Titan：The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

JohnD.Rockefeller,Sr.--history'sfirstbillionaireandthepatriarchofAmerica'smostfamousdynasty--isaniconwhosetruenaturehaseludedthreegenerationsofhistorians.NowRonChernow,theNationalBookAward-winningbiographeroftheMorganandWarburgbankingfamilies,givesusahistoryofthemogul"etchedwithuncommonobjectivityandliterarygrace...asdetailed,balanced,andpsychologicallyinsightfulaportraitofthetycoonaswemayeverhave"(KirkusReviews).Titanisthefirstfull-lengthbiographybasedonunrestrictedaccesstoRockefeller'sexceptionallyrichtroveofpapers.Alandmarkpublicationfullofstartlingrevelations,thebookwillindeliblyalterourimageofthismostenigmaticcapitalist.Bornthesonofaflamboyant,bigamoussnake-oilsalesmanandapious,straitlacedmother,Rockefellerrosefromrusticoriginstobecometheworld'srichestmanbycreatingAmerica'smostpowerfulandfearedmonopoly,StandardOil.Branded"theOctopus"bylegionsofmuckrakers,thetrustrefinedandmarketednearly90percentoftheoilproducedinAmerica.Rockefellerwaslikelythemostcontroversialbusinessmaninournation'shistory.Criticschargedthathisempirewasbuiltonunscrupuloustactics:grand-scalecollusionwiththerailroads,predatorypricing,industrialespionage,andwholesalebriberyofpoliticalofficials.ThetitanspentmorethanthirtyyearsdodginginvestigationsuntilTeddyRooseveltandhistrustbustersembarkedonamarathoncrusadetobringStandardOiltobay.WhileprovidingabundantnewevidenceofRockefeller'smisdeeds,Chernowdiscardsthestereotypeofthecold-bloodedmonstertosketchanunforgettablyhumanportraitofaquirky,eccentricoriginal.AdevoutBaptistandtemperanceadvocate,Rockefellergavemoneymoregenerously--hischosenphilanthropiesincludedtheRockefellerFoundation,theUniversityofChicago,andwhatistodayRockefellerUniversity--thananyonebeforehim.Titanpresentsafinelynuancedportraitofafascinating,complexman,synthesizinghispublicandprivatelivesanddisclosingnumerousfamilyscandals,tragedies,andmisfortunesthathaveneverbeforecometolight.JohnD.Rockefeller'sstorycapturesapivotalmomentinAmericanhistory,documentingthedramaticpost-CivilWarshiftfromsmallbusinesstotheriseofgiantcorporationsthatirrevocablytransformedthenation.WithcameosbyJosephPulitzer,WilliamRandolphHearst,JayGould,WilliamVanderbilt,IdaTarbell,AndrewCarnegie,CarlJung,J.PierpontMorgan,WilliamJames,HenryClayFrick,MarkTwain,andWillRogers,TitanturnsRockefeller'slifeintoavividtapestryofAmericansocietyinthelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturies.ItisRonChernow'ssignaltriumphthathenarratesthismonumentalsagawithallthesweep,drama,andinsightthatthisgiantsubjectdeserves.作者简介：TITAN,RonChernow'sfirstbook,TheHouseofMorgan,wontheNationalBookAward,theAmbassadorAwardfortheyear'sbeststudyofAmericanculture,andwasnamedoneofthe100bestnonfictionbooksofthecenturybytheModernLibrary.Hissecondbook,TheWarburgs,wontheEcclesPrizeastheBestBusinessBookof1993andwasalsoselectedbytheAmericanLibraryAssociationasoneofthatyear'sbestnonfictionbooks.Inreviewinghisrecentcollectionofessays,Theelegantandarchitectofmonumentalhistoriesaswe'veseenindecades”andchosethepaperbackoriginalasoneoftheyear'sNotableBooks.