Anderson Cooper Book order

The number one New York Times bestselling authors of Vanderbilt return with another riveting history of a legendary American family, the Astors, and how they built and lavished their fortune. The story of the Astors is a quintessentially American story--of ambition, invention, destruction, and reinvention. From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until 2009, when Brooke Astor's son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of defrauding his elderly mother, the Astor name occupied a unique place in American society. The family fortune, first made by a beaver trapping business that grew into an empire, was then amplified by holdings in Manhattan real estate. Over the ensuing generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and inserted themselves into political and cultural life, but also suffered the most famous loss on the Titanic, one of many shocking and unexpected twists in the family's story. In this unconventional, page-turning historical biography, featuring black-and-white and color photographs, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe chronicle the lives of the Astors and explore what the Astor name has come to mean in America--offering a window onto the making of America itself.

The narrative centers on the deepening relationship between Anderson Cooper and his mother following her serious illness. Determined to enhance their connection, they embark on a year-long conversation that reveals surprising honesty and depth. Through their correspondence, they explore their lives, share what truly matters to them, and uncover the aspects of each other they still wish to understand. This intimate dialogue transforms their bond, highlighting the importance of communication and the complexities of familial love.

New York Times bestselling author and journalist Anderson Cooper collaborates with historian and novelist Katherine Howe to chronicle the rise and fall of the legendary Vanderbilt family. Beginning with eleven-year-old Cornelius Vanderbilt, who worked on his father's small boat in New York Harbor, the narrative unfolds to reveal how his ruthless ambition and cunning led him to create two empires in shipping and railroads, making him the richest man in America. Following his death in 1877, his staggering fortune sparked fierce competition among his heirs, leading to familial discord that never fully healed. Although his son Billy doubled the family wealth, subsequent generations sought ever more extravagant ways to spend it. By 2018, the last Vanderbilt was forced out of The Breakers, the opulent summer estate built by Cornelius's grandson, marking a stark transformation from the family’s origins. Cooper and Howe delve into the lives of the ancestors who shaped this dynasty, exploring their lavish lifestyles and the family's significant impact on American capitalism and high society. From the gritty wharves of old Manhattan to the grand drawing rooms of Gilded Age Fifth Avenue, the authors recount the triumphs and tragedies of an unparalleled American dynasty, offering a unique insider's perspective on a history as remarkable as the family itself.

Gives us a glimpse of what happens when the normal order of things is suddenly turned upside down, whether it's a natural disaster, a civil war, or a heated political battle. This book explores various dangerous crises, and the impact they have had on the author's life. It discusses the devastating tsunami in South Asia and the suffering Niger.

The correspondent and anchor for CNN recounts events from his life and career, offering a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most devastating modern tragedies and their effect on his own life.