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Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center
In this hugely appealing book, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, acclaimed author and journalist Daniel Okrent weaves together themes of money, politics, art, architecture, business, and society to tell the story of the majestic suite of buildings that came to dominate the heart of midtown Manhattan and with it, for a time, the heart of the world. At the center of Okrent's riveting story are four remarkable tycoon John D. Rockefeller, his ambitious son Nelson Rockefeller, real estate genius John R. Todd, and visionary skyscraper architect Raymond Hood. In the tradition of David McCullough's The Great Bridge , Ron Chernow's Titan , and Robert Caro's The Power Broker, Great Fortune is a stunning tribute to an American landmark that captures the heart and spirit of New York at its apotheosis.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
70 people are currently reading
1084 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Okrent
22 books80 followersDaniel Okrent's 40-year career has encompassed nearly every form of mass media. In book publishing, he was an editor at Knopf, Viking, and Harcourt. In magazines, he founded the award-winning New England Monthly and was chief editor of the monthly Life. In newspapers, he was the first public editor of the New York Times. On television, he has appeared as an expert commentator on many network shows, and talked more than any other talking head in Ken Burns's Baseball. In film, he was featured in the documentaries Wordplay and Silly Little Game, appeared in a speaking role in Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown, and had what he calls "a mumbling role" in Lasse Hallstrom's The Hoax. Online, he headed Time Inc.'s internet efforts in the late 1990's, and has recently given in to the dubious charms of Facebook.
But all that, he says, was either preparation for (or distraction from) what he most wanted to do: write books. Beginning with Nine Innings in 1985, and proceeding through the 2010 publication of Last Call, Okrent has been (wrote novelist Kevin Baker in Publishers Weekly) "one of our most interesting and eclectic writers of nonfiction over the past 25 years." In addition to the books featured on this site, he was also co-author with Steve Wulf of Baseball Anecdotes (Oxford University Press, 1987), and author of The Way We Were: New England Then, New England Now (Grove Weidenfeld, 1989), currently out-of-print.
But all that, he says, was either preparation for (or distraction from) what he most wanted to do: write books. Beginning with Nine Innings in 1985, and proceeding through the 2010 publication of Last Call, Okrent has been (wrote novelist Kevin Baker in Publishers Weekly) "one of our most interesting and eclectic writers of nonfiction over the past 25 years." In addition to the books featured on this site, he was also co-author with Steve Wulf of Baseball Anecdotes (Oxford University Press, 1987), and author of The Way We Were: New England Then, New England Now (Grove Weidenfeld, 1989), currently out-of-print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 6, 2024
The Rockefeller Center is comprised of nineteen commercial buildings that sit on twenty-two acres in New York City. Fourteen of those builds were designed in the Art Deco style, which I love with a passion. Those fourteen beautiful buildings were commissioned by the Rockefeller family, who had acquired the acreage they were built on. This book goes into great detail about the acquisition of the land and the commissioning of architects for the project. I learned a lot about the Rockefeller family, as well as architecture and construction from this book. It was really fascinating. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in any of the aforementioned topics.
I got this book on Audible Plus and listened to it Friday at work. I got it because I have an interest in architecture that I didn't really know I had, plus an interest in family dynasties. When I got this book, I thought the Rockefeller Center was one building, so I obviously knew essentially nothing. I learned a massive amount of information from this book about how the land was acquired and all of the planning and construction that went into creating this landmark location in the city. I was really pleased with this book, and glad it got me through a shift at work ignoring the coworker I hate.
I got this book on Audible Plus and listened to it Friday at work. I got it because I have an interest in architecture that I didn't really know I had, plus an interest in family dynasties. When I got this book, I thought the Rockefeller Center was one building, so I obviously knew essentially nothing. I learned a massive amount of information from this book about how the land was acquired and all of the planning and construction that went into creating this landmark location in the city. I was really pleased with this book, and glad it got me through a shift at work ignoring the coworker I hate.
June 25, 2008
Currently, we seem to be having a minor blossoming of popular books on architectural history, and I think this book sets the standard. It is interesting, compelling and factually correct.
December 21, 2019
Great Fortune is a rollicking history of Rockefeller Center's conception and construction. Okrent focuses on the individuals--many of them outsized personalities--who brought this monumental development into being. With the possible exception of a seemingly interminable chapter on Radio City Music Hall, this is a fast paced and humor filled account that virtually anyone interested in the subject will thoroughly enjoy.
February 26, 2025
I was totally unaware that Rockefeller Center was not just one building where skaters use the enormous rink before a bronze Prometheus and a massive conifer is donated for the Christmas holidays is displayed before a towering skyscraper. Surprisingly, Rockefeller Center was originally 14 different buildings - RKO, NBC, the Roxy Theater and the Roxyettes who later became the Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall, the Rainbow Club, U.S. Rubber Building, the Time-Life Building, various International buildings and many, many more.
Certainly the notorious Rockefeller family was associated with its construction, specially John Jr and eventually Nelson, the son and grandson of the fabulously wealthy oil baron, John D (who never set foot in any of the Rockefeller Center buildings). Originally, Columbia University owned the land in Manhattan which planned to use it to build a new opera house - the original Met Opera House was "owned" by the NYC wealthy but Otto Kahn controlled the opera company. The brahmins refused an earlier Rockefeller offer which yielded a significant drop in real estate values and in turn, prevented them from having the funds to actually move into a new operahouse. But it did help Rockefeller negotiate a reasonable rental lease with Columbia ($3 million/year) and purchased dozens of lots as their leases expired. Eventually gaining 12 acres in downtown Manhattan. Even purchased land around those that stubbornly refused to sell, providing a threat of 'sell or be prepared to get nothing'.
Despite multiple architects claiming the responsibility, the general consensus is that Ray Hood designed Rockefeller Center. Construction started just as the depression was devastating the NYC construction industry. Notorious for overbuilding - larger utility conduits for later improvements. Soundproofing nearby air intakes. Extensive steel reinforcement. The limestone exterior coverage instead of brick which helped the the skyscrapers reach for the sky especially with all the Art Deco aspects of the buildings. Sprinkler heads would catch the eye of a city inspector as per regulation in industrial factories but certainly not office buildings.
Of course, there are more and more stories as another building was started and completed with artwork, notorious residents, the incredible demands on the staff, the first indoor garage with parking valets and chauffer waiting areas. The disputes with Diego Rivera regarding the mural in the RCA Building Man at the Crossroads which was considered too controversial with images of Lenin and a Soviet May Day Parade and was eventually destroyed.
Certainly most of the book's activity is original construction and the years of filled leased space which would impressive any realty today. From the time of World War II where employees were rarer through the improvements, attempting to continue to move forward, the change of John Jr's controlling interest to his sons. The purchase of the last acres from Columbia. The pay off of the massive $65 million Met Life mortgage that Jr never seemed to completely need to utilize.
Okrent basically stopped updating the Rockefeller Center in 2003. Who was gone out of business. Which companies left for other cities. Who had stayed. Who bought into the newly vacant space.
But one must remember that Rockefeller Center is more than a series of buildings clustered between 5th and 6th Avenue. It is world-wide known landmark - not only for the U.S. but for NYC and definitely for those visitors from around the world.
2025-009
Certainly the notorious Rockefeller family was associated with its construction, specially John Jr and eventually Nelson, the son and grandson of the fabulously wealthy oil baron, John D (who never set foot in any of the Rockefeller Center buildings). Originally, Columbia University owned the land in Manhattan which planned to use it to build a new opera house - the original Met Opera House was "owned" by the NYC wealthy but Otto Kahn controlled the opera company. The brahmins refused an earlier Rockefeller offer which yielded a significant drop in real estate values and in turn, prevented them from having the funds to actually move into a new operahouse. But it did help Rockefeller negotiate a reasonable rental lease with Columbia ($3 million/year) and purchased dozens of lots as their leases expired. Eventually gaining 12 acres in downtown Manhattan. Even purchased land around those that stubbornly refused to sell, providing a threat of 'sell or be prepared to get nothing'.
Despite multiple architects claiming the responsibility, the general consensus is that Ray Hood designed Rockefeller Center. Construction started just as the depression was devastating the NYC construction industry. Notorious for overbuilding - larger utility conduits for later improvements. Soundproofing nearby air intakes. Extensive steel reinforcement. The limestone exterior coverage instead of brick which helped the the skyscrapers reach for the sky especially with all the Art Deco aspects of the buildings. Sprinkler heads would catch the eye of a city inspector as per regulation in industrial factories but certainly not office buildings.
Of course, there are more and more stories as another building was started and completed with artwork, notorious residents, the incredible demands on the staff, the first indoor garage with parking valets and chauffer waiting areas. The disputes with Diego Rivera regarding the mural in the RCA Building Man at the Crossroads which was considered too controversial with images of Lenin and a Soviet May Day Parade and was eventually destroyed.
Certainly most of the book's activity is original construction and the years of filled leased space which would impressive any realty today. From the time of World War II where employees were rarer through the improvements, attempting to continue to move forward, the change of John Jr's controlling interest to his sons. The purchase of the last acres from Columbia. The pay off of the massive $65 million Met Life mortgage that Jr never seemed to completely need to utilize.
Okrent basically stopped updating the Rockefeller Center in 2003. Who was gone out of business. Which companies left for other cities. Who had stayed. Who bought into the newly vacant space.
But one must remember that Rockefeller Center is more than a series of buildings clustered between 5th and 6th Avenue. It is world-wide known landmark - not only for the U.S. but for NYC and definitely for those visitors from around the world.
2025-009
May 31, 2012
Excellent blend of urbanism, architecture, social commentary. The portrait of the irascible Lewis Mumford is hilarious: Note his reaction to the beloved vertical setbacks of 30 Rock " the little scratchy tooth marks the mice have left in their cheese." Another newspaper bluntly characterized the popular music hall: "Radio City is ugly." Ray Hood really gets his due here, but this is an account that balances attention to architecture with a good sense of place. He details the fight between the cheesy element on Sixth Avenue, due to the presence of the elevated rail there, and the toney aims of the Fifth Avenue Association which even topped their lights with winged Mercuries. Okrent handles builders, architects, magnates and industrialists with irreverent humor, sketching a tale of foibles and inadvertence that rings true, while making urban planners weep.
May 13, 2021
Author and renowned journalist Daniel Okrent builds the story of the construction of Rockefeller Center year by year, brick by brick and dollar by dollar in the hugely entertaining Great Fortune. Conceived and planned in the waning days of the 1920s before the Great Depression. Rockefeller Center was the achievement of a cast of fascinating characters: John D. Rockefeller Jr. (known as “Junior”), his ambitious son Nelson Rockefeller, real estate genius John R. Todd, talented architect Raymond Hood, the impresario of Radio City Music Hall, Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel and many more.
The subtitle of the book “The Epic of Rockefeller Center” fittingly describes the author’s Homeresque five year journey researching and writing about this monumental architectural project, and the many personal journeys from 1928 to the epilogue ending in 2003 that is Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall.
In the days before the great Depression, in the heart of New York City between 48th & 51st streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues, Rockefeller Junior and his dedicated staff leased land owned by Columbia University and acquired or grabbed surrounding stores, houses, speakeasies and bordellos to build their dream of an urban landmark. The result is a wonderful blend of modern architecture with flourishes of Art Deco inside and outside the buildings. The first underground garage was an innovation.
The author brings to life the creation and opening of Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes and the Rainbow Room filled with elegant swells. Art adorns all the buildings including plentiful works of sculpture and scores of paintings and murals. Henri Matisse was invited but declined due to a conflict; Picasso was almost invited but the invitation to Pierre Picasso went unanswered. One masterpiece went missing after Diego Rivera decided at the last minute to add the face of Lenin to his mural. When Rivera refused to remove Lenin, Nelson Rockefeller cut out the entire work including the head of Lenin.
Rockefeller Junior is also responsible for the Cloisters, Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, Riverside Church, securing the land underneath the UN Building, and for good measure a few National Parks.
Author Okrent has a wonderful way with words. Two memorable quotes: of one Rockefeller family member, “His was a life lived in the passive voice” and of another member, “Nelson’s instinct for control was never dormant”. In a quote from a reviewer of a Rainbow Room talent: she sang “slightly purple songs in French and broken English—so broken that the pieces rattled”.
Great Fortune was nominated for a Pulitzer in its year of publication. I consider it a winner.
The subtitle of the book “The Epic of Rockefeller Center” fittingly describes the author’s Homeresque five year journey researching and writing about this monumental architectural project, and the many personal journeys from 1928 to the epilogue ending in 2003 that is Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall.
In the days before the great Depression, in the heart of New York City between 48th & 51st streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues, Rockefeller Junior and his dedicated staff leased land owned by Columbia University and acquired or grabbed surrounding stores, houses, speakeasies and bordellos to build their dream of an urban landmark. The result is a wonderful blend of modern architecture with flourishes of Art Deco inside and outside the buildings. The first underground garage was an innovation.
The author brings to life the creation and opening of Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes and the Rainbow Room filled with elegant swells. Art adorns all the buildings including plentiful works of sculpture and scores of paintings and murals. Henri Matisse was invited but declined due to a conflict; Picasso was almost invited but the invitation to Pierre Picasso went unanswered. One masterpiece went missing after Diego Rivera decided at the last minute to add the face of Lenin to his mural. When Rivera refused to remove Lenin, Nelson Rockefeller cut out the entire work including the head of Lenin.
Rockefeller Junior is also responsible for the Cloisters, Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, Riverside Church, securing the land underneath the UN Building, and for good measure a few National Parks.
Author Okrent has a wonderful way with words. Two memorable quotes: of one Rockefeller family member, “His was a life lived in the passive voice” and of another member, “Nelson’s instinct for control was never dormant”. In a quote from a reviewer of a Rainbow Room talent: she sang “slightly purple songs in French and broken English—so broken that the pieces rattled”.
Great Fortune was nominated for a Pulitzer in its year of publication. I consider it a winner.
August 18, 2025
An interesting history
I rather liked this history of New York’s Rockefeller Center. Having visited New York many times, I have spent time around this area, with a tour of Radio City Music Hall, attending a concert there (Aretha Franklin!), and lunch in the restaurant next to the skating rink. All of these moments gave this book context for me, as these spaces were discussed in detail. Not sure how interesting it would be if you haven’t been to these spaces, while they talk about the Rockefeller family, its not a full blown family biography/ history, which I appreciated.
The most interesting parts were the art that was commissioned for these spaces, some never installed, some installed but removed, some hidden away…. and some you can still see today.
The backstory of Diego Rivera’s murals that no longer exist was super interesting. Hearing about Georgia O’Keeffe’s commission, that was never completed, was sad, and gave me more insight into her life.
The narrator was a bit monotone, but the content was good, so I got over it.
I rather liked this history of New York’s Rockefeller Center. Having visited New York many times, I have spent time around this area, with a tour of Radio City Music Hall, attending a concert there (Aretha Franklin!), and lunch in the restaurant next to the skating rink. All of these moments gave this book context for me, as these spaces were discussed in detail. Not sure how interesting it would be if you haven’t been to these spaces, while they talk about the Rockefeller family, its not a full blown family biography/ history, which I appreciated.
The most interesting parts were the art that was commissioned for these spaces, some never installed, some installed but removed, some hidden away…. and some you can still see today.
The backstory of Diego Rivera’s murals that no longer exist was super interesting. Hearing about Georgia O’Keeffe’s commission, that was never completed, was sad, and gave me more insight into her life.
The narrator was a bit monotone, but the content was good, so I got over it.
May 26, 2017
Though I normally read much, much faster than I read this book, and the going was kind of a slog for much of the book, I did find it to be very well written, not kitschy or overly fawning - but sometimes I found that I just didn't care enough about the topic or the characters to really, REALLY get into the story.
Once the buildings were constructed, I found the story of how the sales team sold the available inventory during the depression and the story of the opening night performance at Radio City Music Hall to be among the most engaging portions of the book. Maybe property acquisition and financing just aren't interesting to me.
Once the buildings were constructed, I found the story of how the sales team sold the available inventory during the depression and the story of the opening night performance at Radio City Music Hall to be among the most engaging portions of the book. Maybe property acquisition and financing just aren't interesting to me.
August 25, 2023
A wonderful book into the life and lives that make an iconic building complex in the heart of New York City. Mr. Okrent does not disappoint with his sometimes snarky, but always entertaining use of language to chronicle some of the most historic real-estate on the manhattan skyline. The players are bigger than life, the building takes on a life of its own, and while there are sags in the story, you are never left feeling as though the story were contrived, artificial, or disingenuous. Overall, a light, and delightful ride!
May 5, 2025
Beautifully written and remains interesting mostly throughout the book. A brilliant ending. The epilogue for me may have been the strongest part of the entire book. A beautiful insight to the history and continuous evolution of both Rockefeller Center and much of New York City as a whole. Definitely recommend to anyone interested in New York City history, architecture, urban Development, or city planning
October 11, 2018
a very solid telling of a rather interesting story. if you like new york city city and/or urban history, it's worth a read. i'm really looking forward to strolling through rockefeller center the next chance i get to reflect on what it means and what it took to put it there.
March 26, 2019
If you love history & are fascinated by New York City history then you will enjoy this book. It is well written.
January 9, 2020
Dazzling. Okrent is exhaustive in the best way, bringing to vivid life the ling and complicated design, construction, and success of Rockefeller Center.
May 12, 2021
A very good history not just of Rockefeller Center but of an early New York City. Very detailed and at times a bit confusing with all of the names of the men who had a had in building the center.
August 23, 2021
Pretty interesting, especially as an audiobook.
December 14, 2021
Inciteful, focused and entertaining. Should have had more maps/photos of the buildings.
May 16, 2022
A lot of research went into writing this book. There is a lot of detail, but honestly I found it so boring that I'm surprised I actually finished it.
April 7, 2023
Immersive and incredibly detailed without ceding entertainment value. Great Fortune is much more than just an architectural history book.
July 2, 2023
This is a long book that goes into far more detail than I would think most people would be interested in. As a local, I enjoyed that detail. In any case, it’s well written.
July 24, 2023
Amazing read. I learned sooo much about NYC in this read.
February 26, 2025
Outstanding. Loved the profiles of characters involved. This book has inspired me to read more architecture history especially New York City. Also need to check out a Nelson Rockefeller bio.
August 19, 2025
This was a good micro-history of Rockefeller Center and the family generally, as well as some general municipal New York history for this period. Definitely makes me want to take on Ron Chernow’s biography of the Senior, “Titan.”
January 19, 2010
I loved this book!
I have always loved Rockefeller Center, so when I found this book in a used bookstore years ago, I was all over it. I started it, got bogged down, and stopped not very far into it. So when I sat down with it again a couple months ago, I was determined.
As I got going, the book sucked me in more and more. While it's definitely a dense account with lots of characters, information, and history, I found myself learning a lot. Okrent has a talent for making the Center come alive in your head. You can see the buildings rising while the Rockettes are dancing in the Radio City Music Hall and New York's movers and shakers dine in the Rainbow Room.
This book not only offers a very detailed history of Rockefeller Center and the land upon which it stands (starting in Colonial New York), but it's also a bit of a history of New York City itself. The book also contains photographs of buildings as well as some of the key players and a birds-eye drawing of the Center from 1948 in order to help illustrate and orient the reader.
I would highly recommend this book if you have ever been to Rockefeller Center (or at least recognize it from one of the zillions of times it's been beamed into your living room) and are curious as how it all came to be there in the first place.
I have always loved Rockefeller Center, so when I found this book in a used bookstore years ago, I was all over it. I started it, got bogged down, and stopped not very far into it. So when I sat down with it again a couple months ago, I was determined.
As I got going, the book sucked me in more and more. While it's definitely a dense account with lots of characters, information, and history, I found myself learning a lot. Okrent has a talent for making the Center come alive in your head. You can see the buildings rising while the Rockettes are dancing in the Radio City Music Hall and New York's movers and shakers dine in the Rainbow Room.
This book not only offers a very detailed history of Rockefeller Center and the land upon which it stands (starting in Colonial New York), but it's also a bit of a history of New York City itself. The book also contains photographs of buildings as well as some of the key players and a birds-eye drawing of the Center from 1948 in order to help illustrate and orient the reader.
I would highly recommend this book if you have ever been to Rockefeller Center (or at least recognize it from one of the zillions of times it's been beamed into your living room) and are curious as how it all came to be there in the first place.
June 25, 2009
Chatty but good. The author goes a little too much for "setting the mood" with an obnoxious kind of noirish patter, but it is an amazing story...how a colonial garden became Columbia University land became the world's biggest office complex, how an original idea for a new Metropolitan Opera house morphed into a massive stage for gaudy kick-lines and radio shows.
I also had no idea just how famous this place was at the time. It was basically the only private building going on anywhere in America during the Depression, and it managed to become its own best advertising when it rented out all its space to radio producers and television stations who announced their location at every broadcast.
March 6, 2008
I feel remiss reviewing a book I didn't finish reading, but I just left a book club meeting where none of the EIGHT people in my book club were able to get through this book. This is a book club which has been in place since 1999 and its rare that one person doesn't finish the book. We have never encountered a situation where no one read it.
It read like a text book. I thought it would be an interesting story about the architecture like DEVIL IN WHITE CITY, which we all loved. But, alas. Not.
It read like a text book. I thought it would be an interesting story about the architecture like DEVIL IN WHITE CITY, which we all loved. But, alas. Not.
September 27, 2015
The story of how Rockefeller Center came to be and even more what an amazing business success it is, is an amazing read. From how the idea for building what was at the time one of New York's undeveloped areas to what it came to represent for the Rockefeller family fortune, the book is an in-depth look at what must be the most successful destination real estate development of the 20th century. For anyone interested on how real estate works this is an illuminating and thoroughly entertaining book.
December 4, 2014
I've only visited Rockefeller Center once, so it was at times difficult to arrange everything in my mind (that the author describes). It's clear, however, that Okrent did a great job of including everything one could reasonably want to know about the building in this book. It's park Rockefeller family history, part buildings history, and all New York City.
For whatever reason, it took me a lot longer to read than a normal book of its page count (low 400's).
For whatever reason, it took me a lot longer to read than a normal book of its page count (low 400's).
November 24, 2009
Despite some weakness on the subject of boxwood, an amazing accomplishment in urban history-writing. An exciting narrative that still combines the history of business, of real estate development, of academic intrigue, of legal history, of the entertainment industry, of the Rockefeller fortune and of course a masterful command of architecture and design. One of the few great books about NYC.
April 17, 2010
This took me a long time to read, but it was really worthwhile. Some many fascinating stories, power play,s and the historical context. Now I need to spend a day walking around Rockefeller Center to see it with different eyes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews