Synopses & Reviews
The story of self-made billionaire Jess Jackson, who put Chardonnay on Americas tables as he built the KendallJackson wine empire from a few mountainous acres of grapes, and raced the Horse of the Year three years in a row, is a remarkable tale of romance, risk, and reinventionperhaps the greatest second act in the history of American business.Jess Stonestreet Jackson was one of a small band of pioneering entrepreneurs who put Californias Wine Country on the map. His life story is a compelling slice of history, daring, innovation, feuds, intrigue, talent, mystique, and luck. Admirers and detractors alike have called him the Steve Jobs of winea brilliant, infuriating, contrarian gambler who seemed to win more than his share by anticipating consumers desires with uncanny skill. Time after time his decisions would be ignored and derided, then envied and imitated as competitors struggled to catch up.
He founded KendallJackson with a single, tiny vineyard and a belief that there could be more to California Wine Country than jugs of bottom-shelf screw-top. Today, KendallJackson and its 14,000 acres of coastal and mountain vineyards produce a host of award-winning wines, including the most popular Chardonnay in the world, which was born out of a catastrophe that nearly broke Jackson. The empire Jackson built endures and thrives as a family-run leader of the American wine industry.
Jess Jackson entered the horseracing game just as dramatically. He brought con men to justice, exposed industry-wide corruption in court and Congress, then exacted the best revenge of all: race after race, he defied conventional wisdom with one high-stakes winner after another, capped by the epic season of Rachel Alexandra, the first filly to win the Preakness in nearly a century, cementing Jacksons reputation as Americas king of wine and horses.
Review
"Humes makes his charismatic subjects every venture vividly and intensely dramatic. This book will attract readers of diverse interests, from the law to wine-making to business to horse-racing." Booklist
A well-rounded, absorbing narrative of entrepreneurship, wine and the extraordinary man who made it all happen.” Kirkus Review, starred
Thoroughly engaging
this biography is as well-suited for those interested in people as those interested in wine.” Minneapolis Star Tribune
A classic American storya man of the people becomes one of the greatest visionaries and qualitative titans the wine world has ever witnessed. Very highly recommended.” Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
With dexterity and style, Edward Humes captures Jess Jackson, making his larger-than-life personality come alive and his rollercoaster story jump off the pages. A Man and His Mountain shows the inspiration, boundless energy, and tenacity that Jess Jackson embodied, but also the real man who was in ways like the rest of us, fallible and human. I expected a book about a winery, but what I got was an exciting, motiving, and epic journey of a man with laughs, tears, and surprises.” Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, master of wine, author of The One Minute Wine Master
Synopsis
A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist tells the story of Jess Jackson, Americas greatest wine entrepreneur, the self-made billionaire who re-invented himself in mid-life, and built the Kendall-Jackson empire from nothing into the biggest-selling brand of super-premium wines in the U.S
Synopsis
A Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist tells the story of the self-made billionaire who built the Kendall-Jackson empire from nothing into the biggest selling brand of premium wines in the U.S.Jess Stonestreet Jackson was one of a small band of pioneering entrepreneurs who put Californias wine country on the map. His life story is a compelling slice of history, daring, innovation, feuds, intrigue, talent, mystique, contrarianism, and luck, offering a unique window on the elegant, adventurous, and cut-throat worlds of Jacksons two passions: wine and horseracing. Time after time his decisions would be ignored, derided, then finally envied and imitated, as whole industries watched him become a billionaire and tried to keep up. He reinvented himself at mid-life, and became founder and CEO of Kendall-Jackson. The empire he constructed endures and thrives even after his death in 2011. In A Man and His Mountain, Edward Humes brings us the no-holds barred tale of the brilliant, infuriating, successful man who seemed to win more than his share by staying far ahead of the pack.
About the Author
Edward Humes is a Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist and author of twelve other nonfiction books, including
No Matter How Loud I Shout: A Year in the Life of Juvenile Court, a PEN Award recipient;
Mississippi Mud;
Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Marts Green Revolution;
Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash; and
School of Dreams, named by the
Washington Post as a best book of the year. His writings have appeared in many publications, including the
New York Times,
Wall Street Journal,
Los Angeles Times,
Forbes, and
Sierra.