A fascinating history about the famous (or infamous) Vanderbilt family. Not only is the rise and fall (as the title foreshadows) dramatic in and of itself, but combined with the timeline, transportation innovations, societal influence, and wealth value, it creates an even more dramatic story. I did find the family tree, and how the different members of the family were introduced, to be a bit confusing. I understand why the story was not in chronological order, but I think I would have liked it more if it was. The storyline transition from past to present to future, with Anderson's mom, his own memories, and then preserving the story for his son (now sons, he has since welcomed another child) was very moving and truly put things into perspective with how this was not just some celebrity Gilded Age family, but were real people. This will also give you a brief history of New York City, which I loved.