When the astors owned new york

When the Astor’s Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age.

By Justin Kaplan. (Penguin Group (USA), 2006. Pp. 208. Prologue, content, acknowledgements, sources, index. $13)

Justin Kaplan is an American novelist and editor whom is known for his vast selection of biographies. He even received a Pulitzer Prize For his biography concerning Mark Twain. When the Astor’s Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age, is only one example of Kaplan’s many biographical novels. In summary, the novel takes a glance into the Astor family’s rise and fall and their way of making regular people feel luxurious. Overall, Kaplan really focuses on the inconsequentialness of the rich and their appetite to be more superior than anyone. Hence, Their desire to compete to have larger homes, fancier furniture, more expensive yachts, and better hotels. However, the Astor’s even competed within their own family.

The family’s fortune started in a German village called Waldorf by John Jacob Astor, the first Millionaire, whom opened the Astor House and charged patrons to stay in private rooms. In time the family feud started with the two grandsons of John Jacob Astor, John Jacob Astor III and William Backhouse Astor Jr., Whom wanted to rise to the heights of wealth and fame even if it meant competing with one another. In turn, the Brothers latter passed the feud onto each of their offspring. Their sons were John Jacob Astor IV and William Waldorf Astor, cousins, whom broke the family feud and established the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in 1897. In fact, The Waldorf-Astoria hotel was actually two hotels connected together with the ability to cut access between the two if the treaty failed.

William first was defeated in politics,...

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...York’s finest buildings. Nevertheless, the novel is able to focus on not only the lives of cousins, John Jacob Astor IV and William Waldorf Astor in the 19th century, but also their family’s history and their social life.

Overall, When the Astor’s Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age, is a very interesting, yet knowledgeable biography. In fact, I would recommend it to the average reader and the serious bookworm. The novel is very informative and in my personal opinion one of the best biographies I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Kaplan is a talented biographer, and his works should be used to gain a larger insight on the subjects.

Works Cited

When the Astor’s Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age.

By Justin Kaplan. (Penguin Group (USA), 2006. Pp. 208. Prologue, content, acknowledgements, sources, index. $13)