Empire: A Tale of Obsession, Betrayal, and the Battle for an American Icon

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In this fast-paced book, named one of the "Top Ten of 2001" by BusinessWeek, Mitchell Pacelle tells the gripping story of the ten-year struggle for control of America's most famous skyscraper-a tale of greed and duplicity that consumed, and nearly destroyed, some of the real estate world's most controversial tycoons. "Makes for delicious reading...it is a grand human comedy, and Mitchell Pacelle has a fine time with it." -The Washington Post "Who'd have thought that real estate dealings could read like a gossipy novel of intrigue?" -Entertainment Weekly "Features legal wrangling, political posturing, family feuds, financial high jinks, and lost fortunes...a finely wrought narrative that embodies the style-and the hysteria-of New York real estate." -USA Today "Bluster, temperamental outbursts, one-line putdowns and endless deviousness, all meticulously recorded by Mr. Pacelle." -The Economist "Great business writing and even greater gossip ...reads like a cross between film noir and a Harold Robbins novel." -Publishers WeeklyThe world's most famous skyscraper, the Empire State Building is an icon as immediately recognizable as the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramids, or the Taj Mahal; and for some of the world's most powerful men, it is the ultimate prize. From the day it was erected, it has been the object of obsession for the heads of empires, conjuring their most hidden vices. In a riveting chronicle of betrayal, revenge, family rivalry, and raw greed, award-winning journalist Mitchell Pacelle tells the compelling tale of the history of the Empire State Building and the battle for ownership which reveals the inner workings of a world of powerful, self-made men. Pacelle brings to life the colorful cast of characters involved-a dramatis personae including the most powerful players in the international real estate markets both old and new, including John Raskob and Pierre du Pont alongside Donald Trump, the Helmsleys, Peter Malkin, and the eccentric Japanese billionaire Hideki Yokoi. Before the tale is over, Yokoi will accuse his beloved illegitimate daughter of stealing the building from him, several participants will land in jail, one will die suddenly, and a tense legal standoff will leave the landmark in limbo. One of the most fascinating characters to emerge from this richly layered story is the building itself, with its legendary romances and suicides, its odd tenants, and the countless human triumphs and tragedies that have been played out within its towering walls.