Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a steamboat and railroad entrepreneur and among the richest men in the world. He accumulated a vast fortune that he passed primarily to one of his sons. His offspring continued some business ventures, but primarily conspicuous consumption. They were New York socialites. The built huge mansions. With wealth and opulence came public interest and a lack of privacy. The great consumption also lead to a gradual loss of the wealth. Today many of the descendents remain (such as the author of the book.) However, the great "Vanderbilt" wealth is no longer a thing.