| In Association With... |  |
|
|
|
The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty | 
enlarge | Manufacturer: Gotham Category: EBooks
List Price: $15.00 Buy New: $9.99 You Save: $5.01 (33%)
Avg. Customer Rating: 59 reviews Sales Rank: 3200
Format: Kindle Book Media: Kindle Edition Number Of Items: 1 Pages: 464
Dewey Decimal Number: 338.766320092273 ASIN: B000SZLWFO
Publication Date: June 19, 2007 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
"An epic, scandal-plagued story of the immigrant family that built -- and then spectacularly lost -- a global wine empire. Set in California's lush Napa Valley and spanning four generations of a talented and visionary family, The House of Mondavi is a tale of genius, sibling rivalry, and betrayal. From 1906, when Italian immigrant Cesare Mondavi passed through Ellis Island, to the Robert Mondavi Corp's twenty-first-century battle over a billion-dollar fortune, award-winning journalist Julia Flynn brings to life both the place and the people in this riveting family drama. The blood feuds are as spectacular as the business triumphs. Cesar's sons, Robert and Peter, literally came to blows in the 1960s during a dispute touched off by the purchase of a mink coat, resulting in Robert's exile from the family--and his subsequent founding of a winery that would set off a revolution in American winemaking. Robert's sons, Michael and Timothy, as passionate in their own ways as their visionary father, waged battle with each other for control of the company before Michael's expansive ambitions ultimately led to a board coup and the sale of the business to an international conglomerate. A meticulously reported narrative based on thousands of hours of interviews, The House of Mondavi is bound to become a classic."
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 54 more reviews...
Entertaining history... October 5, 2008 I often prefer fiction, yet this packs California wine history into an enjoyable read. It even educates about wines without being heavy handed. And we get to "taste" some intriguing vineyard personalities. For those in family businesses, there are valuable cautionary lessons as well. Definitely worth my money and my time.
tess's review of House of Mondavi September 24, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Anyone that is big into Wine and has been to Napa knows Mondavi Winery is one of the biggest player in the Valley. It was very interesting to read how the winery came about and the split up of the family....Charles Krug winery.
Family dynamics for all to see August 18, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
An interesting in-depth review of a famous family, from success to downfall. This book navigates the ascendacy of this dynasty to the top of the California wine industry, hindered by the breakdown of personal relations and the final fiasco of the business. Sad, but fascinating.
The Real "Falcon Crest" July 25, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
THis is a great book about the early fine wine industry in California. The TV show "Falcon Crest" pales when compared to the real life story of the Mondavis. This book was a best-seller for a reason. Read it an enjoy.
Truth is stranger than fiction July 8, 2008 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a great book to read if you have interest in the Mondavi wine business. My interest was piqued after a recent trip to the Napa/Sonoma wine region and visiting the Opus Winery, amongst others. Mondavi is a legend in the California wine business and after reading Robert Mondavi's book entitled Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business I was further drawn to learn more about the family story. In Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business Robert Mondavi tells his side of the story but in this meticulously researched book the big picture is further explained and goes deep into the demise of the wine empire. The ins and outs of the busines, complete with sordid stories, success and faillures, makes this book an epic tale of a family in turmoil. The conflicts between the elder brothers, the Robert Mondavi heir brothers, Michael and Timothy is given an impartial reporting that is refreshing. The book does focus primarily on the fall of the Mondavi empire but it is done in such a way that the background information on the rise of the empire puts everything into perspective. The contributions to the wine industry cannot be denied and the author acknowledges the innovations and techniques the Mondavi family brought to making wine, as well as making Caifornia wine world renowned and mass consumed. The expansion of the business to other parts of the world is quite interesting. It is a tragic story in the end as big business takes over the Mondavi name but not before many years of drama, which Julia Flynn Siler so eloquently describes. If you are interested in the Mondavi story this book is without question the one to read. The book has two sets of pictures that put faces on the characters in this real life soap opera. It is a very satisfying read that leaves you thirsting for more every time you stop reading it. Check it out, highly recommended, especially if you are a wine enthusiast or a person involved in business.
|
|
| Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |