Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Chronology of An American Industrialist.
Review: Ron Chernow's Titan succinctly documents the life of John D. Rockefeller in its entirely. From his very humble beginnings in the Finger Lakes of Upstate New York to his retirement in Florida, Chernow successfully portrays this very controversial and infamous industrialist as a conflicted, pious, and shrude man.
For those who are reading this book out of interest into economics or business tactics, you should probably try another biography as this book focuses on the life of Rockefeller and not the inner-workings of his business, Standard Oil. However, this book is interesting because it implies that certain aspects of ones life and certain characteristics that a person holds can adversely or positively affect their professional life.
This is a very well written book. One that should be on the shelf of anyone who likes to study or read about people of power.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong intoduction, bland filler
Review: This book starts out strong, describing in rich detail the rise of one of America's wealthiest men. Very interesting. However, I had to engage in a type of self-coercion to pick the book up after about 100 pages. I hate to call it "filler," but I have to call a spade a spade.
Rating:
Summary: Strong intoduction, bland filler
Review: This book starts out strong, describing in rich detail the rise of one of America's wealthiest men. Very interesting. However, I had to engage in a type of self-coercion to pick the book up after about 100 pages. I hate to call it "filler," but I have to call a spade a spade.
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.
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