Theirs Was the Kingdom: Lila and DeWitt Wallace and the Story of the Reader's Digest

“[A] hugely detailed, engagingly written history. . . . [Mr. Heidenry] is very good on the Digest’s business history, drawing on the recollections of an impressive number of former and present staff members as well as company archives. He also devotes proper consideration to the Digest’s importance as a cultural and ideological force.” —Richard Lingeman, New York Times Book Review This is the first behind-the-scenes account of one of the greatest American success stories of this century—a complex tale, replete with unforgettable characters, corporate infighting, geopolitical intrigue, and old-fashioned values, the last honored as much in the breach as in the observance in the hothouse atmosphere of Digest headquarters. John Heidenry’s rich narrative takes the magazine from the early years of this century when DeWitt Wallace and his bride Lila founded it, through its rapid rise over seventy years. Its cast of characters includes the main players at the Digest itself, as well as Richard Nixon, James Michener, Harold Ross, Bebe Rebozo, and Ronald Reagan.