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  • Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune
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Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Anderson Cooper (Author, Narrator), Katherine Howe (Author), HarperAudio (Publisher)
4.3 out of 5 stars 3,790 ratings

鶹

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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,compelling historical biography, #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.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

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  1. Listening Length
    8 hours and 19 minutes
  2. Author
    Anderson Cooper, see all
  3. Narrator
    Anderson Cooper
  4. Audible release date
    Sept. 19 2023
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    HarperAudio
  7. ASIN
    B0BVRXVVW6
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
Next slide of product details

Product details

Listening Length 8 hours and 19 minutes
Author Anderson Cooper, Katherine Howe
Narrator Anderson Cooper
Audible.ca Release Date September 19 2023
Publisher HarperAudio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0BVRXVVW6
鶹 Rank

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
3,790 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written, enjoyable, and wonderful. They also appreciate the historical aspect, saying it captures the history of New York City through a powerful family. Readers also say the book is informative and well-documented.

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ReadabilityHistoricalInformative
12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, enjoyable, and well-written. They say the saga of the Astors is fascinating and the history part is well-done.

"Great Read..." Read more

"I loved the descriptive nature of the narrative about this exceptional family. Well documented." Read more

"A very enjoyable read...." Read more

"...The writing quality wasn't the greatest but it was informative. A good read if you're a history buff and are headed on a trip to NYC." Read more

7 customers mention "Historical"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating and enjoyable. They say it captures the history of New York City through a powerful family. Readers also appreciate the book is about real people and events.

"Good history of early New York City..." Read more

"I loved the descriptive nature of the narrative about this exceptional family. Well documented." Read more

"Another good read about an historic New York family...." Read more

"A very enjoyable read. Fascinating history, from Astors’ beginnings in the North American fur trade, through the Guilded Age, ending with Brooke..." Read more

3 customers mention "Informative"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-documented. They say it's a great read with a good intermingling of facts.

"...Well documented." Read more

"...The writing quality wasn't the greatest but it was informative. A good read if you're a history buff and are headed on a trip to NYC." Read more

"Great Read and very good intermingling of facts as always from Anderson Cooper and company..." Read more

Top reviews from Canada

  • 鶹 Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great history of an exceptional family
    Reviewed in Canada on October 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I loved the descriptive nature of the narrative about this exceptional family. Well documented.
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  • STEFFI
    4.0 out of 5 stars Most Enjoyable
    Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Another good read about an historic New York family. I did not enjoy it quite as much as the Vanderbilt book, but it is a fascinating look at how the city developed with the Astor influence. Well done Ms Howe and Mr Cooper.
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  • Kara
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in Canada on October 2, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    A very enjoyable read. Fascinating history, from Astors’ beginnings in the North American fur trade, through the Guilded Age, ending with Brooke Astors’ sad story. I will be ordering the author’s book on the Vanderbilt family for sure!
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  • WestcoastMB
    3.0 out of 5 stars Just Ok.
    Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Was excited to dive into the history of New York and the Astor family. The writing quality wasn't the greatest but it was informative. A good read if you're a history buff and are headed on a trip to NYC.
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  • 鶹 Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good history of early New York City
    Reviewed in Canada on October 6, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Good read. Captures the history of New York City through a powerful family, Astors.
    If you have visited the city, the locations and historic sites named provide a new perspective.
    Highly recommend.
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  • Ladymary
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
    Reviewed in Canada on October 12, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I haven't started to read this book yet but i read the covers and i know i well like it as i love books that are about real people and events. I have read Anderson Cooper's other books and loved them.
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  • Apollo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well written story
    Reviewed in Canada on December 14, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Was factual with personal experiences intertwined throughout. It provides the reader with a window to see inside one of the wealthiest times of America history and the impact on society.
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  • Doug
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read and very good intermingling of facts as always from Anderson Cooper and company
    Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Very historical
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Teri
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Golden Age
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I first read Vanderbilt and was excellent. I the little pithy remarks made by the authors. Unfortunately, I can't imagine a New York. I have never been there. At 64 I doubt I ever will but I appreciate the love that is New York woven between words and sentences.
    Thank you for sharing that love.
    Report
  • BRUCE CHISHOLM
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read but patchy history
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 14, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyable read but focuses on singular events/people/places so leads to patchy overall enjoyment.
    Report
  • ivone dias bonduki
    5.0 out of 5 stars História contemporânea
    Reviewed in Brazil on December 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Eu comecei a assistir a série The Gilded Age, traduzida como A Idade dourada na Max, e como gosto do autor achei bastante interessante estender as informações . A série enfeita a realidade e ele esclarece a verdade. Gosto de História, em qualquer época, e dos costumes.
    Report
  • antoniosk
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really interesting book, especially with the second series of the Gilded Age on HBO now
    Reviewed in Australia on November 3, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Great writing and interesting topic
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  • AB
    3.0 out of 5 stars Engaging but haphazard read, let down by its historical innacuracies.
    Reviewed in Australia on November 23, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I already know all about the Astors so this book held nothing new for me apart from a few quotes from valuable primary sources like Town Topics. That said however it is still an engaging, if haphazard, read.

    My greatest issue with it however is the glaring historical inaccuracies. The greatest example is that of John Jacob Astor IV, the most famous Astor of them all, the great man who lost his life on the Titanic. Due to this association, much as been written about him and his death, all which can be found through a simple glance at Encyclopaedia Titanica. Thus I was shocked at the inaccuracies in this book regarding his final days.

    The Astors did NOT board Titanic at Southampton. They boarded in Cherbourg, France.

    But most irritating of all is the blind repetition of the ‘falling funnel’ myth that was debunked years ago.

    JOHN JACOB ASTOR IV WAS NOT KILLED BY A FALLING FUNNEL.

    There was no ‘blunt force trauma.’ His body was not crushed and sooty beyond recognition. In fact his body was almost perfectly preserved – ‘The features were unharmed, the face being only slightly discolored by water.’ (Buffalo Morning Express, 1 May 1912)

    I probably sound pedantic but I’m sorry blatant inaccuracies like this are unacceptable, especially when the subject has been written on extensively.

    (Disappointed in the front cover too. Ava Willing is not deserving of it.)

    Overall, worth a look at but know that there are far better biographies of the Astor family out there – Derek Wilson’s The Astors and John D. Gates’ The Astor Family are two that come to mind.
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