A Man and His Mountain, Edward Humes
A Man and His Mountain, Edward Humes
3 Rating(s)
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A Man and His Mountain
The Everyman Who Created Kendall-Jackson and Became America's Greatest Wine Entrepreneur

Author: Edward Humes

Narrator: Mel Foster

Unabridged: 12 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/22/2013


Synopsis

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist tells the story of the self-made billionaire who built the Kendall-Jackson empire from nothing into the biggest selling brand of premium wines in the U.S.Jess Stonestreet Jackson was one of a small band of pioneering entrepreneurs who put California's wine country on the map. His life story is a compelling slice of history, daring, innovation, feuds, intrigue, talent, mystique, contrarianism, and luck, offering a unique window on the elegant, adventurous, and cut-throat worlds of Jackson's two passions: wine and horseracing. Time after time his decisions would be ignored, derided, then finally envied and imitated, as whole industries watched him become a billionaire and tried to keep up. He reinvented himself at mid-life, and became founder and CEO of Kendall-Jackson. The empire he constructed endures and thrives even after his death in 2011. In A Man and His Mountain, Edward Humes brings us the no-holds barred tale of the brilliant, infuriating, successful man who seemed to win more than his share by staying far ahead of the pack.

About Edward Humes

An author and journalist, Edward Humes received the Pulitzer Prize for specialized reporting in 1989 for his coverage of the military. Since then, he has written a series of acclaimed and award-winning nonfiction books, including the bestselling Mississippi Mud, No Matter How Loud I Shout, Force of Nature, Garbology and Eco Barons. No Matter How Loud I Shout was named best research nonfiction book in 1996 by Pen Center USA, and Best Book that same year by the Investigative Reporters & Editors organization, while his Mean Justice was named a best book of 1999 by the Los Angeles Times. Humes is distinguished by his unique meld of immersion journalism and narrative storytelling.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Delta on September 22, 2014

It's Not Business, It's Personal. Author Ed Humes takes a tale about one man's daring success accumulating an empire of vineyards, and makes it a riveting story about a shrewd San Francisco lawyer who sacrifices his marriage and family time cultivating better California wines in an era of Gallo scre......more

Goodreads review by Laurel on June 20, 2014

I was led to read this book following a delightful VIP tour of several Jackson Family wineries in Sonoma County in May. He was a larger-than-life personality, had an unbelievable work ethic. I learned a lot about grapes and wine making AND thoroughbred horse racing! Ready to go back and learn more (......more

Goodreads review by Wendy on September 17, 2014

Engaging...well.written...I just had to try a bottle of the Vintner's Reserve after reading this...yum!......more

Goodreads review by Leslie on May 14, 2025

Anyone interested in Wine, specifically in California, should find this intriguing. It outlines Jess Jackson's intro to the wine world and follows as he dives in 110%. I found myself looking up additional info on things highlighted in this book. Such a tight web of interactions across the Vineyards......more

Goodreads review by cynthia robles on July 03, 2019

An Inspiring Read A friend recommended this book because he knew I liked history and wine. Another friend had recalled a chance encounter with Jess Jackson in 2006 at a remote fishing lodge in Alaska, together those coincidental facts led me to order this book. It was a great read and being a lawyer......more