Robber Barons: The Lives and Careers of John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and Cornelius Vanderbilt

by Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures *Includes the business magnates' quotes about life and work *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents The Gilded Age and the dawn of the 20th century are often remembered as an era full of monopolies, trusts, and economic giants in heavy industries like oil and steel. Men like Andrew Carnegie built empires like Carnegie Steel, and financiers like J.P. Morgan merged and consolidated them. The era also made names like Astor, Cooke, and Vanderbilt instantly recognizable across the globe. Over time, the unfathomable wealth generated by the businesses made the individuals on top incredibly rich, and that in turn led to immense criticism and an infamous epithet used to rail against robber barons. Dozens of men were called “robber barons”, but few of them were as notorious as Cornelius Vanderbilt, who also happened to be one of the nation’s first business titans. Vanderbilt was a railroad and shipping magnate at a time that the industry was almost brand new, but he rode his success to become one of the richest and most powerful men in American history. When historians are asked to name the richest man in history, a name that often pops up is that of John D. Rockefeller, who co-founded Standard Oil and turned it into the first real trust in the United States. Rockefeller had been groomed ambitiously by a huckster father nicknamed “Devil Bill”, who was just as willing to cheat his son as an unsuspecting public, and John certainly chased his dreams of living long and large. Rockefeller forged his empire in the first few decades of his life and nearly worked himself to death by the time he was 50, which helped compel him to retire for the last several decades of his life. At one point, Rockefeller’s wealth was worth more than 1.5% of the entire country’s gross domestic product, and by adjusting for inflation, he is arguably the richest man in American history if not world history. When robber barons across America took the reins of vast industries, they needed financing, and many of them turned to the most famous banker of John Pierpont Morgan. It was J.P. Morgan who bankrolled the consolidation of behemoth corporations across various industries, including the merging of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric Company, which subsequently became General Electric, still known simply as GE across the world today. Similarly, he financed Federal Steel Company and consolidated various other steel businesses to help form the United States Steel Corporation. While critics complained about the outsized influence that these gigantic businesses had, Morgan’s massive wealth also gave him unprecedented power in the financial sector and the ability to deal with politicians. In fact, Morgan played an important part in the Panic of 1907 and the subsequent decision to create the Federal Reserve as a monetary oversight. Ironically, one of America’s most famous robber barons, Andrew Carnegie, epitomized the American Dream, migrating with his poor family to America in the mid-19th century and rising to the top of the business world in his adopted country. A prodigious writer in addition to his keen sense of business, Carnegie was one of the most outspoken champions of capitalism at a time when there was pushback among lower social classes who witnessed the great disparities in wealth; as he once put it, “Upon the sacredness of property civilization itself depends—the right of the laborer to his hundred dollars in the savings bank, and equally the legal right of the millionaire to his millions.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2016

About the author

Charles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.

Reviews

[Stephen Heiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a basic survey of these so-called robber barons, this book will be adequate. It gives thorough outlines of all four of these men's rises to power and how they ended their lives. The writing is adequate and strives to be encyclopedic rather than editorial, which has its advantages and disadvantages. While I don't think any of the men profiled here are given to be saints, it's clear that the writer goes very easy on John D. Rockefeller and doesn't even scratch the surface of the crimes he engaged in while building Standard Oil (if you want to learn about those, read Ida Tarbell's History of the Standard Oil Company).

Bezos, Musk, and Branson are our modern-day equivalents of these men, with the twist that all have an obsession with space and only a limited interest in philanthropy. The implied question many might have when reading about the lives of the ultra rich is "when is enough?" Some of these men answered that question. Some never will, for their own reasons.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written overview of three of the men whose wealth and business acumen made American what it is today.
It provides information on the early lives, business acquisitions and charitable work of all three. I enjoyed it because it provided me with enough information to make each of them more than just an name on the the side of a prominent building.
In order to truly know any of the three, it would take considerable study and many scholarly volumes, but this book provides enough knowledge to begin to piece together the history of corporate America and it will take you hours, not days or weeks.

[Mark Little · Rating 2 out of 5]

The facts presented seem to be accurate based on my past reading of the lives of the four covered in this book. However the writing leaves a lot to be desired. It feels disjointed in parts and there are countless instances where the author utilizes “it’s not clear/we can’t be clear/no one knows...” when describing some event in the life of these men. It’s a good primer on 4 titans of the Gilded Age, but there are many works available that give better, detailed accounts of their lives - without “we can’t be clear.”

[Boyke Rahardian · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is different here: the author tries portraying all of these industrial greats not so much as ruthless capitalists as we commonly know, but also as passionate phylantrophies whose lasting legacies felt until today. In my opinion: of course these people are multifaceted, but surely you still want to highlight that most of the anti-trust, anti-monopoly laws and cental bank system we know today are all enacted exactly because of the actions of these Robber Barrons?

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading the history of all kinds (people, places, and things) well now I have found another outlet to get my fill! It is so nice to quickly read about times and people and have all of the important bits right at my fingertips. My thanks to Charles River...

[Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good not great, quick read

Easy read and gives a descent rundown of each figures life and highlights. Some editing issues that should have been caught. A good summary if you haven't read much about these men before.

[Stephen End · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting summary of Titans of 19 century/ 20 century

If you want a quick read on the 19 century /20 century Titans this is a good one. Many of the characteristics in these characters are similar to our 21 century Titans

[Dao Le · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent biographis of the men who changed America

[L Jerome Krovetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Five stories about peoo,likes who were imortant iN American history. Quality varies and not all of these are great. Still enhoyaavle.

[Brian Pangburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overview of the early titans of business in the US

This book gives the reader a nice overview of the early titans of business and industry in the US. Highly recommended!

[Marjorie Pereira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Good read. I would recommend this as a quick history of the Guilded Age. Quick and easy to read. '

[Mary Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative

Good read with lots of information. Well worth reading. Hits on the highlights of the riches men in America at the time.

[Taylor Riedemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid

Enjoyed a brief overview and motivation to these geniuses of industry who eventually lead the philanthropic charge of American businessmen.

[Eric Kausrud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but interesting. I couldn't help but thinking things haven't really changed that much in the last 150 years.

[Travis Cox · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incorrect information on the first few pages...

I quit reading this book a few pages in, when I came across a glaring inaccuracy. It’s referenced that Cornelius Vanderbilt did not have to “look far for a wife. Sophia Johnson, a pretty and hardworking girl who was also from a large family, was both Cornele’s neighbor and his first cousin. She was the daughter of his mother’s sister, Elizabeth Hand Johnson. They were both grandchildren of Jacob Vanderbilt II.”

If Sophia was the daughter of his mother’s sister...they couldn’t have both been grandchildren of Jacob Vanderbilt II!

So if the authors can’t even get that small fact accurate...I’ll move on to something else...

[Vikas Datta]

A most relevant - not to forget cautionary - read..