tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10847733.post8830435764528573932..comments2023-10-26T03:49:14.799-07:00Comments on Ghost Word: House of Mondavi by Julia Flynn SilerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10847733.post-44343203866923751322007-07-16T00:20:00.000-07:002007-07-16T00:20:00.000-07:00This sounds like a bunch of hoity toity baloney t...This sounds like a bunch of hoity toity baloney typical of small town gossip that Napa is not immune from. I don't think Ms. Siler was risking life and limb to write this story. It's instant classic material for an "epic tragedy" of sorts, and I don't think there was anything daring about taking on the subject matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10847733.post-67685841864621412892007-07-04T05:34:00.000-07:002007-07-04T05:34:00.000-07:00Not having read the book (because I was employed b...Not having read the book (because I was employed by Mondavi at the time this all took place and I really dont need to re-live eveything), I am wondering if the book reveals how Constellation has turned Robert's company into one of many factories for generic wine where no one wants to work. <BR/><BR/>All families have issues. Many have the same issues as the Mondavi's. Divorce, disagreements on how to run a business, etc. The Mondavi's are just more in the limelight than the average family. <BR/><BR/>The wine industry is more about people, families, history than most industries. The real story that I would like to see is how companies like Constellation are destroying all of what I feel made the wine business unique.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10847733.post-36821488932154040032007-06-19T04:31:00.000-07:002007-06-19T04:31:00.000-07:00I don't think House of Mondavi sets out to paint t...I don't think House of Mondavi sets out to paint the Mondavi family as monsters or anything. Julia spent a long time gathering information to show both the good and bad sides of the family and its business. It would be interesting to hear what you think after you read the book.Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00841865048085425498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10847733.post-73280039020499483632007-06-18T14:44:00.000-07:002007-06-18T14:44:00.000-07:00They are a farmers, not the mafia. As a lifetime ...They are a farmers, not the mafia. As a lifetime resident of the Napa Valley I find your statement that we are afraid to "cross the family" absolutely hilarious! What exactly do you think would happen if we crossed them? Would I end up with a horse head in my bed? Do you think that Robert sent thugs to Copperfield's and said to cancel the reading "OR ELSE!" Thanks for the laugh. <BR/>Also I love the part about Julia "glamming it up" for the wine auction. Yes, I'm sure it was a big departure for her coming up from her million dollar home in Ross. Having said that and having "crashed" the reading the other night (incognito of course) to get a look at this Julia person, that everyone here seems to have such distaste for, she did seem like a lovely person and not the monster I thought. Maybe if you Mondavi haters would spend some time with the family you would see that they are not the mosters that Julia describes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10847733.post-87799454236896989352007-06-15T16:16:00.000-07:002007-06-15T16:16:00.000-07:00Julia is in your writing group?! Lucky you!! I ju...Julia is in your writing group?! Lucky you!! I just met her this weekend. What a lovely, intelligent person. And I saw her piece in the WSJ today. Amazing work. She must have absolute nerves of steel. Hey..... I wonder if she would like a reading date at a certain literary salon at Shepherd Canyon?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com