Item Detail

Telling the riveting story of prominent American families, the author -- a descendant of Charles Tiffany, founder of Tiffany & Co -- traces powerful forces in our culture -- the entrepreneurial impulse to amass a great fortune, and the reformist drive to improve and change the world. -- "The Tiffany Fortune is an honest look at the world of wealth and privilege, told with no holds barred by an insider". -- New London Day

Bingham, a scion of one of the fortunes discussed, delves into the history of two prominent Connecticut families: the Binghams and the Tiffanys. The Binghams were some of the earliest missionaries to Hawaii, while the Tiffanys were noted for the fabrication of lamps and jewelry. Bingham focuses on the various descendants of his family, discussing the Tiffanys more briefly. His work is of uneven quality: the first half provides only a short biographical sketch of the two families strengthened by the inclusion of diaries and letters, while the latter half is an autobiographical account of the author's life. The book's strongest feature is the author's discussion of his travels around the world. Since his father was a U.S. senator and a diplomat, Bingham met and talked with most of the important European leaders, including Benito Mussolini, Adolph Hitler, Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. His book is designed for informed lay readers and those writing their family histories. Richard P. Hedlund, Ashland Community Coll., Ky. Copyright 1998 Library Journal Reviews