The Spinach King
“Golden Voice Dion Graham gives a bravura performance of the fraught relationships between three generations of fathers and sons…He narrates in a thoughtful style with an intimate tone and phrasing…His delivery elevates the story of rags to staggering riches. Author John Seabrook’s own struggles with alcohol and his candor in recounting his family’s secrets provide a powerful backstory. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
AudioFile
An Amazon Editors' Pick in Memoirs & Biographies
An AudioFile Best Audiobook of the Year
Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
A New Yorker Best Book of 2025
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year
A Town & Country Magazine Pick of 2025's Best Books
A Christian Science Monitor Best Book of the Month
Finalist for the Audie Award for Best History/Biography Narration
The patriarch, C. F. Seabrook, was hailed as the "Henry Ford of Agriculture." His son Jack, a keen businessman, was poised to take over what Life called "the biggest vegetable factory on earth." But the carefully cultivated facade—glamorous outings by horse-drawn carriage, hidden wine cellars, and movie star girlfriends—hid dark secrets that led to the implosion of the family business.
At the heart of the narrative is a multi-generational succession battle. It's a tale of family secrets and Swiss bank accounts, of half-truths, of hatred and passion―and lots and lots of liquor. The Seabrooks' colorful legal and moral failings took place amid the trappings of extraordinary privilege. But the story of where that money came from is not so pretty.
A compelling tale of class and privilege, betrayal and revenge―three decades in the making―The Spinach King explores the author's complicated family legacy and the dark corners of the American Dream.
Praise