The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich by Evan Osnos

The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich

by Evan Osnos

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Society & Culture

Superyachts, luxury bunkers, trusts and political donations: Osnos follows what extreme wealth buys, how it gets protected and how it's occasionally lost. The backdrop is stark, with 66 American billionaires in 1990 and more than 700 by 2023, while the median hourly wage rose about 20%.

Core ideas
  • Status by the foot: Superyachts are poor investments, and the rich buy them anyway to compete on size, the conspicuous consumption Thorstein Veblen described in 1899.
  • Money into politics: Tax avoidance, political donations and the influence of Silicon Valley and Wall Street reshape public life, and Peter Thiel's aim is to escape politics altogether.
  • Falling out: One essay follows white-collar executives in support groups adjusting to life after prison, and another traces a large Hollywood Ponzi scheme.
Published2025
Pages304
ISBN9781668204481
ReadJan 2026

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