The Haves and Have-Yachts

De: Evan Osnos

Narrado por: Evan Osnos

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From the National Book Award–winning author Evan Osnos comes a timely and provocative collection of essays exploring American oligarchy and the culture of excess, providing a wry, unfiltered look at how the ultrarich shape—and sometimes warp—our social and political landscape.

The ultrarich hold more of America’s wealth than they did in the heyday of the Carnegies and Rockefellers. Here, Evan Osnos’s incisive reportage yields an unforgettable portrait of the tactics and obsessions driving this new Gilded Age, in which superyachts, luxury bunkers, elite tax dodges, and a torrent of political donations bespeak staggering disparities of wealth and power.

With deft storytelling and meticulous reporting, this is a book about the indulgences, incentives, and psychological distortions that define our economic age. In each essay, Osnos delves into a world that is rarely visible, from the outrageous to the fabulous to the ridiculous: a private wealth manager who broke with members of an American dynasty and spilled their secrets; the pop stars who perform at lavish parties for thirteen-year-olds; the status anxieties that spill out of marinas in Monaco and Palm Beach like real-world episodes of Succession and The White Lotus; the ethos behind the largest Ponzi scheme in Hollywood history; the confessions of disgraced titans in a “white-collar support group.” A celebrated political reporter, Osnos delves into the unprecedented Washington influence of Silicon Valley and Wall Street, drawing on in-depth interviews with Mark Zuckerberg and other billionaires, about their power and the explosive backlash it stirs.

Originally published in The New Yorker, these essays have been revised and expanded to deliver an unflinching portrait of raw ambition, unimaginable fortune, and the rise of America’s modern oligarchy. Osnos’s essays are a wake-up call—a case against complacency in the face of unchecked excess, as the choices of the ultrarich ripple through our lives. Entertaining, unsettling, and eye-opening, The Haves and the Have-Yachts couldn’t be more relevant to today’s world.

©2025 Evan Osnos (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Entertaining

Its rare to get a true glimpse inside of the walls of extreme success and privilege. I was hoping for something more akin to “Billionaire Wilderness”, which was very throughly researched.
This book was informational and also well- researched. But it sort of led nowhere. I did enjoy it, however.

Very informative and well crafted

Very informative, it shows the true intentions of some of the wealthy and how they influence governments and the world at large.

well organized

very informative regarding excessive accumulation and retention of wealth in America. fascinating details on lack of taxation on wealth.

Morals matter. Character counts. Ethics explain. .

Great presentation of roots and consequences of income inequality. Definitely worth the read/listen. First and last chapters are brilliant.

Excellent.

Each essay is extremely well written and researched, as well as updated to 2025. Very insightful.

I hated for the book to end!!

Excellent writing and narration. The book was both educational and entertaining. I look forward to listening to the author's other books.

How the incredible trove monies that could be used to help others is woefully missing.

I would hope to see an equally informative book that addresses the title of my review.

Confusing!

I am not sure what the author is trying to say. The first several stories were somewhat interesting and then it went downhill.

Unbearable political bias

The author doesn’t attempt to at all hide his hatred for Republicans and the wealthy (in that order). For example, he eagerly highlights the political affiliation of republicans who have committed acts with which he disagrees, yet somehow forgets to do the same for those on the left (eg, David Geffen).

Although the book was updated in 2025, he asserts there was no truth to the Hunter Biden laptop scandal and he continues to perpetuate the Trump Russian influence nonsense.

Shame on Me

In today's edition of "You can't tell a book by its cover...." I made the mistake of not reading the precis of what the book was about, instead, I assumed (by the yacht themed cover) that it would be a jab at Bravo TV's "Below Deck" series and the people who own or charter yachts. That's on me.

If you are of the mind that the "rich don't pay their fair share," or that the money you earn actually belongs to the government and you should be happy with what they let you keep, or that 40+% your life's work and worth belong to Uncle Sam when you die, or that Rachel Maddow/AOC/Bernie Sanders are economic geniuses...this book is for you.

Somehow the author finds it acceptable to demonize those who accumulate wealth and then use the tax laws passed by Congress to minimize their tax burden, hinting with a 'wink-wink' that yeah, it may be legal, but it is depriving the Treasury of money and preventing Congress from spending even more.

What really burned me was the praise the author had for Biden, easily the most corrupt president in history. Perhaps Mr. Osnos can tell us how much taxation Hunter Biden avoided with the money he earned because of his father's name? Oh, sorry, Biden PARDONED Hunter for all crimes he committed or may have committed for the period of time Joe was VP or president.

Yeah, this book is an ode to class and wealth envy.