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

don't be put off by the size of the book - it's huge. saying that it is thoroughly well researched and a great insight into the life story of the richest man the world has ever seen. i give this book 5 stars because it's written really well and i found that i couldn't put it down. if you are interested into the life story of rockefeller this is possibly the best book on the subject...

Lengthy but detailed and well documented.

This is the best biography that I have ever read; very interesting to see how Mr Rockefeller transitioned from a simple rural boy into a business leader. Chernow has a very beautiful writing style and portrays Rockerfeller's exploits in the oil industry in a very Machiavellian manor. The book does lose momentum when talking about the life of John D rockerfeller Jr and gives a lot of unnecessary details about senior's retirement routine. Overall a great book and highly recommended for anyone who wants to get started in Business or who wants to study American history

Title

Great book

Great book. A very very interesting and great man. A business education in one book.

I’ve always found biographies and autobiographies great reads. To be able to study successful people and emulate elements of their practices into your own life is a great way to build your own standard of wealth.This book by Ron Chernow is very well written. It is comprehensive and clearly illustrates what sort of person John D Rockefeller was as well as the struggles he had growing up.We often think that successful people have always had it that way, but this book illustrates the grit that is needed for one to become successful, no matter what their endeavour.

Astounding book. Excellently researched and written. Full of great information. A must have for those interested in these biographies.

Haven’t finished yet but a good book so far.

All about the life of this tycoon.

Though I read and enjoyed Chernow’s biographies of Washington, Hamilton and Grant, I found this biography of Rockefeller his best. I did not expect that. The bland grayish cover, which shows a grim, almost sadistic-looking Rockefeller against a sterile cityscape, does not inspire a potential reader to think of “enjoyable read.” Likewise, the pre-book knowledge I had of Rockefeller’s founding of Standard Oil led me to think that this biography would involve a lot of dry reading about Rockefeller’s financial dealings. But I was completely wrong. This is a gripping story, much of it about an America we now live in but know little about the origins.Chernow is, as usual, an excellent stylist. The book can roughly be divided into two parts: 1) how Rockefeller got the largest fortune in American history at the time and 2) how Rockefeller gave most of that away in philanthropic work. He drove thousands of small businesses out of the market and put multiple thousands of workers out of work using ruthless and cutthroat techniques, many (not all) of which were legal at the time. Cooperation with him was always better than competition and woe to anyone who did not agree. His personality is fascinating and Chernow does an exceptionally good job at bringing that out. In fact, Rockefeller’s personality and character are central themes that run throughout the book – how this pious Baptist who thought God wanted him to make as much money as possible so he could give it away could go through life with massive repression and apparent equanimity. His (and his son’s) philanthropy is incredible, from founding the University of Chicago to Rockefeller University to the Rockefeller Foundation. Millions for this, multiple millions for that in late 19th century and early 20th century money! It is mind-blowing. The book begins with Rockefeller’s father, a patent medicine quack showman who kept two separate families and ends with Rockefeller giving more money to advance real medicine than any individual in history.The book expands the reader’s consciousness and is a fascinating and enjoyable read at the same time. Though Chernow’s Hamilton gets all the press these days, I learned more from this book about America and enjoyed it more. In my view it is a pinnacle of biographical writing - by any author.

J'ai commencé à lire ce livre en version électronique, mais je me suis résolu à acheter la version papier.On connaît certes la fin, mais on a hâte de lire la page suivante, le prochain chapitre, afin de comprendre les ressorts -si tant est que ce personnage puisse être cernable- de celui qui fut en son temps aimé par une partie de l'amérique et detesté par l'autre. Toute personne qui s'intéresse un temps soit peu à l'histoire des barons d'industrie qui ont marqué le monde, devrait lire ce livre.De plus, ce livre dépoussière complètement les fables racontées ici et là au sujet de cet auguste, complexe et rigoureux homme qu'était John D. Rockefeller, Sr.Je recommande vivement.

Easily the best biography I’ve EVER read, (well apart from Autobiography of a Yogi), Titan is a marvel. Written in a flawless, lucid style, the book describes the life and times of John Rockefeller, the legendary business tycoon of 19th century America.Described unfairly as a robber baron, Rockefeller amassed a fortune and an empire the world had scarcely seen. Yes, he ruthlessly ripped apart competition; yes he bribed his way to industrial sovereignty. But one must not forget that he was working his way in old frontier America, an America which  hardly had any competition or industrial laws. Cowboy capitalism was the name of the game, and Rockefeller was our Clint Eastwood- the strong, silent leader.Reading this book is an education- one sees the forces of capitalism, law, politics and personalities clash and collide, creating new industries, new wealth and new leaders. Its wonderful. Its addictive. What stands out in the whole narrative is the man himself- Rockefeller was an enigma. Deeply religious, he often displayed eerie powers of self control and awareness. His rock-solid composure often made me think  of the Bhagwan Gita’s idea of samata. Despite one setback after another, this man just pushed on.Not only do we get to know how he made his empire, but also how he retired at the age of 55 and devoted himself fully to philanthropy and religion. It was Rockefeller who started the University of Chicago and many other educational and medical institutions.  What is striking is to see how difficult, how exhausting and nerve wracking even philanthropy proved to be. When you see and read what Rockefeller went through, you often wonder whether accumulating wealth is worth the troubleTruly a titan. If you’re interested in fascinating men, or even the growth and spread of corporate America interlaced with law and politics, just go for it.