New book explores supersized philanthropy of Joan Kroc
“Ray & Joan” (Dutton), by Lisa Napoli
In 2012, journalist Lisa Napoli did a story about a peace monument in Santa Monica, California, that had fallen into disrepair. She soon learned the identity of the anonymous donor who had paid for it years before: Joan Kroc, heir to the McDonald’s hamburger fortune. Curiosity piqued, Napoli went looking for a biography of the philanthropist, only to discover that none existed. So she decided to tell the story herself.