Just finished this wild ride through the Astor family saga! Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe serve up history with a side of juicy drama—like a fancy Waldorf salad, but with more backstabbing.

The book totally changed how I see old NYC. Turns out, the Astors were basically the original real estate moguls, but with way more beaver pelts involved. Who knew?

My favorite part? Learning how John Jacob Astor IV went down with the Titanic while wearing $4,000 in cash (that's like $120k today!). Talk about going out in style.

Though honestly, some chapters felt like historical name-dropping. Do we really need three pages about random theater people? Still, 10/10 would recommend for anyone obsessed with Gilded Age tea.

Pro tip: Read this while binge-watching The Gilded Age for maximum effect. The Vanderbilts may be flashier, but the Astors had way better family drama!