The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty Audiobook

" This is a very meaty book. It's is quite interesting. It is not just about the Mondavi family, but the whole history of Wine in America, especially the rise of cheap wine. I just still want to know why cheap wine in Italy is sooo much better than our two buck chuck. Okay, well guess I do know now, bc if the cheap stuff tasted good, who would by the 60 dollar cab. Love America's Capitalist society. "

" This is a great book. It is the story of the rise and fall of the Mondavi wine dynasty. It is quite like a Greek tragedy. Feuding, lawsuits, divorce. However, under it all is the story of 4 generations of the Mondavi family and their quest for wine making. "

" Since we love wine, I was naturally interested in learning about the one of the first families to pioneer interest in the United States. This poor family was wrought with strife and deep-rooted power conflicts that spanned generations. It's very honest and told from a third party perspective so you learn all sides of the story. I highly recommend. "

" a lot of family history throughout, but if you love to read about coporate takeovers and the nuances of shareholder relationships, you'll love this book. the family history starts at the beginning and it's interesting to see how much the family relationship invades and impedes the business, especially in such a consistent manner through the generations. it was cool to read about the sort of birth and growth of the napa valley (from the Mondavi perspective) through to about 2007 and i was struck over and over how much these guys fought with each other, despite each of them being personally worth millions later on. if you don't get bogged down by the technical/legal-speak of it (and that is only present in parts throughout), i think it's enjoyable. the author does a pretty good job of describing what happened without making your eyes glaze over at the corporate law aspects of it. (speaking from the point of view of someone who studied corporate law, though...) "

" This non-fiction account of the Mondavi wine dynasty was rivating. There were so many issues explored: family dynamics, role of wine in the USA, small town mentality toward change, etc. I had a hard time putting it down. "

" I would never have read this book if it were not a Foodie Book Club pick of the month. Reading about dysfunctional families is not my thing and rich dysfunctional families is even worse. "

" Sadly, I gave up on this one. It's quite long and just didn't hold my interest, even in audio format. "

" Excellent story. Illustrates the evolution of Napa beautifully, while holding your attention with a lecherous, bizarre family story worthy of the seediest soap opera. "

" If you like wine or Napa Valley, you'll probably like this book. Lots of information about the Mondavis with cameos and little stories about some of the other major wine personalities. I think it should be a must-read for anyone considering a family business... "

" A good lesson on how hubris can bring down even rich and powerful families. "

" So much drama, so little time. Loved it. "

" highly sensationalized... "

" Who knew that the history of California wines was so interesting & dramatic!?!? This historical book has a few slow spots, but over all it's fascinating. "

" Fun book! If you like wine, this book is a great overview of california wine-country history. The characters are intriguing - steadfast and headstrong, and the family dynamic is interesting. A quick read that keeps you captivated. "

" Really interseting, in-depth history of the Mondavi family who were like the Kennedy's of American wine and documents their rise and fall of a wine empire. "

" I had somehow not heard of the Mondavi family when I picked this book up, but it looked interesting and it was. Siler gives a detailed but balanced account of their history, complete with their greatest accomplishments and scariest deficiencies. "

" Engaging tale about business, wine and the business of making wine for multiple generations. "

" Extremely thorough account of the Mondavi Wine Family spanning over four generations. Reads very much like a Greek tragedy with interesting twists, turns, regret, nostalgia, love, and family wars. I very much enjoyed reading it and polished it off (400 pages) in just less than 3 days. "

" I expected it to be a California version of "Dallas." It was. "

" This book is fantastic! The author portrays a really clear and dysfunctional picture of the Mondavi empire. The book is well written with some "juicy" information. Not being a fan of Mondavi wines, I loved it! "

" This was a very interesting look into the Mondavi family. Why can't everyone just get along?! "

" Loved the book, Love Wine Country! "

" What a story -- amazing, exhausting, nearly Biblical or Shakespearean in its scope. "

" So poorly written I could never finish it. "

" Reading about several decades of bickering and value destruction is a little sickening. This being said, the story makes for a fun real-life soap opera. "

" The author did a nice job of balancing the family and business aspects of the story. What a tragic story of a family's greed and selfishness. I had expected to learn more about wine-making, but the book clearly focused on the wine business. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. "

" Engaging tale about business, wine and the business of making wine for multiple generations. "

" fascinating as not only a historical account of the Mondavi family, but moreso of the American wine industry. i had no idea it'd be relevant in the business book category, but i found it an educational look at small vs big business and marketing as a whole. "

" Fantastic read and a wonderful history of the Napa Valley! "

" liked it! read it for book club and enjoyed more than most nonfiction books I read. Also, had a hankering for red wine the entire time. "

" This non-fiction account of the Mondavi wine dynasty was rivating. There were so many issues explored: family dynamics, role of wine in the USA, small town mentality toward change, etc. I had a hard time putting it down. "

" Excellent story. Illustrates the evolution of Napa beautifully, while holding your attention with a lecherous, bizarre family story worthy of the seediest soap opera. "

" This was a great book about an interesting wine family! Worth the read! "

" A very interesting look into one of the most famous American wine makers. "

" Soap opera story which gets to be a bit much by the end. I also question whether the author is truly unbiased in her description and retellong of the events. Lesson learned: don't do business with the family. "