A really interesting tale of the people, the house and the history. I found it helpful to have my iPad handy so I could see the art and people discussed, though there were some illustrations included. Stories about Fitzgerald, o. Henry and Thomas Wolfe, among others, added some literary interest and the gilded age and World War II were characters in their own right. ( )

I am obsessed with learning about Biltmore House and George Vanderbilt’s family. This book provides an extremely detailed and thorough history of both. I’ve learned more about Biltmore and the family from this book than any other I’ve read. The family suffered so much tragedy while making it a priority to help others less fortunate. They truly cared about their community. The perseverance of Edith to carry out her husband’s dreams is admirable. Biltmore is such an amazing place to me and I’m awestruck every time I visit. The author also writes about Asheville, NC to include famous people and well known businesses such as,Thomas Wolfe and Grove Park Inn. ( )

Wow! Born into the Gilded Age and the Vanderbilt money, once George saw the mountains around Ashville, he dreamed of building a home where he could take in the views. His dream knew no bounds and eventually he owned thousands and thousands of acres of land. He hired the best architect to design his castle and the best landscape architect to turn the worn-out land into beauty, all while remaining devoted to his aged mother. Eventually George meets Edith Dresser, and they marry.

The book details the family histories of both the Vanderbilts and the Dressers, both families members of the Four Hundred, wealthy east coast families. George and Edith had a daughter Cornelia. After George's death, Edith was left with resolving the family's struggling finances and Cornelia went her merry way.

The economic impact of the Biltmore estate in the Ashville area must have been tremendous, even though George bought out so many of the landowners. Jobs and job training were high on the Vanderbilt priority list as well as caring for and about the estate's employees and their families. Where most Gilded Age mansions have meet with the wrecking ball, this gem has survived, but not easily. It remains privately owned, surviving on tourism.

Denise Kiernan is a master of deep research, vivid descriptions, and page turning techniques. If anything, she may provide too much detail.

I read this book because I enjoyed The Girls of Atomic City, and we are planning to stop at Asheville to tour the Vanderbilt mansion in a few months. Our visit will take on a much deeper meaning. Highly recommend this book whether you plan to visit the "castle" or not. Very enlightening about how the wealthy lived and thought in the late 1800s and early 1900s. ( )

Before taking a trip to the Biltmore House, my book club read this book. It is very informative and added so much to the trip. I learned much I didn't know, especially about the landscape and forestry efforts on the original property, which were so far ahead of that time period. It was interesting to read about the people that designed, constructed, and ultimately lived in the home and why it is important that it be conserved. It continues to offer so much to the people of Asheville. ( )