Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune

Eminent broadcast journalist Anderson Cooper and historical novelist Katherine Howe reunite to tell the story of one of America’s richest families in Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune, published in 2023. This family biography follows their earlier collaboration on a book about Cooper’s own prominent ancestors, Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty, which was recognized on the New York Times bestseller list and the Washington Post Notable Works of Nonfiction of 2021.

In Astor, Cooper contributes his family insight and journalistic flair to Howe’s historical knowledge and storytelling skills. Together they create a readable, revealing account of the most colorful and scandalous members of New York’s Astor family, from ruthless immigrant fur trader John Jacob Astor to the last Mrs. Astor and her son, Tony Marshall, whose own son leveled shocking accusations of elder abuse against him.

The Astors helped shape the fabric of New York City for more than two centuries. Their name became synonymous with high society and Gilded Age riches. Cooper and Howe argue, however, that the family’s

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