Rating: 
Summary: One of the seminal biographies of this decade!!
Review: I just finished reading this biography of one of the most influential non-political figures of American history. Mr. Chernow deserves all the critical acclaim he received for writing this; it is truly a remarkable work. At the outset, it seemed that Chernow was going to give a "polished-up" version of Rockefeller's life. However, you soon begin to see that he instead presents Rockefeller in a rather impartial light, exposing both qualities and faults with equal judgment. Mr. Chernow wonderfully intertwines the events of the day as he narrates Rockefeller's life, the life, innerworkings, and sheer dominace of Standard Oil, and the philanthropic entities that came to make Rockefeller revered by many. When the reader completes this book, he/she is able to formulate their own opinion of Rockefeller because we were given such a well-rounded, thorough, and fair presentation. If anything else, that is the essence of what a truly outstanding biography should be able to do. That is why Mr. Chernow's book is such a success and enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Deep, impartial, intelligent and thorough.
Review: As a frequent visitor to New York, I'd often wondered who the "Rockefeller" of the Rockefeller Plaza was, and how he made his fortune. I bought this book with an air of caution, as biographies of highly successfull people can be biased either towards patronising hero-worship, or venomous character assasination. I needn't have worried, as Ron Chernow's extensive, thorough and even-handed book portrays not only JDR's progress through and beyond his 98 years, but also America's consequent development.The personal conflict between hard-edged business practices and religious ethics are deftly portrayed, and left for the reader to decide wether or not Rockefeller was trying to bring stability and structure to a highly unpredictable market place, or being an un-controllable corporate steam-roller. The book is not just a study of the incredible business career of John D Rockefeller. To take us some of the way towards understanding the individual, Ron Chernow allows time to give a fascinating look at the early days of not only the parents and grandparents, but also the life styles and factors from before his birth that would so influence the life of JDR. The book covers the years of philanthropy showing how a vast fortune in the right hands can be used effectively. It's an excellent book, well researched and well written. I learned a great deal from it, and have a tremendous respect for not only the subject of the book, but also the author. I'd recommend "TITAN" to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: A Mammoth Book
Review: Creating an engaging, readable biography that is also well researched, intelligent and even handed is an incredible feat. Making one about John D. Rockefeller, Sr., which has been attempted by scores of authors, is nearly impossible. Chernow, however, accepted this challenge and thrived. Titan is a wonderful book. His research into the Rockefeller family, Standard Oil and the society in which Rockefeller lives is staggering. He weaves it all together very well and the resulting story is wonderful. I learned a tremendous amount about the man and his world, which is of course the goal of a biography, but I never wanted to put the book down which is a quality more often found in novels then biographies. There are many interesting lessons about economics, turn of the century religion, politics and corporate America to be learned from the book and anyone interested in any of these subjects would find it fascinating. I highly recommend this biography.
Rating:
Summary: Chernow keeps getting better!
Review: I have read THE HOUSE OF MORGAN and THE WARBURGS. The TITAN is the best by far. Chernow keps getting better. His characters get developped in a more exciting and empathetic way and the drone of detail is handled much better withour disappearing. I find this book fascinating for many reasons. First, Rockefeller is a bedeviled and unknown figure which seems to have defined the national character of the United States, not only by creating the concept of the multi-national enterprise, but much more importantly by creating and fostering a tradition of public giving. The University of Chicago and Spellman College are just tips of an iceberg of public good that he did. Not only did he not publicize his generosity, he affirmatively hid it for both financial and religious reasons. Even more fascinating is the use of legal strategy in business. Rockefeller's contracts were drafted with care. Always fair to the other side, but also structured to help the enterprise strategically. Moreover, this multinational was created at a time when each state restricted its corporations to owning property inside the state. Thus, Standard Oil had to be cobbled together from numerous state Standard Oils, unified by being held in a trust. Both contracting and the mechanisms of administering the trust are fascinating (and, perhaps, could be covered more extensively in the book, but that is my own biased lawyerly opinion). The book also illustrates the difficulties of growing up super-rich. We see two or three more generations of Rockefellers with some stars and some disasters. This becomes a small lesson in parenting.
Rating:
Summary: Five solid stars, THE book on J.D. Rockefeller Sr.
Review: The other reviews have basically said it for me: this is the definitive book on the founder of Standard Oil. While most biographies of Rockefeller Sr. have been either suspiciously laudatory or equally dubiously contemptuous, Chernow takes the middle ground. Ultimately, Chernow seems to fall more on the side of liking Rockefeller, and employs the somewhat cliche perspective that could fairly be called "modern contextualist"- from which Rockefeller is not much more than a product of his times. However, the slight overuse of this particular biographical "voice," if you will, is but one element of what is really a monumental biography of a fascinating person. Chernow is a very readable biographer who evidently has a deep understanding of American business. (Chernow also wrote "The House of Morgan" - an account of the development of the various offshoots of J.P. Morgan's banking empire which, although very good, lacks Titan's intense focus and analysis.) I heartily recommend Titan.
Rating:
Summary: A Rocking Machine!
Review: Man, Rockefeller was a machine. An efficiency prodigy and consummate strategician and bargainer, he was a money making machine par excellence. Surprisingly, Chernow shows that Rockefeller was a genial fellow, exacting but kind, driving hard bargains, but honest, intelligent and fair (in a strict sense of the term). Not surprisingly, he was a polarizing figures, hero to admirers and the anti-christ to enemies. I found the book very enjoyable and vignettes about Rockefeller and his associates and family wonderful. So, I give it five. However, Chernow's writing has faults. In describing some events, he is all over the timeline from one instance to another, only to return to the original event, creating confusion that could have been avoided by a more clever arrangement and careful exposition.
Rating:
Summary: A Singularly Engaging Portrait of an Empire Builder
Review: I bought this book in 1998 on a lark. At the time I was not into reading heavy tomes such as business biographies and the like. Little did I know that Titan would immensely rekindle my love for the written word--and would serve as my springboard to library-building. Magisterial in scope, superlative in erudition, Chernow's Titan is truly worthy of its subject, John Davison Rockefeller--the much-maligned magnate but universally acknowledged philanthropist. The book never falters; Chernow's writing simply sparkles. Chernow painted a singularly engaging portrait of a seemingly benevolent man who single-handedly amalgamated an industry and enriched himself and his world in the process. This book will serve as the authoritative biographical sketch of Rockefeller for many years to come. Academicians will find it to be a treasure trove of insight about the man and his age; the unwashed masses will turn to it for inspiration and sheer delight.
Rating: 
Summary: Tycoon, Businessman, Philanthropist
Review: When people think about businessmen in the United States who have had a significant impact on the commerce, politics, etc. of the country, the one man who comes to mind most frequently has to be John D. Rockefeller. This man, who rose from lower- middle class beginnings, had a business sense that could be ruthless and overbearing. He was the world's first ever billionaire, a sum of money that made him FILTHY rich in the world of the late 1800's and early 1900's. "Titan", written by author Ron Chernow, examines the life and times of Mr. Rockefeller from his birth all the way to his death in the early 1900's. Everyone already knows that Rockefeller was rich beyond imagination and that his Standard Oil business was gigantic and monopolistic. But there are many other facts about this man that few have heard about. Chernow is good at finding these facts and presenting them to the reader, showing that Rockefeller was only human and possessed flaws just like anyone else. Who would have known, for example, that the pious John D. Rockefeller had a father who was nicknamed "Devil Bill" for his wild and deceptive lifestyle? Or that this man who was so successful at business was actually rather shy and reclusive in many ways? Or that Rockefeller was the founder of the University of Chicago? Chernow points out many interesting and mostly unheard of facts about Rockefeller and his personal relationships throughout his biography. Rockefeller had some unusual ideas about politics and social conservatism. Even though the United State's system of free enterprise and liberty was responsible for his individual success, he was still prone to using force to obtain his own social goals. The one area where he was the most determined to have his will made into law was with prohibition. Rockefeller believed (falsely, of course) that the elminination of alcohol was going to somehow turn the nation into a moral utopia and empty out all of our prison cells. In reality, of course, the opposite was true and Chernow covers Rockefeller's obsession with prohibition (and religion) throughout his writing. This ludicrous belief that government should control what one chooses to drink runs contrary to Rockefeller's supposed belief in liberty and it shows that, while he was definitely skilled in the business world, he was not all that bright or logical in other areas. If there's one complaint that I have with this book, it would have to be the length. At more than 800 total pages, this book can take a very long time to read and it sometimes goes a little overboard in its coverage. Do I really need to know Rockefeller's every thought? Or his daily regimen? Chernow is very thorough, but in being thorough he also goes a bit far and this could make the book a little boring for some readers. John D. Rockefeller's name conjures up many images to many people. Some admire his tenacity to succeed. Some like the fact that he always held on to his moral convictions. Others think he was a ruthless, heartless tyrant and a hyprocrite. But whether you like him or not, there's no denying that John D. Rockefeller was a giant in American Business- a Titan who was larger than life in his day and age. Author Ron Chernow examines the full life of this man from Cleveland, explaining his business relationships, personal relationships, and his philosophy on life, business, and government. It's a long read and it will take a while to finish. But I can almost guarantee that you will come away with a new understanding of Mr. Rockefeller after reading "Titan". It's an enjoyable book about a man who was very successful, very ruthless, very generous and, above all, very controversial.
Rating: 
Summary: Peerless Like a Character from Sea of Fertility
Review: After you read this book, you will be convinced that Mr. Rockefeller was superhuman. But then again, he really was.
Rating:
Summary: Titan more powerful then the gods
Review: Wow! A truly great biography of a man who did amazing things for the world. From a business side of things this book showed how a god of his times handles one of the largest companies of its times. The book also shows the many sides of Rockefeller being more than a businessman. It showed how no matter how hard he worked for Standard Oil he worked harder to give money away to those who truly needed it. He gave money for schools, and Universities. Also donated money to many individual people and various charities. The book is a great tool for understanding the start of the industrial revolution. Titan shows how one company can run an entire industry and have a virtual monopoly with no paper work just a hand shake. A truly great biography, about a truly great man.
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