Reviews
"Absorbing. . . . Cannadine writes like a storyteller, and the book often reads as compulsively as one of those immense fictional sagas that weigh down the bestseller lists. Sin and redemption are always close to the center of those family tales, and so they are inMellon." -Russell Baker,The New York Review of Books "A fascinating biography. . . . A sprawling work for a sprawling life." -Roger Lowenstein,The New York Times "A commanding biography, unsparing in revelation, lively in its writing, rigorous in its scholarship, astute in its judgments, and altogether a major contribution to American history." -Harold Evans, author ofThe American CenturyandThey Made America, "Absorbing. . . . Cannadine writes like a storyteller, and the book often reads as compulsively as one of those immense fictional sagas that weigh down the bestseller lists. Sin and redemption are always close to the center of those family tales, and so they are in Mellon ." --Russell Baker, The New York Review of Books "A fascinating biography. . . . A sprawling work for a sprawling life." --Roger Lowenstein, The New York Times "A commanding biography, unsparing in revelation, lively in its writing, rigorous in its scholarship, astute in its judgments, and altogether a major contribution to American history." --Harold Evans, author of The American Century and They Made America, "Absorbing. . . . Cannadine writes like a storyteller, and the book often reads as compulsively as one of those immense fictional sagas that weigh down the bestseller lists. Sin and redemption are always close to the center of those family tales, and so they are in "Mellon,"" --Russell Baker, "The New York Review of Books" "A fascinating biography. . . . A sprawling work for a sprawling life." --Roger Lowenstein, "The New York Times" "A commanding biography, unsparing in revelation, lively in its writing, rigorous in its scholarship, astute in its judgments, and altogether a major contribution to American history." --Harold Evans, author of "The American Century" and "They Made America", " A fascinating biography . . . A compelling portrait of a dour and lonely financier who was wounded in love, disappointed in his children and, tragically, ill-rewarded by his government . . . Mr. Canndine paints a vivid picture of 19th-century Pittsburgh as a crucible of the Industrial Revolution. Among Mellon' s customers or business partners were a Who' s Who of American tycoons . . . A sprawling work for a sprawling life." - Roger Lowenstein, "New York Times" " Absorbing . . . Cannadine writes like a storyteller, and the book often reads as compulsively as one of those immense fictional sagas that weigh down the best-seller lists. Sin and redemption are always close to the center of those family tales, and so they are in "Mellon" . . . Cannadine has the gifted writer' s eye for a good story. He is a rarity among modern academics: a historian who writes well and has the storyteller' s instinct for exploring personality and its effect on events . . . He dares to write history as if he wants his readers to enjoy reading it . . . An interesting exploration of a man who, at first glance, seemed to exist only to be disliked." - Russell Baker, "New York Review of Books" " Fascinating . . . David Cannadine has spent the past twelve years on this brilliant and reclusive figure . . . There is no easy way to sum up a figure so complex, influential, ruthless and benevolent, whose faults and virtues loom equally large . . . Cannadine has accomplished the rare feat of describing in meticulous detail the personality of someone one can admire and even feel sympathy for, who is nevertheless not very likable." - Meryle Secrest, "The Washington Post" " David Cannadine has done readers on both sides of the Atlantic a great service in writing an erudite and compelling biography of a man immensely prominent in his day, virtually forgotten now, who believed, as his father did that the ' serious business of life was business' . . . Shows exceptional skill in describing how, late in life, Mellon became a serious collector of art." - Stephen Graubard, "Financial Times" " The rehabilitation . . . [of] the Alan Greenspan of his time . . . Cannadine . . . a distinguished historian . . . enjoyed luxurious access to Mellon's records . . . The outcome: a book that delivers on the dignity and the achievements of Mellon . . . A complete biography, containing also- how could I forget to mention it? - details of Nora Mellon's adultery, Ailsa's self-absorption, and Paul Mellon's education in philanthropy. It introduces us to a man we need to know, and all there is to say is: Welcome, Andy." - Amity Shlaes, "The New York Sun" " That Mellon- a painfully shy man who made Calvin Coolidge look like a jovial backslapper (the joke was that the two conversed in pauses)- could become the 1920s equivalent of a rock star is astonishing . . . Though scarcely known today, Andrew W. Mellon was a colossus in late 19th century and early 20th century America . . . David Cannadine, the distinguished British historian [gives us] a well-written, richly detailed chronicle." - Steve Forbes, "Wall Street Journal" " David Cannadine, our foremost historian of the British aristocracy, has painted a rich, full-length portrait, warts and all, of one of the most important plutocrats America has ever produced. It turns out the taciturn old conservative and master collector Mellon had an inner life as well as an amazing career, which Cannadine recreates with his usual thoroughness, humaneness, and wit." - Sean Wilentz, Princeton University, author of "The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln" " A commanding biography, unsparing in revelation, lively in its writing, rigorous in its scholarship, astute in its judgments, and altogether a major contribution to American history." - Harold Evans, author, "The American Century" and "They Made America" " In this engaging and entertaining biography, David Cannadine paints a, "A fascinating biography . . . A compelling portrait of a dour and lonely financier who was wounded in love, disappointed in his children and, tragically, ill-rewarded by his government . . . Mr. Canndine paints a vivid picture of 19th-century Pittsburgh as a crucible of the Industrial Revolution. Among Mellon's customers or business partners were a Who's Who of American tycoons . . . A sprawling work for a sprawling life." -Roger Lowenstein, "New York Times" "Absorbing . . . Cannadine writes like a storyteller, and the book often reads as compulsively as one of those immense fictional sagas that weigh down the best-seller lists. Sin and redemption are always close to the center of those family tales, and so they are in "Mellon" . . . Cannadine has the gifted writer's eye for a good story. He is a rarity among modern academics: a historian who writes well and has the storyteller's instinct for exploring personality and its effect on events . . . He dares to write history as if he wants his readers to enjoy reading it . . . An interesting exploration of a man who, at first glance, seemed to exist only to be disliked." -Russell Baker, "New York Review of Books" "Fascinating . . . David Cannadine has spent the past twelve years on this brilliant and reclusive figure . . . There is no easy way to sum up a figure so complex, influential, ruthless and benevolent, whose faults and virtues loom equally large . . . Cannadine has accomplished the rare feat of describing in meticulous detail the personality of someone one can admire and even feel sympathy for, who is nevertheless not very likable." -Meryle Secrest, "The Washington Post" "David Cannadine has done readers onboth sides of the Atlantic a great service in writing an erudite and compelling biography of a man immensely prominent in his day, virtually forgotten now, who believed, as his father did that the 'serious business of life was business' . . . Shows exceptional skill in describing how, late in life, Mellon became a serious collector of art." -Stephen Graubard, "Financial Times" "The rehabilitation . . . [of] the Alan Greenspan of his time . . . Cannadine . . . a distinguished historian . . . enjoyed luxurious access to Mellon's records . . . The outcome: a book that delivers on the dignity and the achievements of Mellon . . . A complete biography, containing also-how could I forget to mention it? -details of Nora Mellon's adultery, Ailsa's self-absorption, and Paul Mellon's education in philanthropy. It introduces us to a man we need to know, and all there is to say is: Welcome, Andy." -Amity Shlaes, "The New York Sun" "That Mellon-a painfully shy man who made Calvin Coolidge look like a jovial backslapper (the joke was that the two conversed in pauses)-could become the 1920s equivalent of a rock star is astonishing . . . Though scarcely known today, Andrew W. Mellon was a colossus in late 19th century and early 20th century America . . . David Cannadine, the distinguished British historian [gives us] a well-written, richly detailed chronicle." -Steve Forbes, "Wall Street Journal" "David Cannadine, our foremost historian of the British aristocracy, has painted a rich, full-length portrait, warts and all, of one of the most important plutocrats America has ever produced. It turns out the taciturn old conservative and master collector Mellon had an inner life as wellas an amazing career, which Cannadine recreates with his usual thoroughness, humaneness, and wit." -Sean Wilentz, Princeton University, author of "The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln" "A commanding biography, unsparing in revelation, lively in its writing, rigorous in its scholarship, astute in its judgments, and altogether a major contribution to American history." -Harold Evans, author, "The American Century" and "They Made America" "In this engaging and entertaining biography, David Cannadine paints a sweeping, vivid portrait of Andrew, "A fascinating biography . . . A compelling portrait of a dour and lonely financier who was wounded in love, disappointed in his children and, tragically, ill-rewarded by his government . . . Mr. Canndine paints a vivid picture of 19th-century Pittsburgh as a crucible of the Industrial Revolution. Among Mellon's customers or business partners were a Who's Who of American tycoons . . . A sprawling work for a sprawling life." Roger Lowenstein,New York Times "Absorbing . . . Cannadine writes like a storyteller, and the book often reads as compulsively as one of those immense fictional sagas that weigh down the best-seller lists. Sin and redemption are always close to the center of those family tales, and so they are inMellon. . . Cannadine has the gifted writer's eye for a good story. He is a rarity among modern academics: a historian who writes well and has the storyteller's instinct for exploring personality and its effect on events . . . He dares to write history as if he wants his readers to enjoy reading it . . . An interesting exploration of a man who, at first glance, seemed to exist only to be disliked." Russell Baker,New York Review of Books "Fascinating . . . David Cannadine has spent the past twelve years on this brilliant and reclusive figure . . . There is no easy way to sum up a figure so complex, influential, ruthless and benevolent, whose faults and virtues loom equally large . . . Cannadine has accomplished the rare feat of describing in meticulous detail the personality of someone one can admire and even feel sympathy for, who is nevertheless not very likable." Meryle Secrest,The Washington Post "David Cannadine has done readers on both sides of the Atlantic a great service in writing an erudite and compelling biography of a man immensely prominent in his day, virtually forgotten now, who believed, as his father did that the 'serious business of life was business' . . . Shows exceptional skill in describing how, late in life, Mellon became a serious collector of art." Stephen Graubard,Financial Times "The rehabilitation . . . [of] the Alan Greenspan of his time . . . Cannadine . . . a distinguished historian . . . enjoyed luxurious access to Mellon's records . . . The outcome: a book that delivers on the dignity and the achievements of Mellon . . . A complete biography, containing alsohow could I forget to mention it? details of Nora Mellon's adultery, Ailsa's self-absorption, and Paul Mellon's education in philanthropy. It introduces us to a man we need to know, and all there is to say is: Welcome, Andy." Amity Shlaes,The New York Sun "That Mellona painfully shy man who made Calvin Coolidge look like a jovial backslapper (the joke was that the two conversed in pauses)could become the 1920s equivalent of a rock star is astonishing . . . Though scarcely known today, Andrew W. Mellon was a colossus in late 19th century and early 20th century America . . . David Cannadine, the distinguished British historian [gives us] a well-written, richly detailed chronicle." Steve Forbes,Wall Street Journal "David Cannadine, our foremost historian of the British aristocracy, has painted a rich, full-length portrait, warts and all, of one of the most important plutocrats America has ever produced. It turns out the taciturn old conservative and master collector Mellon had an inner life as well as an amazing career, which Cannadine recreates with his usual thoroughness, humaneness, and wit." Sean Wilentz, Princeton University, author ofThe Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln R, "Absorbing. . . . Cannadine writes like a storyteller, and the book often reads as compulsively as one of those immense fictional sagas that weigh down the bestseller lists. Sin and redemption are always close to the center of those family tales, and so they are in Mellon ." -Russell Baker, The New York Review of Books "A fascinating biography. . . . A sprawling work for a sprawling life." -Roger Lowenstein, The New York Times "A commanding biography, unsparing in revelation, lively in its writing, rigorous in its scholarship, astute in its judgments, and altogether a major contribution to American history." -Harold Evans, author of The American Century and They Made America
