Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

Name: Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty
Price: 13.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3 (21809 reviews)
Author: Anderson Cooper

by Anderson Cooper

Biography Memoir

4.3 (21,809)

4.3 stars from 21,809 reviews. One of the highest rated Biography Memoir books we track.

369 pages~6.2 hr readPublished by FinanzBuch VerlagPublished 2022-07-17

$13.99KU20% off peak

Last checked: Apr 27, 2026

Read free with Kindle Unlimited

Price history: $1.99 – $17.49

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: $1.99 – $17.49

Buy on Amazon - $13.99

0 readers are tracking this book's price

Fans of these authors will like this...

Bill O'Reilly
David McCullough
Erik Larson

Fans of these books will like this...

The Fiery Trial
The Splendid and the Vile
Killers of the Flower Moon

Perfect for you if...

You're fascinated by how generational wealth corrupts and collapses, even among the most powerful families in American history.
You love gossip and family drama rooted in meticulous historical research, not tabloid invention.
You appreciate a writer who can access private letters, court documents, and family stories most historians never get to see.

Maybe not for you if...

You want a straightforward business biography focused purely on Cornelius Vanderbilt's ruthlessness and empire-building techniques.
You're looking for a sympathetic portrait of the Vanderbilt family or a celebration of American robber barons.
You prefer narrative fiction over the slower, deliberate pace of historical nonfiction.

About this book

A chronicle of the Vanderbilt family's rise and fall across American history. The book traces Cornelius Vanderbilt's journey from an eleven-year-old working on his father's boat in New York Harbor to becoming the richest man in America through his shipping and railroad empires. After his death in 1877, his heirs fought over his fortune, with subsequent generations spending it in increasingly extravagant ways. By 2018, the last Vanderbilt was forced to leave The Breakers, the seventy-room Newport summer estate built by Cornelius's grandson. Co-authored by Anderson Cooper, the Commodore's great-great-great-grandson, and historian Katherine Howe, the book explores the family's influence on American society and capitalism. It follows the Vanderbilts from Manhattan's wharves through Gilded Age Fifth Avenue, Newport palaces, and European courts to modern-day New York. The narrative covers the family's role in building landmarks like The Breakers and Grand Central Terminal, and their broader impact on New York City and the nation.

Get the best deal every time

We track price drops, sale patterns, and predict when this book will go on offer next.

Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$1.99 – $17.49

Price has dropped 6 times over the last 3 years. Goes on sale roughly every 191 days. Typically stays discounted for 3 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #15K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Sales have softened 165% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.3★ from 21,809 reviews

Gaining approximately 209 new reviews per month. Reader interest is accelerating. Rating has remained stable at 4.3 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

Based on past patterns, a price drop could happen soon. It typically goes on sale every 191 days and the last drop was 304 days ago. Typical discount: 89% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.