The author of a New York Times bestseller about the Astor family has said she is “disappointed” in Anderson Cooper for failing to unearth new facts for his own book and relying so heavily on her work.
Meryl Gordon, whose “meticulous” 2009 book Mrs Astor Regrets included dozens of interviews with Astor’s family members, employees and associates, was asked what she thought of Cooper’s new book.
The CNN star, who has also written a book about his own family, the Vanderbilts, will publish Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune on September 19.
Gordon told DailyMail.com: ‘I was disappointed that he added so little to the story.’
She said on Doug Brunt’s podcast, which airs Tuesday, that she was shocked and saddened by Cooper’s book.
“I read the book and I have very complicated feelings about it,” she told Brunt.
Anderson Cooper posted a video on Instagram in July showing off the cover of the new book. It will be released on September 19
Annette de la Renta (left) is pictured with Brooke Astor (center) and Annette’s husband, fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, at a gala in New York in 1990
Anderson Cooper is seen in February 2017 with Annette de la Renta (far right) and Italian opera singer Vittorio Griggolo
She said she was surprised that he had done only one interview with Annette de la Renta, the now 83-year-old widow of fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who served as Brooke Astor’s court-appointed guardian for a year until her death in August 2007. , age 105.
“Anderson Cooper is a great reporter,” Gordon said.
‘I’ve always admired him a lot, so I was curious to see what he could do with this subject – and he only did one original interview with Annette de la Renta, but that’s one interview.
“At first I was flattered and then I was really surprised when I read it because that’s a 31-page chapter and he referenced my book and my Vanity Fair articles 39 times, so it was quite astonishing.
‘I’m disappointed, he’s really good at what he does and I was curious to see what he would come up with for this topic – and he seems to be coming up with my book.
“Again, it’s flattering, but it’s also a little annoying. I just expected more from him.’
Cooper did not respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Meryl Gordon shows off a copy of her latest book, which charts the life of Bunny Mellon
Gordon’s book was published in 2009; Cooper’s book will be released on September 19
In an Instagram video published on July 11, Cooper showed off the “galley copy” — a pre-publication version that you can proofread or send to reviewers — and said he was happy with it.
“It’s full of fascinating stories about this larger-than-life American family and what happened to them: They were the richest family in America for a long, long time and owned a lot of New York land,” he said.
His publisher, Harper Collins, has announced a series of book signings and readings to promote the book, starting on September 20.
Cooper is described by the publishers as “a passing acquaintance with Brooke Astor, the last doyenne of the family” – likely through his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, who died in 2019 at the age of 95.
Anderson Cooper (front) is seen with his older brother Carter and his mother Gloria Vanderbilt in April 1979
Cooper’s book charts the family’s beginnings in New York City, with the arrival of German immigrant John Jacob Astor in 1783, and tells how they made their fortune—first in a beaver trapping business and then in real estate in Manhattan.
The Astors dominated Gilded Age society in New York and beyond.
When the Titanic sank in 1912, the richest passenger on board was John Jacob Astor IV.
His son, William Vincent Astor, was the third husband of Brooke Astor, who died in 2007.
Cooper’s book ends with the extremely messy 2008 lawsuit — which Gordon covered for Vanity Fair — in which Brooke Astor’s son Anthony Marshall was accused of manipulating her into changing her will.
He was convicted and sentenced to one to three years in prison, but when he enlisted at age 89, he served only eight weeks before being sent home for medical reasons.