Cornelius Vanderbilt - The Commodore: Insight and Analysis Into the Life and Success of America's First Tycoon

Business Biographies and Memoirs - Titans of Industry

By: J.R. MacGregor

Narrated by: Kevin Kollins

Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Cornelius Vanderbilt I had no illusions about his life. He didn’t start out with grand plans and ungodly greed. He merely stepped in this world one foot at a time, one boat at a time, one market at a time - one day at a time. He worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week. He worked hard and played hard. When all was said and done, though, he was a simple man who pushed the world of transportation to be all it could be - to be what it is today.

The times he lived through and contributed to is the history that forms the foundation of our present life. He teaches us through his actions how to hit the pavement of life every day relentlessly seeking to do better and to do it with pragmatism and realistic goals. He was tough as nails in body, mind, and spirit. He did what he wanted to and never hid it. Vanderbilt was never a hypocrite.

The greatest part of his life are the years when he bounced from shore to shore across all the islands in New York Harbor and then ventured farther inland, farther north, and even farther south until he became the first man to sail a steamboat up the San Juan River in Nicaragua in search of a path to cut from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Vanderbilt was a man of steel, and we can learn incredible things from him, so scroll up and click the "Buy Now" button to start learning about America’s first tycoon.

©2019 CAC Publishing LLC (P)2019 CAC Publishing LLC

History comes alive

Fascinating book in all aspects. If you are intrigued by history, wealthy people, society people, building of fortunes, losing of fortunes, and characters who are full of variations of greed, exploitation, charity, hope, dreams, and daring - this is the book I would recommend. This book listens like a novel because the characters are so rich, and in this I mean not monetarily, but rich in emotions and full of life. The author paints each one so clearly I felt as if I had known them personally. One of the best books I have listen this year.

A Gripping Story Well Told

Excellent research and writing. Vanderbilt had a gift for seeing opportunity and capitalizing on it. A man with limited schooling but profound business sense. Fascinating that many of the same arguments about the power of huge corporations and powerful individuals are still being made by politicians today.

Quite a story

In many ways, this was a very sad story. I do not think there was one happy person in this entire book. It was fascinating to listen about how much money was made and then lost. The manipulation of stock and the stock market was almost impossible to believe, but then the accumulation of money was the goal, regardless of the morality of how it was done. Many have commented that the time was not that different from our own time; different day, same behavior. I wish I could be alive to listen the history of our time 100 years from now. The book was well worth the listen; a lot to think about.

Facinating

Having listen , about Lincoln, John Adams, Washington, listening about Cornelius Vanderbilt was facinating. It was interesting to see how people that I listen about in the other books carried on in this. I really knew nothing about Cornelius Vanderbilt except that he was wealthy. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in men who pulled themselves up by the boot straps, how industry worked at the beginning of this nation. Cornelius Vanderbilt was a man who took pride in being a man of his word however he was a daunting business competitor. He was born when Washington was President, he was very poorly educated and went to work as a boatman at the age of 16. He very quickly out performed his competition. He had a gift for doing a job any other man could do and do it better and for less. This was an ability he maintained throughout his whole career. Much to the chagrin for his competition. Facinating book and a really good listen.

Bravo

This is a marvelous listen! Love the author's style of respect with a touch of irreverence when describing the Cornelius Vanderbilt family characters. Having visited Marble House, the Breakers, and Biltmore, I appreciated learning about how and why these architectural marvels were built. There is also a great deal of detail about the many mansions built in NYC that have unfortunately been lost to the wrecking ball. I could see them. There was never a dull moment during the listening of this book as the author told of the descendants of the Commodore, the relationships they had with one another, how much money they had, what they did with it, and how they increased or lost their inheritance. The organization if very nice. There is a section for each character. I was sad when it was finished. Will definitely listen this again sometime. If you love learning social history through the lives of those who lived it, you will love this book.

I enjoyed listening

I thought this book was exceptionally well written. The author took the time to fully develop the environment surrounding Vanderbilt's life. I enjoyed listening this book so much that I bought J.R. MacGregor other book.

outstanding history

Really the first entrepreneur of American business before there was CARNEGIE, MORGAN, FORD, HILL OR ROCKEFELLER, there was VANDERBILT. TRUELLY A LEGEND!!

Old New York

What a great book for anyone who has experienced New York city and the Hudson River between New York and Albany.
A very rich historical perspective.

Great listen

Husband listen about this book. He said it had lots of detail, and he is just fascinated by the Vanderbilt story. A big winner gift.

Good info

Great information on someone I didn't k ow much about. Well written to keep me listening. Good view into early America and how it effects our world now