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

Often engaging, sometimes overly broad. You'll learn more about the Rockefeller children than you ever wanted to know. Worthwhile addition to the bookshelf but could've been more focused on the primary subject.

This book provides insights into some of the fundamentals of how the U.S. became such a wonderfully capitalist society, which has benefited so many people and organizations. It was amazing to discover how many charitable things he did with his money. I am stunned when people say only negative things about John D. Rockefeller, when he did so much. One thing that interests me is that "would those people who talk bad about him be willing to do what he did and donate over half of their money to charity". My answer is "probably not. But, what infuriates me the most is that although people are deep into social programs rarely stop and wonder where the money which was donated to their causes came from. Do they think it grows on trees? If we did not have capitalism in the U.S., we could not have so many social programs. And, "if" (which is unlikely) so many people who oppose capitalism were to study how much money they donate - I think they would be in for some surprises

Ron Chernow masterfully presents the many sides of the life of Rockefeller, without simplistically stereotyping him or going to the other extreme - of cheerleading his accomplishments and glossing over his faults. At the end of this lengthy read, you'll find yourself staggered at the amount of wealth accumulated by this mysterious capitalist, surprised by the vast array of his philanthropy of which we still benefit today, yet left shaking your head at his blind spots in his family, his mindset about monopolies and his lack of any remorse for any actions taken by his behemouth, Standard Oil. I was also struck by how human nature has not changed in 100 years. Just like the succesful are villified for political gain today, so Rockefeller was jeered no matter how much money he gave away, and the line of freeloaders and politicians who felt entitled to his fortune was endless. In a world of hard right and hard left politics, Chernow get's it right - telling the story in all its real life complexity - without resorting to politically charged stereotyping..

As always Chernow's writing is solid. Very interesting life of an oil baron and entrepreneur that blazed a trail and left much carnage on the path to super wealth. Want to better understand some period's of our history? Read all his books. Well done.

Ron Chernow masterfully presents the many sides of the life of Rockefeller, without simplistically stereotyping him or going to the other extreme - of cheerleading his accomplishments and glossing over his faults. At the end of this lengthy read, you'll find yourself staggered at the amount of wealth accumulated by this mysterious capitalist, surprised by the vast array of his philanthropy of which we still benefit today, yet left shaking your head at his blind spots in his family, his mindset about monopolies and his lack of any remorse for any actions taken by his behemouth, Standard Oil. I was also struck by how human nature has not changed in 100 years. Just like the succesful are villified for political gain today, so Rockefeller was jeered no matter how much money he gave away, and the line of freeloaders and politicians who felt entitled to his fortune was endless. In a world of hard right and hard left politics, Chernow get's it right - telling the story in all its real life complexity - without resorting to politically charged stereotyping..

As always Chernow's writing is solid. Very interesting life of an oil baron and entrepreneur that blazed a trail and left much carnage on the path to super wealth. Want to better understand some period's of our history? Read all his books. Well done.

His philanthropy has affected millions of people. His investment into education demonstrates what's possible when you focus goals on advancing mankind through education. His touch is still being felt around the world.

I enjoy Ron Chernow as a biographer. He brings these people to life in his writing. Many details that represent the person that JDR was, not just an impression of the man from generalizations. If you want to understand who he was, read this book. You'll feel like you actually met John D Rockefellar Sr.

An altogether marvelous job of capturing the good, the bad and the ugly of John D Rockefeller Sr's life from start to finish. What a blessing it is that this book was written for anyone who really wanted to know the truth behind this man's remarkable life.

Mr. Chernow captured the times and the historic impact of John D. Rockefeller but also the contradictions and the personality. So well-written that it felt like someone was simply speaking in my mind.

I truly enjoyed this engrossing and in-depth book on the beginning of the Rockefeller dynasty. Not only does it contain vast information but it is very readable. I found myself thinking about the book after I put it down.
A must for history buffs or business types.

Chernow has a very balance view of Rockefellers life--and VERY thorough. As a master author, he makes it incredibly fascinating. I was surprised to find this tome a real page turner. Great insights into human nature, capitalism, government--life.

About as objective as any biography on such a complex character can be. Gives the reader a very thorough insight into what guided Rockefeller's personal and business life, and the seemingly extreme dichotomy between the two.

Ruthless and cunning, he had become both the wonder and terror of American business from his early days with Standard Oil.

There was only one John D. Rockefeller. Great book about the controversial tycoon. Worth the long read.

I must admit there were many pages I skipped, and I just hate doing that! Perhaps someone who is a business major would soak up every page. I did get a bit bored through all the wheelings and dealings of Standard Oil etc. What I found enjoyable was the biography of John D. himself - his growing up days in New York State, his early life in Cleveland, his family life and his Christian beliefs - I also was amazed at the philanthropy that I confess in my ignorance I never knew about or gave any thought to. Any lover of American history should read this. It's OK if you skip a few pages.

After watching the History Channel's "The Men Who Built America", which I loved, I had to know more about John D. Rockefeller ... After researching the various offerings, "Titan..." was the best-looking. Great decision. It's a great read.

A very well written book, the English language used is of a very high class, in combination with a very rich and interesting story of one of the greatest business builders in the 19/20th century. Highly recommended.