The Last Castle

The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation’s Largest Home

By: Denise Kiernan

Narrated by: Denise Kiernan

From the author of the New York Times bestseller The Girls of Atomic City comes the fascinating true story behind the magnificent Gilded Age mansion Biltmore - the largest, grandest residence ever built in the United States.

Orphaned at a young age, Edith Stuyvesant Dresser claimed lineage from one of New York's best known families. She grew up in Newport and Paris, and her engagement and marriage to George Vanderbilt was one of the most watched events of Gilded Age society. But none of this prepared her to be mistress of Biltmore House.

Before their marriage, the wealthy and bookish Vanderbilt had dedicated his life to creating a spectacular European-style estate on 125,000 acres of North Carolina wilderness. He summoned the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to tame the grounds, collaborated with celebrated architect Richard Morris Hunt to build a 175,000-square-foot chateau, filled it with priceless art and antiques, and erected a charming village beyond the gates. Newlywed Edith was now mistress of an estate nearly three times the size of Washington, DC and benefactress of the village and surrounding rural area. When fortunes shifted and changing times threatened her family, her home, and her community, it was up to Edith to save Biltmore - and secure the future of the region and her husband's legacy.

The story of Biltmore spans World Wars, the Jazz Age, the Depression, and generations of the famous Vanderbilt family, and features a captivating cast of real-life characters including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Teddy Roosevelt, John Singer Sargent, James Whistler, Henry James, and Edith Wharton. The Last Castle is the unique American story of how the largest house in America flourished, faltered, and ultimately endured to this day.

©2017 Denise Kiernan (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

So much more

I normally don’t listen to nonfiction however I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Castle. It is so much more than the story of the Biltmore Estate. Although the estate is a fascinating tale, it was a bonus to get to know so many other characters of the time period.

Fascinating

This was a completely riveting read about a home I've always been fascinated with. I loved the background, the description, and all the details. The last section, after George died, lagged a bit and wasn't nearly as interesting. It felt like a rush to wrap everything up after that and I didn't feel we got a full picture of what life was like for the women after his death. It felt like a sad dismantling of all he'd worked to build, although thankfully done in such a way that his biggest legacy remained intact. I also found Cornelia extremely hard to relate to and unlikeable. I had a lot of questions about her actions and motivations that were left unanswered. I also couldn't get a feel for how her and Edith's relationship weathered all the changes. I loved that the author gave us a glimpse of what the future held for all the major characters. A really well-researched and written book.

Great story, mediocre narration.

The information was very interesting however the narrator’s voice didn’t seem like a good fit.

Interesting history!

Really great insight into the financial decisions needed to keep this beautiful property going. I’ve got the itch to see it again, now that I have more knowledge. Biltmore is still breathtaking!

Wonderful backstory to America's royalty

I loved learning the backstory to the Vanderbilt name and their family's relationship's to some of the great families of America and Europe. Also I enjoyed finding out about how much the family helped shape the town of Asheville, NC into the amazing place it is today. The author/narriator's voice is pleasing and engaging. overall a good and informative book.

Magical Biltmore & Inspiring Vanderbilt’s

My first encounter with Biltmore House was on trip with my grandmother. That was over 50 years ago and I’m still in love with this incredible home. I had no idea how kind and generous Mr & Mrs George Vanderbilt we’re. This book captures stories to warm the heart and call out our better nature.

Lovely writer, stoic narrator

I wish the author hadn’t done the narration because I felt like a cold, formulaic Mother was scolding me through a slice of history that I might have otherwise been whiled away by the fanciful tales of an opulent family in a gilded bygone era. I found her cadence routine and perfunctory so much that the information often just went in one ear and out the other as no nuance or warmth illuminated the passages. I wondered if she was a professor? Or perhaps like a cold news anchor person spouting off a rundown of boring daily news items. I don’t care enough to google it. The story was interesting but again, told so blandly and with often times so much calculated informational detail with not enough soul that it never came to life, the people never felt like flesh and blood, they felt like stone carvings from history. I appreciate the work very much and respect the author very much, I just couldn’t seep myself in this like I’d expected I would. It’s worth a listen, just nowhere near as good as it could have been with a talented voice actor narrator.

Bad narration

I loved the history of one of the greatest American castles. But I wish she had chosen someone else to read her book .

Comprehensive history of Biltmore House

After recently visiting Biltmore House and staying in Biltmore Village, I wanted to listen again to this book. This was my 2nd time listening to it after a few years. The book added more details to my trip and brought the story to life.

The book has so many hidden stories!

I used to live near the Biltmore Estate and thought I knew everything about it, well this book proved me wrong. There are so many never before told stories of trials and successes of all people involved in the Biltmore Estate and Vanderbilt Family. The audio tour on house grounds is just the tip of the iceberg. Listen to this book before visiting the Estate and even if you have been there many times, you will be in awe.