Distilled: A Memoir of Family, Seagram, Baseball, and Philanthropy

by Charles Bronfman, Howard Green

While much has been written about his father, Sam, a titan of industry, there is no public record of Charles Bronfman’s thoughts on his own life, family, career and his significant accomplishments in sport and philanthropy.

Distilled does just that, chronicling key events in the life of the heir to one of Canada’s great fortunes. Born in 1931 to the fabulously wealthy Bronfmans, Charles grew up in a 20-room mansion with many staff. Via their control of the distilling giant Seagram, the Bronfman family dominated the liquor business with brands such as Crown Royal, V.O. and Chivas Regal. By the 1980s, Seagram was also the biggest shareholder of DuPont and by the 1990s, the family’s wealth was in the billions, culminating in the $35-billion sale of Seagram to France’s Vivendi, which turned into a financial and family disaster. In Distilled, Charles reflects on all of it---his relationship with his parents, his brother Edgar, working in the family business, landing Canada’s first big league baseball franchise (the Montreal Expos), leading a philanthropic life by promoting Canadian identity through Heritage Minutes and supporting Israel through countless innovative initiatives including the globally respected Birthright Israel---and to how the Bronfman family splintered over the sale of Seagram.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Business, Baseball, Canada

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2016

Reviews

[Jill Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighty-five year old Charles Bronfman of the Canadian family which owned Seagram has written a memoir about his life. It's not an autobiography, per se, but consists more of musings about his life, family, charitable, and business enterprises. The book, "Distilled: A Memoir of Family, Seagram, Baseball, and Philanthropy", covers the four main parts of Bronfman's life.

As the youngest child of four, and the second son, Charles Bronfman seemed almost like an after-thought in the Bronfman family. His older brother, Edgar, was the anointed successor to his father, Samuel, who built the fabled Seagram company. Edgar was a high-flyer in personal ways, too, and I think it's pretty clear to the reader that a life-long animosity existed between the two brothers. That animosity waxed and waned in the passing years, but Charles pretty clearly blames Edgar and Edgar, Jr for the bad business deals that Seagram and the family made in the 1990's that closed down the company in 2000. He also points out his own passivity in not stepping in to stop the deals. But the loss of his company, and a rather steep decline in personal wealth didn't affect Charles' philanthropy, which includes charities and foundations in his native Canada, Israel, and the United States.

Married four times; divorced twice, widowed once, with the fourth marriage still holding, Charles seems not to have been an easy man to either be or stay married to. His longest-lasting marriage - so far, anyway - was to his second wife, Andy, who was killed by a car while out walking the dog one morning. Even as he talks about his intense mourning, he also mentions that things between the two hadn't been so great in the past couple of years. She'd had cancer... But Charles Bronfman has led an interesting life, both in public and private. I think he was reasonably open - after all, who can be completely open off the psychoanalyst's couch? - and the book is well-put together by his co-author, Howard Green.

[Mike McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read about Canadian royalty

Growing up in Canada you often hear stories about Canada’s version of the Kennedy family, including their brilliant business coups and philanthropic efforts. It was interesting to read about the rise and fall of their business empire, and the personal relationships among the family members.

[Tgandco2 · Rating 2 out of 5]

First it seems to me that the only thing Charles Bronfman was good at was being born into Sam Bronfmans family, otherwise he would never have had the wealth he end up with. He lost most of the family wealth as well as losing the Seagrams company. It seems most of the deals that made him money someone else did for him. He clearly made consist sly bad decisions in business. However in the book it is excuses often excuse then end,ESC stories about his great charity work. The book gets tedious and I ended up skimming the last third. It really worth reading.

[Neal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first part about the Expos and Seagram was very interesting. The rest of the book comes across as someone who is a self-absorbed name dropper boasting about his accomplishments (in my opinion anyway).

[Robert Brunet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bien intéressant, je ne me rappellerais plus de la fin de s'égarant

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has been a lot written about Sam Bronfman and Edgar Bronfman, little has been written until now about Charles. He as born into the fabulously wealthy Bronfman family with servants, 20 room house and the Seagram legacy. He writes of the fall of Seagrams, founder of the Expos and his philanthropy.

[Jean-jacques · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring.

[Stephwereley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the writing a bit amateur, but it was interesting to meet the guy who introduced Heritage Minutes, the Expos, and Birthright.

[Dan Lalande · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charles - the good Bronfman - conducts a full audit of his life and character, from the familial tension and personal shortcomings that toppled the Seagrams empire to the discriminating generosity and pet predispositions that affirmed his own gentlemanly identity. Alternately, Bronfman is weak, level-headed, skittish, and smart - but at all times, honest.