“One of the most fascinating biographies I had read. Meticulously researched, with access to a wealth of unpublished material, the author’s insights into the psychology of art collecting play against the drama of an era of titans. The negatives of Frick’s personality and role in American history are all there; but what brings this work to life are not just the large-scale human disasters — reminiscent of the Titanic — but the emotional power of a private life revealed in searingly human terms. A true American tragedy, it illuminates as well one of the greatest private collections and most-loved public institutions ever created on American soil.”

— J. Carter Brown, Director Emeritus, National Gallery of Art