Excellent book on the beginnings of the Hearst dynasty. The book starts with George Hearst and his marriage to Phoebe Apperson. The book also delves a little into the life of their son, William Randolph Hearst, but this is mainly a biography of Phoebe. Though the reading can bog the reader down in some places, this book would be interesting to anyone with a passing interest in the Hearsts. The book quotes heavily from their letters to each other. ( )