740 Park: The Story of the World's Richest Apartment Building

图书标准信息

• 作者 Michael Gross 著
• 出版社 Crown Publishing Group
• 出版时间 2006-10
• ISBN 9780767917445
• 定价 127.00元
• 装帧 平装
• 开本 其他
• 纸张 其他
• 页数 576页
• 正文语种 英语

【内容简介】

FromtheauthorofHouseofOutrageousFortune

Forseventy-fiveyears,it’sbeenManhattan’srichestapartmentbuilding,andoneofthemostlusted-afteraddressesintheworld.Oneapartmenthad37rooms,14bathrooms,43closets,11workingfireplaces,aprivateelevator,andhis-and-herssaunas;anotheratonetimehadalive-inservicestaffof16.Tothisday,itissteepedinthepurestluxury,thekindmostofuscouldonlyimagine,untilnow.

ThelastgreatbuildingtogoupalongNewYork’sGoldCoast,constructionon740Parkfinishedin1930.Sincethen,740hasbeenhometoanever-evolvingcadreofourwealthiestandmostpowerfulfamilies,someofAmerica’s(andtheworld’s)oldestmoney—thekindattachedtonameslikeVanderbilt,Rockefeller,Bouvier,Chrysler,Niarchos,Houghton,andHarkness—andsomewhosenamesevoketheexcessesoftoday’smoniedelite:Kravis,Koch,Bronfman,Perelman,Steinberg,andSchwarzman.Allalong,thebuildinghashousedtitansofindustry,politicalpowerbrokers,internationalroyalty,fabulousscam-artists,andeventhelowestscoundrels.

Thebookbeginswiththetumultuousstoryofthebuilding’sconstruction.Conceivedinthebubblingfinancial,artistic,andsocialcauldronof1920’sManhattan,740Parkrosetoitsdizzyingheightsasthestockmarketplungedin1929—thebuildingwasindirefinancialstraitsbeforethefirstapartmentsweresold.ThebuildersincludethearchitecturalgeniusRosarioCandela,theschemingbusinessmanJamesT.Lee(JacquelineKennedyOnassis’sgrandfather),andaraftoffinanciers,manyofwhomwerelittlemorethanwhite-collarcrooksandgrand-scalehustlers.

Oncefinished,740becameamagnetfortherichest,oldestfamiliesinthecountry:theBrewsters,descendentsoftheleaderofthePlymouthColony;thesocially-registeredBordens,Hoppins,Scovilles,Thornes,andSchermerhorns;andtopexecutivesoftheChaseBank,AmericanExpress,andU.S.Rubber.Outsidethewallsof740Park,thesewerethepeopleshapingAmericaculturallyandeconomically.Withinthosewalls,theywereindulginginalloftheSevenDeadlySins.

Asthesocialclimateevolvedthroughoutthelastcentury,sodid740Park:afterWorldWarII,thebuilding’srulerseasedtheirmorerestrictivepoliciesandbeganallowingJews(thoughnottothisdayAfricanAmericans)toresidewithintheirhallowedwalls.Nowadays,itisfulltoburstingwithnewmoney,peoplewhosefortunes,thoughfreshly-made,arelargeenoughtobuytheirwayin.

AtitscorethisbookisasocialhistoryoftheAmericanrich,andhowthelocusofpowerandinfluencehasshiftedhaltinglyfromoldbloodlinestonewmoney.Butit’salsomuchmorethanthat:filledwithmeaty,startling,oftentragicstoriesofthepeoplewholivedbehind740’swalls,thebookgivesusanunprecedentedaccesstoworldsofwealth,privilege,andextraordinaryfollythatareusuallyhiddenbehindascrimofmoneyandinfluence.Thisis,truly,howtheotherhalf—oratleasttheotheronehundredthofonepercent—lives.

【作者简介】

MICHAELGROSShaswrittenforEsquire,VanityFair,Town&Country,andcountlessotherpublications.CurrentlyacontributingeditoratTravel&Leisure,heisalsotheauthorofGenuineAuthenticandtheNewYorkTimesbestsellingModel.HelivesinNewYorkCity.

FromtheHardcoveredition.,,