“The Vanderbilt story somehow manages to be both unique and also, deeply, universally American. It is a saga of wealth and success and individualism, but as it turns out, those aren’t necessarily the universal goods our culture likes to believe they are.” 

The theme of The Myth of the Self-Made American is noted right from the start of the book. This and other myths are as much a part of the Vanderbilt story as anything else, Cooper writes, and they helped build the mystique surrounding the wealthy family. Stories we tell ourselves as citizens of a country are important in defining our lives, and sometimes particular people are chosen as representatives of such stories. The Vanderbilts are one example of this.

“In writing this book, my coauthor, Katherine Howe, and I wanted to explore how some of the Vanderbilts—people with personalities and weaknesses and foibles, who found themselves living the ultimate American myth—actually felt as their lives were unfolding.”

Here Cooper lays out the goal of the book. It is not an all-encompassing history of the family. Aside from the basic story of the Commodore’s first venture in a ferry service, it does not even get into the details of the Vanderbilts’ business dealings that netted them so much wealth. Instead, the goal is to look at several members of the famous family as individuals, delving into their personal lives to present a more holistic picture of each, rather than the stock figures of the tabloids. As much as possible, the authors draw upon memoirs or other primary sources of information to include these individuals’ own perspectives and feelings at the time the events took place.