The Spinach King: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

Summary

The riveting saga of the Seabrook Family, by one of the New Yorker's most acclaimed storytellers.

The patriarch, C. F. Seabrook, was hailed as the “Henry Ford of Agriculture.” His son Jack, a keen businessman, was poised to take over what Life magazine called “the biggest vegetable factory on earth.” But the carefully cultivated façade—glamorous outings by horse-drawn carriage, hidden wine cellars, and movie star girlfriends—hid dark secrets that led to the implosion of the family business.

At the heart of the narrative is a multigenerational succession battle. It’s a tale of family secrets and Swiss bank accounts, of half-truths, of hatred and passion―and lots and lots of liquor. The Seabrooks’ colorful legal and moral failings took place amid the trappings of extraordinary privilege. But the story of where that money came from is not so pretty.

A compelling tale of class and privilege, betrayal and revenge―three decades in the making―The Spinach King explores the author’s complicated family legacy and the dark corners of the American Dream.