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Titan
- The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 35 hrs and 3 mins
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Titan
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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.
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What listeners say about Titan
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Neil
- 12-04-18
Villain or Hero
John D Rockerfeller, senior wicked capitalisation of global markets while performing the greatest philanthropic deeds the world has ever seen.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Paul Hennigan
- 28-04-22
What a biography.
I can't believe how much I loved this biography. I cried when Senior dies at the end, only a master biographer could do that. What a life, what a book. The narration was absolutely brilliant. Thank you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- dale
- 17-03-21
Gripping
Learn to be a master accountant and businessman from real life experience.
Very good book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Maximilian B.
- 05-09-22
Loved it
I learned a lot. Definitely a classic. Will have to read again in the future.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 30-09-19
Fascinating and full of information
A thorough account of J.D. Rockefeller senior's life and of the economic history of the US in the 19-20th century. I have struggled to get into the book in the first few chapters, but once you get used to the tone and style of the narrator it is truely worth following through to the end. A factual and objective biography
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mr T W ELLIOTT
- 02-10-18
Interesting but too long.
At 35hrs this is an epic audio book. But I felt that the level of detail that it went into probably wasn’t necessary get the story across.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mister Peridot
- 22-08-17
Top biography
Chernow's writing combined with Grover Gardner's reading gives you the best of both worlds. Incisive, eloquent writing read at the right pace and with the right balance of emphasis, enthusiasm and restraint. Can only hope the publishers will arrange for readings of Ron Chernow's biographies of Washington and Hamilton, especially the latter. Maybe if we keep searching the author's name then Audible will realise the demand is there.
Rockefeller's life was quite remarkable, the ultimate rags to riches story. He was a complicated, driven, repressed man who eschewed luxury and believed he was on an almost religious quest. You certainly don't need to be interested in the history of the US oil industry to enjoy this book. There is plenty of human interest and incidental history to hold your attention throughout.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Simon
- 01-05-18
A True Titan
This book is a must listen, a truley worthwhile listen letting us in to the world of John D Rockefeller and the world of Standard Oil.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- JCM
- 29-06-20
An Unexpected Pleasure
I took a punt on this book and I am very glad I did. I enjoy both the author and narrator so thought I'd be in safe hands but the story of JDR was better than I could have hoped for. There are far better and more detailed reviews than I can give below but if you fancy something different I can thoroughly recommend this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Norris
- 29-03-20
Wow
Can’t believe I’d say this, but I didn’t want it to end ever after 35 hours! Fantastic
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