Colum McCann wins national award Nov 20, 2009
T.J. Stiles' biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt, "The First Tycoon," was the nonfiction winner. Keith Waldrop's "Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy" won for poetry. (MSNBC -- Lifestyle)
Providence Poet Wins National Book Award Nov 20, 2009
Other winners include Colum McCann for fiction and T.J. Stiles for his biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Waldrop has published more than a dozen books each of his own poetry and of translations. (CBS News -- Entertainment)
'Ayn Rand and the World She Made' Nov 2, 2009
T.J. Stiles is the author of "The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt," a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award. He lives in San Francisco. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Two-minute drill: Could 1980 Dawgs win it all today? Oct 17, 2009
Please let the TV cameras show Uga VII barking at Vanderbilt s mascot, Mr. C, named for Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, and two weeks later on Halloween barking at the University of Florida s Gator mascots, Albert and Alberta. Last Saturday In Knoxville, the TV cameras showed a sad Uga sitting in his kennel looking bored, depressed and disgusted, wondering when the game would be over and he d get back to home like most of the Bulldog Nation. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
A look at the National Book Awards nominees Oct 16, 2009
Marcel Theroux's global-warming novel, "Far North," and "The First Tycoon," a biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles of San Francisco, are some of the finalists announced Wednesday ... Marcel Theroux's global-warming novel, "Far North," and "The First Tycoon," a biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Book buzz: What's new on the list and in publishing Oct 15, 2009
Non-fiction finalists include Greg Grandin's Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of 's Forgotten Jungle City and T.J. Stiles' The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Stitches, 's graphic memoir about his horrific childhood, is a Young People's Literature finalist, though it was not published as a kids' book. (USA Today -- Life)
Tycoon tales and Darwin get award nominations Oct 15, 2009
Biographies about tycoons Henry Ford and Cornelius Vanderbilt were among the finalists announced Wednesday, along with two books relating to Charles Darwin. But judges also omitted such widely publicized releases as Lorrie Moore's "At the Gate of the Stairs," Richard Powers' "Generosity" and Blake Bailey's biography of John Cheever. (MSNBC -- Lifestyle)
Finalists for book award Oct 15, 2009
Biographies about tycoons Henry Ford and Cornelius Vanderbilt are among the finalists announced yesterday for the National Book Award, along with two books relating to Charles Darwin. The nonfiction nominees are Sean B. Carroll s Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origin of Species, T.J. Stiles s The First Tycoon, Greg Grandin s Fordlandia, David M. Carroll s Following the Water, and Adrienne Mayor s The Poison King. (Boston Globe)
Can Bernanke earn financial canonisation? Sep 7, 2009
If Wall Street had saints, then the college of financial cardinals would surely canonise Elbridge G. Spaulding,'' wrote T. J. Stiles in his insightful new biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt, The First Tycoon. Spaulding, wrote Stiles, ''performed a true miracle: he conjured money out of nothing, and so contributed more towards the Union victory (and the future of New York's financial sector) than any single battlefield victory. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
A conversation with Marylou Whitney Aug 10, 2009
It goes back to my late husband's (Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney) ancestors. It's really just wonderful. (Albany Times Union)
Newport Wine & Food Festival in Rho... Jun 27, 2009
Cornelius Vanderbilt II requested to do the new architecture and had architect Richard Morris Hunt, to create the elaborate, seventy room home. For the food and wine lover, escape for a day or make a weekend of this culinary event. (Suite101.com)
In Praise of Robber Barons Jun 26, 2009
Still another of the alleged robber barons was Cornelius Vanderbilt. In 1798 the government of New York had granted Robert Livingston and Robert Fulton a monopoly on steamboat traffic for thirty years. (The American Conservative)
GLORIA VANDERBILT'S BOOK OF FAN... Jun 25, 2009
The editing process was very long." We were at 93rd and Madison's The Corner Bookstore, whose window also displayed "Commodore: The Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt. " It was white wine in plastic cups, nuts, crackers, cheese. No chairs. Gloria, in never-removed brown coat, black glittery pants and giant crystal jewelry, was signing, not reading. Due 6 p.m. 00004000 , she arrived with a senior gentleman at 5:45. So how many of these is she doing? "I'm not doing any more at all. (New York Post -- Gossip)
Goodybye, Gyro. Hello, Quaker City Mercantile Jun 16, 2009
Grasse said that using the term mercantile evokes the 19th century, when people used to actually do stuff, Grasse said, adding somewhat in jest: I want to be Cornelius Vanderbilt. I want to be a robber baron. (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
The Derby winner's Alaska ties are twofold May 10, 2009
Her late-husband, Cornelius Vanderbilt "Sonny" Whitney, sold off the entire family line of horses in the late 1980s and told his wife he wanted her to find another line of work. "I said, 'Please, I love these mares,' " Whitney said. (Anchorage Daily News)
Spoiler no more for Mine That Bird's sire May 9, 2009
"People knocked him. People kept on doubting him. People said he's too tiny, not good looking. He's tiny, but mighty.''Birdstone had about 80 breeding appointments scheduled this year prior to the Derby and now that total is at 110 and rising, Hernon said. As for the stallion himself, Whitney insists he is not for sale.Her family has been in the horse breeding business for four generations, once owning the land where Gainesway now sits. However, it has been all mares since she and Hendrickson... (MSNBC -- Sports)
Trusteees of Reservations: Vote online to send $1million to Crane Estate May 3, 2009
A contemporary of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Crane was captivated by the beauty of the landscape, and, over time, worked with eight leading architects and landscape architects to shape his summer retreat. In 1929, he crowned the estate with a grand mansion designed by the world-renowned architect David Adler. (Medfield Press, MA)
Newport's rich history Apr 28, 2009
At the Breakers, built in 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, and other neighboring mansions, dinner parties for 200 were common. Rosecliff, the most beautiful, has a ballroom 80 feet in length. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Travel)
'First Tycoon' recalls the robust Cornelius Vanderbilt Apr 28, 2009
First Tycoon' recalls the robust Cornelius Vanderbilt - The Boston Globe ... First Tycoon' recalls the robust Cornelius Vanderbilt ... How fitting that T.J. Stiles follow his epochal biography of the complex, unexpectedly modern outlaw Jesse James with "The First Tycoon," an epochal biography of James's more influential and far more legal contemporary, Cornelius Vanderbilt. (Boston Globe)
More of this story Apr 11, 2009
Instead of following a guide, they don headphones and embark on an audio tour of the oceanfront mansion completed in 1895 as a summer cottage for railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt II.. The tour begins in the Great Hall, and well-placed signs guide the visitors through the estate. (Newport Daily News, RI)
Church with ties to Vanderbilt founderworks to get state historical marker Apr 3, 2009
His claim to fame came when he befriended Cornelius Vanderbilt and convinced him to give him $1 million to establish a college in Nashville. This college would later be named Vanderbilt University. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Changing of the guard Mar 8, 2009
Among Ogden Jr.'s noteworthy clients were John D. Rockefeller and Cornelius Vanderbilt; he also famously collaborated with author Edith Wharton on the book "The Decoration of Houses.". Yet, according to Churchill, "There was a falling out in the family that prevented James and Henrietta from consulting Ogden Jr.". (Boston Globe)
A book worth its salt! Feb 9, 2009
Legend has it that George Crum, in a fit of anger in 1853, sliced potatoes paper-thin and fried them in response to a complaint from a customer (some say Cornelius Vanderbilt) alleging that Crum s potatoes weren t crispy enough. The legend, though, may be a myth: Crum s sister may have been the original Potato Potentate. (Westerly Sun, RI)
