Titan

The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

By: Ron Chernow

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 35 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

John D. Rockefeller, Sr., history’s first billionaire and the patriarch of America’s most famous dynasty, is an icon whose true nature has eluded three generations of historians. Now Ron Chernow, a National Book Award-winning biographer, gives us a detailed and insightful history of the mogul. Titan is the first full-length biography based on unrestricted access to Rockefeller’s exceptionally rich trove of papers. A landmark publication full of startling revelations, the book indelibly alters our image of this most enigmatic capitalist.

Born the son of a flamboyant, bigamous snake-oil salesman and a pious, straitlaced mother, Rockefeller rose from rustic origins to become the world’s richest man by creating America’s most powerful and feared monopoly, Standard Oil. Branded "the Octopus" by legions of muckrakers, the trust refined and marketed nearly 90 percent of the oil produced in America.

Rockefeller was likely the most controversial businessman in our nation’s history. Critics charged that his empire was built on unscrupulous tactics: grand-scale collusion with the railroads, predatory pricing, industrial espionage, and wholesale bribery of political officials. The titan spent more than 30 years dodging investigations until Teddy Roosevelt and his trustbusters embarked on a marathon crusade to bring Standard Oil to bay.

While providing abundant evidence of Rockefeller’s misdeeds, Chernow discards the stereotype of the cold-blooded monster to sketch an unforgettably human portrait of a quirky, eccentric original. A devout Baptist and temperance advocate, Rockefeller gave money more generously than anyone before him - his chosen philanthropies included the Rockefeller Foundation, the University of Chicago, and what is today Rockefeller University. Titan presents a finely nuanced portrait of a fascinating, complex man, synthesizing his public and private lives and disclosing numerous family scandals, tragedies, and misfortunes that have never before come to light.

John D. Rockefeller’s story captures a pivotal moment in American history, documenting the dramatic post–Civil War shift from small business to the rise of giant corporations that irrevocably transformed the nation. With cameos by Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, Jay Gould, William Vanderbilt, Ida Tarbell, Andrew Carnegie, Carl Jung, J. P. Morgan, William James, Henry Clay Frick, Mark Twain, and Will Rogers, Titan turns Rockefeller’s life into a vivid tapestry of American society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is Ron Chernow’s signal triumph that he writes this monumental saga with all the sweep, drama, and insight that this giant subject deserves.

©2004 Ron Chernow (P)2013 Blackstone Audio

A Fascinating Tale of Greed and Altruism

This is a fascinating story of a remarkable man, the likes of which we have seldom seen throughout World History. This is not a simple story, and John D was a complicated man. The author doesn’t really have an opinion about how John D will be judged, but he does an excellent job of laying out the facts. Ultimately the reader gets to decide.

Mixed Feelings

Ron Chernow and his team did a great work gathering so much information and organizing it. Very long book but coherent.

John D. Rockeffeler's life was very controversial. Reading this book will give you mixed feelings; I liked and dislike Mr Rockefeller but overall he did something amazing with his life which is worth respecting.

Good book.

great but lacking

it was a very good book, but it seemed to ommit some of the more controversial parts of Rockefeller's life. in this book, the worst thing Rockefeller did was have underhanded railroad rebates.

Good information!

Good first half. Second half got boring. Listen at two times speed for second half

Wow! So much I didn’t know.

This is my third book from Chernow. Already listened to Washington and Grant. What a truly informative unbiased story. At times I was anger at Rockefeller, well at other times I felt sympathy. Chernow really delved deep into the lives of the family. Titan is a great read and the reader was fantastic!

Well done, very interesting.

A must read for anyone interested in the history of so many of our national treasures.

Excellent

When I reached the end of this book, the point of Sr's death, I felt as though I lost a good friend. Ron Chernow is able to bring the characters so well to life. This work is unbiased, thorough, and very readable.

I also couldn't have hoped for a better narrator than Grove Gardner. His voice is somehow perfect in genre, and for an over 30 hr book I was kept well entertained.

On its own, Rockefeller's story is inspiring and informative of the times, which Rockefeller played a large role in shaping. He is surely one of the most interesting and influential characters in recent history.

I highly recommend this audiobook.

g

very long but pretty good. great story and very informative. voice was pretty monotone and had a funny way of pronouncing some words but he also had to pronounce some very difficult words, so all things considered, not bad. very appropriate for story.

A true discovery...

I had no idea how many people he helped, charitable organizations he started or the enormity of his outreach. While not everything he did was agreeable, I have come to respect John D. Rockefeller in a new light. The book gave great insight on his life.

A Compelling and Important Biography

This is a captivating account of the life of John D. Rockefeller, who was a pioneer in the development of large-scale industries and magnificent, far-sighted philanthropy that has saved and improved the lives of millions of people. I highly recommend it.