Comments on: Giveaway: House of Mondavi by Julia Flynn Siler

By: bill marsano

bill marsano — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:53:50 +0000

I give Siler credit for doggedness–for example, other versions of the Mondavi Brothers’ Fistfight have passed it off as just that, with the two brothers then simply going their separate ways. Per Siler, who read through the apparently all the court documents, the fight devolved into a vicious legal wrangle in which over a period of 10 years(!) Peter and Ma Mondavi set out to cheat Robert out of his share. That said, and as I’ve said elsewhere, Siler’s prose could stop a clock. Books that conclude, as hers does, with the author’s fulsome praise for editorial helpers, are almost always badly damaged in one way or another. (In her book, Alice Feiring, also concludes with an emetic spate of praise for her editor and copy editor, both of whom are, on the evidence, lazy and incompetent.)

By: Dickey

Dickey — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:21:23 +0000

I am wondering if I am the only person out here who thought that this book was terribly written. I cannot recall any time in my life where such a fascinating and dynamic story has been burdened with an author who clearly has no place writing a narritive of this size or importance. I know it can be easy to overlook such a thing, but seriously, this book could have been much better with a writer who has a grasp of style.

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:31:04 +0000

I just surfed over to random.org, which I use for all my random number needs, and generated a winner: Julia Flynn Siler! Seriously, I just plugged in 1 – 42 (the number of comments) and her number (35) came up.

So I deleted Julia and me from the list of eligible names as well as any duplicate comments and generated a new pair of winners: TH and Tyler, come on down! Your names were selected as winners of the prize so shoot me an email with your mailing address and I will send a copy out to each of you.

This was a great thread and there are lots of good ideas here for future research and writing.

By: Sylvia Burgos Toftness

Sylvia Burgos Toftness — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:58:39 +0000

Fetzer, or one of the other pioneering organic vintners

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:38:50 +0000

The Golitzin family from Quilceda Creek

By: Dale Cruse

Dale Cruse — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:32:40 +0000

I think the world is finally ready for an expose on Bartles and Jaymes.

By: boyce

boyce — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:30:49 +0000

This might be stretching the “American” angle a bit, but Miramir Torres and the Torres family.

Cheers, Boyce

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:16:36 +0000

Gotta agree with JDWebster on Walter Taylor also….Bully Hill was the most fun I have ever had inside a tasting room. The atmosphere was so laid back and unpretentious I actually called a wine a little “flacid” and the men didn’t turn and stare at me in horror.

By: Ron B

Ron B — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:03:28 +0000

I’d love to read a bio of Andy Beckstoffer. He’s a native of my adopted hometown, and went to the same high school as some of my wife’s family. As he’s more of a behind-the-scenes guy, I’d love to read more about how his name has become known for top-flight Napa Cabs without ever producing a regular vintage of his own.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:16:21 +0000

How about (another) bio of Robert Parker? Heck, pair it with bios of Stephen Tanzer, James Laube, and James Suckling, to create a portrait of the four most influential critics in wine?

By: Jasmurph

Jasmurph — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:46:00 +0000

I’d honestly like to read a full-blown expose of Yellowtail.

By: Julia Flynn Siler

Julia Flynn Siler — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:39:38 +0000

Thank you! So many good suggestions. What a fascinating industry filled with larger-than-life characters…

Best,
Julia Flynn Siler

By: TH

TH — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:54:04 +0000

If you’re looking at the greatest impact on the American wine industry I’d definitely like to know more about the role of UCDavis and the early struggles to establish the United States as a credible wine producer.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:02:23 +0000

There’s never been a biography of Frank Schoonmaker. Aren’t we about due?

By: JDWebster

JDWebster — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:07:07 +0000

To take things over to the other coast, how about Konstantin Frank or Walter Taylor. Two certainly very interesting figures in American wine history.