First Rate Biography
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Having read quite a few biographies this is definitely one of the best I've read. first of all the story itself is blockbuster quality, how a small town shopkeeper became the wealthiest man in the world. Combined with this, the book is just very well written, I worried 700 pages would be a drag, but by the end I wished there was more!!
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Great read, excellent biography
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Much in made, both in this book and in the reviews, about the apparent contradiction between Rockefeller's early career, building Standard Oil, and his later philanthropy. I felt this was an attempt to oversimplify a man who (like the rest of us) was the product of his many contradictions, and who may very possibly have persuaded himself that the steps he took in building the company were justified by the greater good.
Even with this one caveat, this is an excellent biography; well researched and very well written. Chernow is very even handed in his treatment of his subject, and it is not clear where his sympathies actually lie; he certainly does not go to either extreme as this is neither a "hatchet job" nor a hagiography.
For the reader who is interested in the lives of those who have contributed to the shape of the world we live in, or for those interested in how Rockefeller became the world's richest man at that time (perhaps ever, if you look at the wealth he gave away and compare the impact he had compared to Bill Gates) this is a very worthwhile read.
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Difficult to imagine how it could be done better
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I'm currently working my way through the list of twenty books Charlie Munger (Warren Buffett's partner) recommends in the second edition of Poor Charlie's Almanack (very highly recommended). Thus, I am reading books I frankly wouldn't otherwise be (which I'm feeling increasingly sure reflected poorly on me) and I therefore feel somewhat less certain about my opinions. For example, I've read very few biographies and so it's harder for me to compare it to others.
With that caveat, I do read a lot, and I know an excellent book when I come across one - and Titan (2nd edition, 2004, 679 pages) is first rate. The author has clearly done a staggering amount of research, writes well and clearly and is admirably even-handed in his approach (so much as one can tell without reading the background material oneself). I think these are probably the three key factors in producing a biography and it is difficult to find fault in his approach to any of them.
Rockefeller comes across as a fascinatingly strange mixture of cold hearted and genial, a hyper-religious bandit who was convinced that his was God's work even when it involved political bribery and industrial espionage on a grand scale. I found it particularly interesting that he was not considered in any way remarkable in his abilities whilst at school - it appears his success was mainly due to his utterly relentless approach and self-discipline. There are many other interesting subtexts that emerge through the book, such as the enormous difficulty in preventing great wealth from destroying family relations.
My approach to reading my way through Munger's list is to devote an hour to reading each day before I do anything else (I found that was the only way to ensure it got done). Towards the end of Titan I realised that I found it more interesting than the (good) thriller I was reading and I suspect that is the final accolade. The excerpt from the New York Times review quoted on the front of Titan describes it as `A biography that has many of the best attributes of a novel....". So this is a book where you really can have your cake and eat it: you get to learn without giving up any time from entertainment. Highly recommended.
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The richest man who provided for the world!
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I only bought this book because Amazon recommended it to me. I didn't really think it would be all that interesting and the massive number of pages meant it would be a daunting read.
It is actually an amazing account of the life and time of John D Rockefeller and his close family. The deals done and the plans laid meant that he became the richest man every to have walked the earth - being worth (in modern money) the combined worth of Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Mr WalMart three times over.
The book itself explains about his methods in business and how the combination of his intellect, planning and attention to detail lead to his immense wealth.
Towards the end of his business career, the book shows how the breakup of his company (Standard Oil) became inevitable; but lead to his wealth increasing every more quickly after he retired from running the business.
Thereafter the book charts his gentle retirement, setting up the University of Chicago, medical foundations in New York and the deep south, national parks, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and countless other world-class institutions.
The sadness of the death of his wife and his own death some years later, is tempered by the knowledge that he used his wealth to provide more of a benefit to mankind than any other human being.
This book is a truly amazing read and Ron Charnow was rightly awarded huge acclaim for the work he did.
Buy the book and read it for yourself - you won't regret it!
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AWESOME
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This is my first ever review on Amazon and I'm only one third of the way through this incredible book. I have studied a great many management books and believe me this one is for real - how Rockefeller brilliantly took control of the entire Oil industry is a fascinating read. The author has researched the family history and his insight into Rockefellers childhood and relationship with his father and how this shaped his later life is brilliantly portrayed.
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