In this narrative non-fiction book, Arthur Edward Guinness, the 4th Earl of Iveagh and head of the Guinness family, draws on family letters, archives and photographs to tell, for the first time, the inside story of how the first four generations of Guinnesses, starting from humble origins in Ireland, created the world’s largest brewery and perhaps the most iconic beer ever. 

He explores the contrasting personalities of his forebears and the dramatic story of the Guinness family succession in the Victorian era, and explains how they made a difference in Ireland, Britain and far beyond. This is the true story of one of the great families of Ireland and Britain in its formative eras – a generational saga encompassing family drama, business innovation, public works and charitable endeavours.