Synopses & Reviews
Diamond Jim Brady
PRINCE OF THE GILDED AGE
James Buchanan "Diamond Jim" Brady was one of the most colorful figures of the Gilded Age, the most glamorous era in U.S. history. In this lively biography, acclaimed journalist, broadcaster, and historian H. Paul Jeffers brings the high lord of the New York glitterati, his classic rags-to-riches story, and the lavish era he exemplified, to shimmering life for a new generation of readers.
Tracing Bradys trajectory from New Yorks worst slums to the watering holes of high society, this spirited book reveals his speedy rise from bellhop to supersalesman to nationally reputed financier during a period dominated by industrial titans and robber barons. As renowned for his limitless appetites as he was for his monetary talents, Brady was celebrated for his ability to consume colossal quantities of food and drink at a single sitting, for his much-storied relationship with world-famous beauty, singer, and actress Lillian Russell, and, of course, for the abundance of gaudy jewelry with which he adorned his massive girthand from which his nickname derived.
Absorbing and intriguing, Diamond Jim Brady vividly recreates this exciting and sumptuous era, the larger-than-life man at its helm, as well as its richly memorable characters, happeningsand scandals.
Review
The story of an industrial giant of the Gilded Age who looms tall over the colorless tycoons of today, H. Paul Jeffers's rollicking account of the life and times of "Diamond" Jim Brady is one of the most entertaining historical business narratives in recent memory. Born in 1856 into an Irish immigrant family who ran a saloon on the Lower East side, Jim Brady had an early hunger for just about everything and the wherewithal to get it. At age 11, he went to work as a bellhop at the St. James Hotel, where the "genial, roly-poly blue-eyed Irish youth" quickly ingratiated himself with the hotel's visitors and promptly spent his ample tips on food. A frequent guest, John Toucey, who worked for Cornelius Vanderbilt's railroad empire, hired Brady at age 15; soon Brady worked his way up to railroad equipment salesman, encountering precious few who cold not be won over by his twinkle-eyed merriment, awesome generosity and garangtuan appetite for food. At a time when America was bursting at the seams with industrial expansion and new-found wealth, his expense reports were the stuff of legend; he celebrated each big sale by buying himself the best and gaudiest clothes and jewelry. But for all his larger-than-life boorishness, the man who emerges here is surprisingly cultured. For more than three decades, he never missed a Broadway opening; theater producers could tell where plays needed work simply by watching Jim's reaction in the front row. While Jeffers sometimes skimps on detailing how Jim amassed his fortunes--it isn't until late in the book we get a good accounting of his sales practices--the story of this symbol of America's Gilded Age is filled with such gusto and vigor that even hardcore business readers will be swept away. (Publishers Weekly, August 20, 2001)
Even if many Americans are not familiar with the story of Diamond Jim Brady, very likely the name still rings a bell. Prolific author Jeffers (e.g., An Honest President; Sal Mineo) fully develops this superb historical biography of one or more of the colorful characters in American history. Brady's story is a classic Horatio Alger tale of determined success. From his Irish immigrant roots in lower Manhattan, he eventually became renowned for his colossal eating, massive girth, and signature jewelry. Jeffer's spirited writing brings to life Brady's youth, his earl hard-working days bellhopping and selling railroad supplies during America's great rail expansion, his long-term relationship with Lillian Russell, and of course, those countless 14-course meals. Jeffers deftly weaves together intriguing stage-setting explanations of the age of the robber barons, the crash of 1893, and that unforgettable era of unbridled wealth for the few in 1890s New York. As this marvelous story reveals, Brady's lavish lifestyle embodies America's Gilded Age. Highly recommended for all libraries. -Dale Farris, Groves, TX (Library Journal, September 1, 2001)
Synopsis
Praise for H. Paul Jeffers
An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland
"A well-written and timely book that reminds us of Grover Cleveland?s courage, commitment, and honesty at a time when these qualities seem so lacking in so much of American politics." ?James MacGregor Burns, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award
Colonel Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt Goes to War, 1879-1898
"A handsome narrative of a crucial period in the career of one of our country?s most colorful politicians." ?Publishers Weekly
Commissioner Roosevelt: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt and the New York City Police, 1895-1897
"A lively, entertaining, and well-researched portrait of a zealous reformer during the historic crusade that successfully launched his career in government." ?Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Praise for H. Paul Jeffers
An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland
"A well-written and timely book that reminds us of Grover Cleveland?s courage, commitment, and honesty at a time when these qualities seem so lacking in so much of American politics." ?James MacGregor Burns, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award
Colonel Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt Goes to War, 1879-1898
"A handsome narrative of a crucial period in the career of one of our country?s most colorful politicians." ?Publishers Weekly
Commissioner Roosevelt: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt and the New York City Police, 1895-1897
"A lively, entertaining, and well-researched portrait of a zealous reformer during the historic crusade that successfully launched his career in government." ?Publishers Weekly
About the Author
H. PAUL JEFFERS has written over twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including Commissioner Roosevelt and Colonel Roosevelt, both published by Wiley.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Table for One, Dinner for Twenty-five.
Make Them Like You.
The American Beauty.
Mr. First Nighter.
"Nell, I'm Rich!"
Ain't It Grand?
The Earth for Fifty Cents.
Sidewalks of New York.
Big Wheeler-Dealer.
I Can Always Start Over.
Rogues, Rascals, and Railroaders.
The Girl's a Lady.
"This Is Where I Live."
"Have You Got the Sauce?"
Farmer Jim.
Off to the Races.
Peacocks Parade.
"Oh, My Poor Jim."
"Why Spoil a Beautiful Friendship?"
"Big, Genial Diamond Jim Brady."
Notes and Sources.
Bibliography.
Index.