Rating: 
Summary: Omits very vital facts.
Review: Ron Chernow's masterful 700+ page biography 'Titan, the Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.,' has been a disappointment to me because he has completely omitted Rockefeller, Sr.'s involvement with members of the Fox family and the prominent Baptist minister the Rev. Robert MacArthur. Also, while mentioning the Rev. Edward Judson, I believe Chernow missed a beat in his failure to pick up on the symbolism to Rockefeller, Sr. represented by Judson. I speak so strongly because in my own book 'There's a Fox in Pinchot's Forest,' (Paupack PA 18451, FOSI Ltd., 1996), released April 1996, I recount for the first time the intertwining of the Fox family, MacArthur, Judson, Rockefeller, Sr., and the Baptist church.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Biography I've Read
Review: Ever since I could read, I've enjoyed biographies. This is one of the best. As I read it I kept thinking how Steven Speilberg could turn this into a incredible story. The guilded age -- fascinating lifestyles for the rich (no taxes, fantastic mansions, saling trips, private railroad car and private trains). Couple this with John Sr.'s fathers lifestyle of snake oil salesman, his relationship with his wife and son, a soft, quite and gentle demenor, the fantastic amounts he donated and how the press and government chased him. This is a great story and would make a great movie. Definitely a great book for Bill Gates to read -- I'm sure he would relate to John Sr.
Rating:
Summary: A balanced and fascinating biography.
Review: I think that Ron Chernow faced a difficult task in the writing of 'Titan'; taking one of the most controversial figures of American business and cultural history and delivering a profile that is relatively balanced and insightful. Although it was fairly apparent that Chernow resides in the "JDR was a benevolent robber baron" camp, he was successful. 'Titan' delivers a fascinating portrait of a complex individual. The contrast between Rockefeller's strict Baptist principles, as well as nearly monastic physical habits, and his aggressive pursuit of wealth through ruthless business practices was well illustrated. The two constants in his life revolved around wealth: its creation and its distribution. From his youth, Rockefeller expressed a desire to make money, and once he earned it, to distribute it charitably.I think that what should be taken away from 'Titan' is that John D. Rockefeller was neither an angel nor a demon, but like most people, had a complex personality that included self-directed rationalizations for his actions. Granted, the scope of his accomplishments was wildly different from most peoples', but in the end he was like any other person: eager for success, concerned with the well-being of his family, and full of his own personality quirks and contradictions.
Rating:
Summary: Balanced and very interesting
Review: I read most of this book on vacation. It neither depicts JDR as a demon because of his business activities nor a saint because of his true benevolences. Yes, some people did lose companies; but many of them would have done so any way. I think JDR crossed the line by bribing legistors. He was a brillant business many AND a great philanthropist. Philanthrophy was part of his life from the start; the scale changed when he had immense wealth. READ IT!
Rating: 
Summary: Worth Reading!
Review: I enjoyed Titan very much. The book gave a very clear and detailed history of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., Standard Oil, and some of the economics of the time. Chernov did a particularly good job of showing the influence of various family members on John D.'s life, in particular the ever-present influence of his eccentric father. He not only gives an elaborate account of his father's part in John's early life, but masterfully weaves the thread of this influence throughout the book. To a lesser extent Chernov does the same in regard to John D's wife and mother (two different people). I thought he also did an excellent job of showing us John D's non-business side, from the time he retired at 50 to his death at 97. I wish Chernov did a better job with Rockefeller's business life. I found his writing in this area to be less than satisfying, leaving me wishing for a clearer elaboration on the events. It seemed that John D. went from being a clerk to being very wealthy and we received only a very surface explanation of the events in between. I felt like Chernov missed some steps, going from A-D without telling us about B and C. It appeared that his research was weak in this area. I also would like him to have painted a better picture of some of the thinking John D. would have had during this time in his life. Other than this, and the unusual words he sometime used (i.e. transmogrify, animus, solipsistic) I think he wrote a book well worth reading for anyone who enjoys this type of subject matter.
Rating:
Summary: The Tension of Living A Life of Faith
Review: Christianity is a curious religion: It claims to explain the most crucial questions of the human condition; asserts that from the roots of Israel and Judaism, Jesus Christ, Himself a Jew, was fully God and fully man, sent by the Father, to usher in a departure from the Age of Law into the Age of Grace; and offers redemption not through blanket, impersonal absolution but through a vital and concrete experience of relationship with God. It is at once a religion of horrible and sometimes inexplicable circumstances while at the same time provides the most important concepts and enabling power that a human being can integrate into his or her life. It is also a religion that is practiced by people who tend to think they fully understand its import and its successful practice when the probable reality is that their sin and faulty concepts of God throw up innumerable lifetime barriers to their pursuit of Christ. I am one of those people myself. Just when I think I! have the faith figured out and that I practice it very well, I usually crack my forehead against a new discovery of my darkness and selfishness or an old, boring pattern of moral ineptitude or weakness. I used to have a pastor that liked to say the world doesn't expect itself to live up to Christian standards, but when a Christian claims to live in the life of Christ, the standards are stringently held against them. It is difficult for believer and nonbeliever alike to deal with the tension of being a redeemed sinner: a person who possesses an inscrutable, insatiable drive to find life apart from Christ while at the same time, desiring more and more to live well through dependence on his God. In Chernow's "Titan," the reader has to come to grips with this key tension of faith as they walk through 700 pages of masterfully written historical narrative. Whether or not Rockefeller was guilty of predatory pricing seems to be a subject of great debate. What can be ! concluded however is that he was an intensely fierce compet! itor with a passionate desire to come out on top in every business exchange. Rockefeller saw business as a zero sum game and he never wanted Standard Oil to come out on the short end of any competitive situation. While his business practices seemed unethical when approached from the perspective of a 1998 reader, particularly in the context of antitrust litigation against Microsoft and Bill Gates, his personal life runs in parallel with an almost unreal, compartmentalized goodness. His contemporaries often marveled at how his business practices could seem so much at odds with his faith, his treatment of people in his personal life and his unfathomable philanthropies. The tension of his sinfulness and his desire for credible faith are hugely enlarged in this well-written account of an amazing, wonderful man. Personally, this was a deeply influential story for me. While Chernow is a masterful biographer, he maintains an impressive ability to remain invisible. H! is writing demonstrates an adroit ability to treat the paradoxical tension of a life lived in faith without resorting to judgment of John D. He treats Rockefeller's weaknesses, sins and goodness with equal perspective and intensity. As a result of his refusal to editorialize Rockefeller's life, the reader is given the freedom to allow the man's philosophy, values and deeds speak mostly for themselves so that the reader is able to come to his own assessment. I was influenced by Rockefeller's deep conviction that God has blessed him with an immense mission. It is a mission that many were suspicious of because it sought to alloy wildly profitable commerce with the humilities of Christian faith. Yet, I believe John's fervent desire to appropriately allocate his wealth in productive and beneficial charities speaks volumes for his character and sense of responsibility for a staggering stewardship. I was most impressed that John D. gave of his income before he ever achiev! ed gigawealth and that he aided such causes as freeing blac! k slaves, funding Civil War soldiers, Spelman College, the University of Chicago and numerous medical groups that were capable of developing significant improvements in human health care. That he gave deeply to both religious and secular causes speaks of his great vision for his personal mission and his overall compassion for people. In fact, so great was his compassion that, with few exceptions, mostly related to his brother and the University of Chicago, he did not reiterate large financial grants because he valued self-reliance more than a welfare mentality. It is not easy to come to a tidy conclusion about the man's life. And where else besides Hollywood does life come to neat and happy ends? Each of us have past moral failures of varying degrees, each of us has an intense commitment to ourselves that often comes at the expense of others and we all encounter pain, sadness and disappointment. John D. was no exception. I believe his life is unfairly judged beca! use he lived under the magnification of his wealth and I have come to conclude that when it comes to evaluating men of great wealth, we apply standards that we would not apply to ourselves and which are actually quite contradictory. If you want to read of a truly gigantic man of wealth and character, if your desire is for a story of someone seeking to be a good, faithful man to the best of his ability and if you want to immerse yourself in a context of great wealth (and if you're like me, this leads to all kinds of fun imaginings!), then "Titan" is a worthy read.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, easy read
Review: The best book I've read that describes what we've learned to be "Robber Baron Capitalism." Sets the growth of the Standard Oil empire against the setting of of 19th century United States culture, economy and political system. The sections on JDR's philanthropy are less interesting but informative for those unfamiliar with the topic. Recommended..
Rating:
Summary: The Many Sides of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
Review: Backed by an impressive research effort, Chernow presents the long life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. in lucid and gripping prose. Presenting an objective, balanced portrait of the "Titan," the author convincingly refutes older biographical works that characterized Rockefeller as either wholly just (Allan Nevins) or evil incarnate (Ida Tarbell). Here is a man who exemplified the American "can-do" spirit through his creation of the modern oil industry from an initial $1800 investment. Rockefeller's Standard Oil trust produced a cheap and reliable illuminant used by tens of millions in America, Europe and Asia, providing many with what quickly became a necessity of life. His University of Chicago went from virtual nothingness to a world-class learning institute within a decade; his medical charities saved tens of thousands of lives by eliminating hookworm in the American South and yellow fever throughout the world. Chernow, however, does not gloss o! ver Rockefeller's use of political corruption and predatory business tactics to achieve these ends. Chernow concludes that Rockefeller's approach did not arise from a Jeckyl and Hyde complex, nor from a desire to use his charities as a balm to soothe his conscience. Instead, Chernow convincingly argues that Rockefeller's misdeeds and acts of kindness arose from the same peculiar source: his firm belief that both his business and his charities performed the work of God. "Titan" is an amazing work, which details not only Rockefeller's rise to power but the intricacies of his complex personality as well. A must for any fan of American history.
Rating:
Summary: Best biography that I haved read in several years
Review: Excellent biography of a misunderstood man. Chernow's balanced approach provides interesting insights into the Rockefeller enigma and he makes valuable commentary regarding this progressive era of American history. Although th book is somewhat lengthy, each page is worthy of print. A fascinating book.
Rating:
Summary: Spectacular Book / Amazing Man
Review: Of all the business magnates in our country's history there has been no man as influential as John D. Rockefeller. John D. defined the standard for America's Modern corporations as well as accomplished for America, what was greatly needed at the time; an organized system of business. Ron Chernow has done a phenomenal job of portraying John D. as the man he was. John D.'s notorious business tactics arose from an intense desire to control a commodity and market that literally had the power to crush the average business person. John D. was just as much a driving force in his charities. His charities can take the credit for institutions such as the University of Chicago and much of modern medical science. John D. left the world a much finer place than he found it!
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