The House the Rockefellers Built: A Tale of Money, Taste, and Power in Twentieth-Century America

by Robert F. Dalzell Jr., Lee Baldwin Dalzell

What it was like to be as rich as How a house gave shape and meaning to three generations of an iconic American family One hundred years ago America's richest man established a dynastic seat, the granite-clad Kykuit, high above the Hudson River. Though George Vanderbilt's 255-room Biltmore had recently put the American country house on the money map, John D. Rockefeller, who detested ostentation, had something simple in mind--at least until his son John Jr. and his charming wife, Abby, injected a spirit of noblesse oblige into the equation. Built to honor the senior Rockefeller, the house would also become the place above all others that anchored the family's memories. There could never be a better picture of the Rockefellers and their ambitions for the enormous fortune Senior had settled upon them.
The authors take us inside the house and the family to observe a century of building and rebuilding--the ebb and flow of events and family feelings, the architecture and furnishings, the art and the gardens. A complex saga, The House the Rockefellers Built is alive with surprising twists and turns that reveal the tastes of a large family often sharply at odds with one another about the fortune the house symbolized.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published July 24, 2007

Reviews

[Christina Gagliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative backstory behind the design and building of the Rockefellers' Kykuit home in the Hudson Valley, which I am going to see next month as a result of reading this book. I found the first half of the book most interesting, as it focuses on the reasons for building the house (Senior and Junior's), the process of building and re-building the house, and the personalities of the first and second generation of wealthy Rockfellers.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark gave me this book in anticipation of our trip this summer to see Hyde Park and Kykuit. I'm actually surprised at how much more enlightening this book is about John D. Rockfeller Sr.'s personality this book is than Titan by Ron Chernow. I'm looking forward to seeing the views, the art work and the gardens most of all. This house cost more to landscape than to build and rebuild - yikes. Three generations built and took care of this house. On the estate each of the children had a home as well as communal spaces, like the Playhouse. I would be quite interested to see these spaces, but didn't get a feel for what we'd be able to see/not see.

[Madalene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about the history of Kykuit and also getting a bit of insight into some of the Rockefellers. I read this book as a precursor to taking the Grand Tour of Kykuit. I feel that having read it will make the tour that much more meaningful. Thanks to Anthony for providing both the book and the tour :)

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased this book after touring Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate in Sleepy Hollow, NY. A fascinating read, particularly if you have seen Kykuit. Learning about the inner workings of the Rockefeller family complemented my visit.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in preparation for a visit to the Hudson Valley and a tour of their home there, Kykuit. It is an abbreviated family biography as well, at least as it relates to this home. I definitely think it will add to my enjoyment of the house.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining -- I learned a lot about Kykuit (rhymes with high-cut) and the Rockefeller family!

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit dry. I did enjoy some reading on some of the historical facts relevant to this area of the country. However, I had to push myself to finish it.

[Constance]

OK if you are really into the Rockefeller's or just how Kykuit came to be.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dry but very interesting

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative but really dry. Would have loved some pictures.