Empire: A Tale of Obsession, Betrayal, and the Battle for an American Icon

In this fast-paced book, named one of the "Top Ten of 2001" by BusinessWeek, Mitchell Pacelle tells the gripping story of the ten-year struggle for control of America’s most famous skyscraper–a tale of greed and duplicity that consumed, and nearly destroyed, some of the real estate world’s most controversial tycoons. "Makes for delicious reading...it is a grand human comedy, and Mitchell Pacelle has a fine time with it." –The Washington Post "Who’d have thought that real estate dealings could read like a gossipy novel of intrigue?" –Entertainment Weekly "Features legal wrangling, political posturing, family feuds, financial high jinks, and lost fortunes...a finely wrought narrative that embodies the style–and the hysteria–of New York real estate." –USA Today "Bluster, temperamental outbursts, one-line putdowns and endless deviousness, all meticulously recorded by Mr. Pacelle." –The Economist "Great business writing and even greater gossip ...reads like a cross between film noir and a Harold Robbins novel." –Publishers Weekly