Benjamin Wallace is an American author and magazine writer known for his 2008 book The Billionaire's Vinegar.
Benjamin Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 or 1969 (age 55–56)[1] |
| Education | Georgetown University |
| Occupation(s) | Author, magazine writer |
| Spouse | |
| Website | benjaminwallace |
Early life, family and education
editBenjamin Wallace was raised in Washington, D.C., the son of Daphne Wallace and Don Wallace Jr.[1][2] His father was a professor emeritus of international law at Georgetown University.[1]
Wallace knew by the eighth grade that he wanted to be a writer and majored in English with a minor in philosophy at Georgetown University.[2]
Career
editWallace is a contributing editor for Vanity Fair.[3] He has written for New York magazine.[4] Wallace often writes about technology and was one of the first journalists to cover Bitcoin in a mainstream publication.[5]
Earlier in his career, after briefly teaching and writing in the Czech Republic and Hungary, he moved to New York and spent two years working for a financial newsletter.[2] Wallace then worked for Philadelphia magazine in which he spent his last three years at the magazine as its executive editor.[2]
The Billionaire's Vinegar
edit| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Wallace's TED talk on the price of happiness in which he discusses Rodenstock's alleged wine bottles |
In 2008, Wallace published The Billionaire's Vinegar, subtitled The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine,[6] a book about Hardy Rodenstock's alleged Thomas Jefferson wine bottles.[7] It debuted at #10 on the New York Times bestseller list.[8] The Economist described it as “a great tale, well told,”[9] and The New York Times called it “one of the rare books on wine that transcends the genre.” [10]
In 2009, Michael Broadbent who auctioned some of Rodenstock's bottles, sued Random House, the publisher of The Billionaire's Vinegar for libel, claiming the book made allegations that he had behaved unprofessionally.[11] In the settlement, Random House apologized for the allegations and issued a statement in court accepting that they were not true.[12] Random House also paid an undisclosed amount of damages to Broadbent and agreed not to distribute the book in the UK.[12] Wallace said, "I have never felt that Mr. Broadbent acted in bad faith, and contrary to his claims, I maintain that The Billionaire's Vinegar does not suggest that he did."[12]
Todd Black, James Lassiter, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and Will Smith bought the rights to Wallace's book before it was published in 2008.[13] In 2012, it was reported that they were developing a movie about the book starring Brad Pitt,[11] but it was later reported that the movie would star Matthew McConaughey. [13][14] The film will be distributed by Sony Pictures and the script will be written by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas.[15]
Personal life
editOn April 26, 2008, he married Jessica Pressler, an editor at New York magazine at the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.[1] Sean E. Mullen, an Episcopal priest, officiated the wedding, and Gerard Sloyan, a Roman Catholic priest, participated in the ceremony.[1] The couple later divorced.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Jessica Pressler, Benjamin Wallace". The New York Times. April 27, 2008. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Brady, Shaun (May 27, 2008). "Ex-Philadelphia magazine editor Benjamin Wallace writes saga of famed bottle of vino in new book". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ "November 2018 Masthead". Vanity Fair. October 12, 2018.
- ^ "Benjamin Wallace Author Archive". NYMag.com.
- ^ Wallace, Benjamin (November 23, 2011). "The Rise and Fall of Bitcoin". Wired. Vol. 19, no. 12. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023.
- ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (March 27, 2015). "Matthew McConaughey to lead wine fraud drama The Billionaire's Vinegar". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ "The Billionaire's Vinegar". 6abc.com. WPVI-TV. September 18, 2008. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ "Hardcover Non-fiction Bestsellers". The New York Times. July 20, 2008.
- ^ "A mystery uncorked". The Economist. May 8, 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008.
- ^ Asimov, Eric (May 22, 2008). "Curling up with a good wine book". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Lechmere, Adam (May 8, 2012). "Brad Pitt to star in The Billionaire's Vinegar". Decanter. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c Asimov, Eric (October 14, 2009). "'Billionaire's Vinegar' Lawsuit Is Settled". The New York Times: The Pour. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
- ^ a b McNary, David (March 26, 2015). "Matthew McConaughey to Star in 'Billionaire's Vinegar'". Variety. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ Foutch, Haleigh (March 26, 2015). "Matthew McConaughey Joins THE BILLIONAIRE'S VINEGAR for Sony Pictures". Collider. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 26, 2015). "Matthew McConaughey Has Taste For 'Billionaire's Vinegar'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ Hurtado, Alexandra (March 5, 2022). "Who Is the Real-Life Journalist from Inventing Anna?". Parade. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
