Anderson Cooper on the rise and fall of the Astor fortune

Anderson Cooper's new book, " Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune ," is out Tuesday .

Astor was America 's first multi-millionaire, John Jacob Astor .

He made his money through the bloody and brutal beaver fur trade.

The next generation featured William Astor , who owned numerous buildings in New York City .

Anderson Cooper's great-great aunt, Alva Vanderbilt , threw a party at the likes of which America had never seen.

The Astors wanted nothing to do with the Vanderbilts .

Anderson Cooper says he always knew there would be no Vanderbilt money left for his inheritance.

He swears that was fine with him; inheriting wealth never ends well.