The Patriarch: The Rise and Fall of the Bingham Dynasty

by Susan E. Tifft, Alex S. Jones

An account of the rise and collapse of the Bingham family of Kentucky chronicles three generations of a newspaper dynasty and the battles that destroyed the family

Genres: History, Biography

608 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1991

About the author

Susan Elizabeth Tifft was a journalist who wrote sweeping histories of two newspaper dynasties, the Binghams of Louisville, Ky., and the Ochs-Sulzberger clan of New York City, in collaboration with her husband, Alex S. Jones.

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatly enjoyed this. Very in-depth, methodical, illuminating of Louisville's first family. Struck me as solidly researched but also read as a page-turner. The story of the family is riveting and heartbreaking, and the book is poignant, thoughtful, and meticulous. Would strongly recommend -- particularly to those interested in Louisville or Kentucky history.

[Eric Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Patriarch" is a fascinating blend of biography and soap opera that offers something for all readers, especially lovers of newspapers. The authors trace the rise and fall of the Bingham family, which rose to prominence with its ownership of the Louisvile, Kentucky, newspapers, in riveting detail. A must-read for American history buffs, family sagas and media historians.

[Scott Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable, if slightly frustrating, read. Despite the title, this is a group biography of the Bingham clan, rather than just about Barry Bingham, Sr. The first half of the book is about the beginnings of the family and their rise to prominence, especially with their purchase of the Louisville Courier-Journal. This half of the book is briskly paced, maybe overly so, but it is still very enjoyable. The second half of the book, however, is a blow by blow account of how the family ended up selling the paper. It is the exact opposite of the first half in that it goes into so much detail that it becomes somewhat tedious. But overall it is an enjoyable read, especially for Louisville, Kentucky residents.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2

[Kathleen Hanes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Knew nothing of the Louisville, KY papers so this was of interest. Especially liked the VERY detailed descriptions of family/generational dynamics. How could these authors possibly have so much information and insight into this family?