Barnes & NobleAstor- The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune by Anderson Cooper

For most readers just buy one or the other

Astor by Anderson Cooper and Kathrine Howe complements their previous book, Vanderbilt. Anderson Cooper, as many know, is the son of Gloria Vanderbilt. From his childhood, Cooper can recall lunches between his mother and the Mrs. Astor. I read Vanderbilt some years ago. Of the two books, Astor is a bit better. However, in a few places, reading Astor was like reading Vanderbilt again. For most readers, one book or the other should suffice. I bought Astor mainly so that my order would qualify for free shipping. Still, Astor, especially the first few and the last few chapters, was worth reading. There is also an interesting chapter about the bar at the Astor Hotel. A history that Cooper can personally identify with. At times, the narrative does get tedious as the Astors marry and divorce, and their children marry and divorce. Cooper and Howe wisely included a family tree. They also included several photographs. Generally, the narrative runs chronologically, but there are frequent jumps backward to provide context. The jumping around the timeline is a weakness. On the whole, Astor deserves a four-star rating,