Review: "Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr" by Ron Chernow

At Letterjoy we read a lot of great biographies, autobiographies, and reference books. For the benefit of our readers, we’re going to start reviewing some of them.

At the University of Chicago, the most imposing and memorable of the classic old buildings is the massive “Rockefeller Chapel”. It’s an impossibly tall Neogothic stone chapel with a giant carillon and a beautifully intricate interior.

As a student I would pass the chapel frequently, reviewing its scale and grandeur, but I never put much thought into why it was built, or how one man could afford its construction (without putting a dent in his fortune).

Ron Chernow ‘s “Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr” is a fascinating and thorough portrait of Rockefeller the man, Rockefeller the businessman, and Rockefeller the philanthropist.

The first thing you should know about this book is that it’s fairly long: 832 thorough pages.

The second thing you should know is that it’s worth the time.

Chernow’s book tracks Rockefeller from his childhood as the son of a con man, through his metioric rise to become the world’s richest man, his run-ins with the Federal government, and his quest in later life to give his fortune away (no easy task).

It studies his character (and the contradictions within) without judgment. John D. Rockefeller was a deeply religious man, proud of his faith. At the same time, he was a ruthless titan willing to do whatever it took to guard his empire. The interaction between faith and business is one of the most interesting elements of the book.

Chernow also dives deep into the brilliant strategic manuevers Rockefeller executed in his quest to control the oil market.

The most interesting example is how Rockefeller beat railroads and producers into submission before producing a drop of oil or owning a mile of track. Rockefeller bought the sole manufacturer of oil-tanker railroad cars. By controlling the leasing of those cars, he was able to control the flow of oil, without fully controlling railroads.

As I said, it was a comprehensive book, and my aim is to keep these reviews short, so I’ll leave it at this: Read it. “Titan” is a gem of a biography that will keep you entertained and education for all 800+ pages.

This brief review was conducted by Michael Sitver and does not necessarily reflect the views of Letterjoy.