, and scrupulously balanced, the last tycoon rejects the onedimensional portrait of vanderbilt as an illiterate, uncouth tyrant, restoring him to the complex, contradictory, brilliant, fleshandblood person he really was while correcting significant errors in previous histories of mid nineteenth century america.
A gripping, groundbreaking biography of the combative man whose. Stiles found those qualities in jesse james, the subject of his first book, and now has done so again in cornelius vanderbilt, the 19th century railroad and shipping magnate whom he. Cornelius vanderbilt was a famous industrialist who worked in railroads and shipping. National bestseller winner of the national book award in this groundbreaking biography, t. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt by t j stiles online at alibris. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt, published in 2009 by alfred a. The last tycoon feels more like an exercise in getting a style from the past down pat and less like a modern tv series that youd want to watch.
If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that. Stiles is a perceptive and witty writer with a remarkable. People know four things about cornelius vanderbilt. What drew you to cornelius vanderbilt as your next subject. Cornelius vanderbilt may 27, 1794 january 4, 1877 was an american business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. The most recent book that centers largely upon vanderbilt is stephen dandocollinss tycoons war. He was interviewed by paul hutton, author of phil sheridan and. By example and deed, vanderbilt laid the groundwork for the modern capitalistic system. The novel was published after editing by fellow writer and friend, edmund wilson. With matt bomer, kelsey grammer, lily collins, dominique mcelligott. A life on the frontier of a new america received the 2016 pulitzer prize for. While amazon, along with netflix and hulu, doesnt release viewership information, the drama debuted to. These corrections, amid an extraordinary wealth of learning and insight about a great man and his times, can be found in the meticulously researched and brilliantly written the first tycoon. Gloria vanderbilt leaves almost everything to anderson cooper.
Founder of a dynasty, builder of the original grand central, creator of an impossibly vast fortune, cornelius commodore vanderbilt is an american icon. How cornelius vanderbilt invaded a country to overthrow americas most famous military adventurer new york. Cornelius vanderbilt 17941877 was a shipping and railroad tycoon, and a selfmade multimillionaire who became one of the wealthiest americans of the 19th century. After working with his fathers business, vanderbilt worked his way into leadership positions in the inland water trade and invested in the rapidly growing railroad industry. The last tycoon is the story of the fall of a powerful hollywood producer, monroe stahr, who rose from the streets of new york to head a major motion picture studio at the age of thirtyfive. His nickname, commodore, referred sardonically to his. Vanderbilt may not have been the first tycoon in the united states the fur merchant john jacob astor probably deserves that title. Stiles tells the dramatic story of cornelius commodore vanderbilt, the combative man and american icon who, through his genius and force of will, did more than perhaps any other individual to create modern capitalism.
Stiles recounts the life of cornelius vanderbilt, who was central. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt is a 2009 biography of cornelius vanderbilt, a 19thcentury american industrialist and philanthropist who built his fortune in the shipping and railroad industries, becoming one of the wealthiest americans in the history of the u. Last rebel of the civil war, won the ambassador book award and the peter seaborg award for civil war scholarship, and was a new york times notable book. Humbly born on staten island during george washingtons presidency, he rose from boatman to builder of the nations largest. A gripping, groundbreaking biography of the combative man whose g. Last rebel of the civil war, won the ambassador book award and the peter seaborg award for civil war scholarship, and was a. Knopf, 2009 won a national book award and the 2010 pulitzer prize for biography or autobiography. Vanderbilt was an empire builder, the first great corporate tycoon in american history. The last tycoon, edited by the renowned literary critic edmund wilson, was first published a year after fitzgeralds death and includes the authors notes and outline for his unfinished literary masterpiece. All in all the first tycoon is an incredibly eye opening and informative read that shows the factors, forces and influences that made vanderbilt such an iconic business man. Vanderbilt used the new corporate structure to build an empire and a dynasty that would last long after he passed away. A gripping, groundbreaking biography of the combative man whose genius and force of will created modern capitalism.
Stiles will speak on his 2010 pulitzer prize winning biography, the first tycoon. Nicknamed the commodore, he is known for owning the new york central railroad. In 736 pages, stiles exhaustively catalogs the strategies of the brute and brilliant force that was vanderbilt. Gloria vanderbilts will says her eldest son leopold stan stokowski will get her midtown pad in a coop at 30 beekman place, but all the rest of her property goes to cnn host anderson. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Written in simple and lucid prose, the book is gripping and entertaining to the very end.
Here is a look at her familys famous fortune, and how they largely squandered it. Stiles is a perceptive and witty writer with a remarkable ability to paint a picture of the america in which vanderbilt lived. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt is a 2009 biography of cornelius. Last rebel of the civil war, which received more about t. But, as stiles contends, the commodore was a leading. The first tycoon is the exhilarating story of a man and a nation maturing together. Cornelius vanderbilt, nicknamed commodore, was a largerthanlife figure, a street brawler, savvy entrepreneur and brilliant opportunist the first american corporate visionary. Stiles born 1964 in foley, minnesota is an american biographer who lives in berkeley, california. A biography of cornelius vanderbilt, the quintessential robber baron, a man widely revered as well as hated. Over 66 years, vanderbilt 17941877 devoted himself to one business. Stiles talked about his pulitzer prizewinning book, the first tycoon. The last tycoon canceled by amazon after one season. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt, winner of the pulitzer prize for biography and the national book award for. Her father was a greatgrandson of cornelius vanderbilt, the 19thcentury tycoon.
The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt, winner of the pulitzer prize for biography and the national book award for nonfiction, and jesse james. Rockefeller with whom vanderbilt made deals, the first tycoon recounts vanderbilts rise from sailboat ferryman to steamboat entrepreneur, from master of. With panache and admirable ease, stiles maps the financial and political currents on which vanderbilt buccaneered and shows that it was vanderbilt, more than anyone else. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt, is full of sharp, unexpected turns. Stiles has delivered a revisionist history of american. Stiles winner of the pulitzer prize and the national book award. Centers on hollywoods first wunderkind studio executive in the 1930s, monroe stahr, and the power struggle between him and his mentor and current head of the studio pat brady. Vanderbilt s story is indeed epic, and so is the first tycoon. Researched in great depth, written with verve, and scrupulously balanced, the last tycoon rejects the onedimensional portrait of vanderbilt as an illiterate, uncouth tyrant, restoring him to the complex, contradictory, brilliant, fleshandblood person he really was while correcting significant errors in previous histories of mid nineteenth. Stiles 2009, hardcover at the best online prices at.