Old money

An exploration of the culture of the American upper class and the values and meanings of inherited wealth, Old Money examines how and why the values nutured by Old Money differ from those of the marketplace and the self-made man, and shows how these differing attitudes toward money affect the lives of individuals and the face of society. Nelson W. Aldrich, Jr. draws on personal experience; historical anecdotes of leading families like the Vanderbilts, Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Rockefellers; and over 150 interviews in a revealing exploration of the complex meanings of money and success in American society. This expanded edition includes a new introduction in which the author examines the fate of Old Money and the question of what values New Money will embrace in a culture lacking a distinct mythology of benevolent ideals. This foreword by Tad Crawford, author of The Secret Life of Money, is also new to this edition. -- from back cover.