Thomas Maier

It's important to note this book is an updated version of the author's 1994 book, Newhouse: All The Glitter, Power and Glory of America's Richest Media Empire and the Secretive Man Behind It. Condé Nast is an American media company behind such magazines as Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ, and The New Yorker. Samuel I. Newhouse bought the company in 1959 and in the 1970s his son, Si, became chairman. The book mostly centers on everything going on at Vogue and Vanity Fair during the 1980s and early 90s when Anna Wintour and Tina Brown both were experiencing success at running those magazines. A good history of the Newhouse family is also provided as well as an updated look at some of the key players working for the company as well as two men, President Trump and Harvey Weinstein, who seemed to benefit quite nicely with their cozy relationships with some influential people in media.

I'll admit I was initially drawn to the book just based on the Anna Wintour stuff and I was pleasantly surprised the author presented her as someone who is a good businesswoman rather than only focusing on her reputation as an ice queen. I didn't know much about Tina Brown prior to reading this but it was interesting learning about the highs and lows of her career. Supposedly this book is being developed into a television series and I assume their professional rivalry will be a key part of the plot.

Donald Trump's book, The Art of the Deal, was a bestseller and is what launched him into household name status.. Si Newhouse is the one who persuaded Trump to come out with a book and Trump was featured quite often in Condé Nast publications. There were some fascinating decades old quotes about Trump in the book that are pretty spot on and relevant today. He was buddy-buddy with many of the people featured in this book but most have distanced themselves from him or flat out denounced him since he ran for office.

A good behind the scenes look at the world of publishing, particularly at Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines. I haven't read the previous version of this book , but in my opinion the post 1994 material added isn't all that substantial so if you've read the other book, I wouldn't rush out and buy this one. However, if you don't know much about the whole Condé Nast empire and are interested in the topic, I definitely recommend taking a look at this book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!… (more)

"Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous," he observed. "In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics many times."

I am always interested in reading and learning more about Winston Churchill. This book really highlights the relationship between the Churchill family and the Kennedy family. The relationship started in the 30's and while it wasn't always friendly it shows how some of the greatest men of the 20th century interacted during some of our toughest times. Even though I've read about Winston Churchill I was unaware of just how much he and his family became involved with the Kennedys.

Great men came out of both the Kennedy family and the Churchill family and those great men spent their years alternating between a friendly relationship and one filled with animosity. This book does a great job covering that relationship and how it affected not only those families but history as well. I really liked that this book covered the history of each family and didn't just focus on the parts that concern both. I can't claim a vast knowledge of the Kennedys so it was interesting learning more about them.

This book is a really great book for a history buff (perhaps a Christmas gift?) and someone especially interested in reading more about the complex relationship between the Churchills and the Kennedys. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the galley.… (more)