The Spinach King

The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

By: John Seabrook

Narrated by: Dion Graham

The riveting saga of the Seabrook Family, by one of the New Yorker's most acclaimed storytellers.

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.

©2025 John Seabrook (P)2025 Highbridge Audio

Creamed spinach will never seem the same!

What a story! What an engaging interweaving of world history and the history of a family!

What a Gift

To be able to make sense of, write and share this history with others . Well done.

Unaware of this family

Honesty of story was refreshing; so hard to objectively look at our own history. Very interesting.

What a family saga

Beautifully narrated and thank you for sharing your family’s story. I appreciated the updated current information on where and whatever happened to places and people mentioned or noted earlier in the book. Thank you.

Informative and detailed account of Seabrook Farms

I enjoyed the story the multi-angled storytelling. John Seabrook presents this life story from the perspective of a an honest privileged insider.