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Tycoons and American business history

Financial history

Biographies of Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and other tycoons, and histories of American industry and capitalism.

26 books on Tycoons and American business history, recommended by 25 people including Mohnish Pabrai and Paul Graham.

26 books · 31 experts

Start here

  1. The PatriarchDavid Nasaw, 2012
  2. The Great Merger Movement in American Business, 1895-1904Naomi R. Lamoreaux, 1985
  3. The Robber BaronsMatthew Josephson, 1878
  4. The Farmer from MernaKarl Schriftgiesser, 1955
  5. Business AdventuresJohn Brooks, 1969

The best books on Tycoons and American business history 26

The PatriarchThe Patriarch
T2 The Patriarch
David Nasaw · 2012
Joseph Kennedy: film, liquor, market operations and the first SEC chairmanship
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiMorgan Housel
The Great Merger Movement in American BusineThe Great Merger Movement in American Business, 1895-1904
T3 The Great Merger Movement in American Business, 1895-1904
Naomi R. Lamoreaux · 1985
Why the first merger wave happened and why most of it disappointed.
Open Library
The Robber BaronsThe Robber Barons
T4 The Robber Barons
Matthew Josephson · 1878
The framing of Rockefeller's generation that shaped US policy.
Open Library
Recommended byLarry Ellison
The Farmer from Merna
T4 The Farmer from Merna
Karl Schriftgiesser · 1955
Open Library
Recommended byWarren Buffett
Business AdventuresBusiness Adventures
T4 Business Adventures
John Brooks · 1969
Twelve New Yorker case studies; the reason Buffett lent it to Gates.
Open Library
“Business Adventures remains the best business book I've ever read.”Bill Gates
Recommended byBill GatesMohnish PabraiPatrick CollisonWarren Buffett
Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie
T4 Andrew Carnegie
Joseph Frazier Wall · 1970
The scholarly biography Nasaw's book displaced but did not erase.
Open Library
Recommended byCharlie MungerMohnish Pabrai
The Age of Giant CorporationsThe Age of Giant Corporations
T4 The Age of Giant Corporations
Robert Sobel · 1972
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
American Express: The Unofficial History of American Express: The Unofficial History of the People Who Built the Great Financial Empire
T4 American Express: The Unofficial History of the People Who Built the Great Financial Empire
Peter Z. Grossman · 1987
The fullest narrative history, from freight forwarding to cards.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The PrizeThe Prize
T4 The Prize
Daniel Yergin · 1991
The standard history of the oil industry Exxon inherited and led.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiPatrick O'ShaughnessyBill GatesEmmett ShearThe Barefoot Investor
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
T4 Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
Ron Chernow · 1998
The definitive Rockefeller biography and Standard Oil narrative.
Open Library
“Very compelling biography on John D. Rockefeller, a must read.”Mohnish Pabrai
Recommended byAndrew WilkinsonCharlie MungerChristopher BloomstranJim CollinsMohnish PabraiNick SleepAnthony PomplianoAusten Allred+6 more
Becoming American Express: 150 Yearsof Reinv
T4 Becoming American Express: 150 Yearsof Reinvention & Customer Service
Reed Massengill · 1999
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
CarnegieCarnegie
T4 Carnegie
Peter Krass · 2002
Harsher on the gap between Carnegie's preaching and his practice.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
An Empire of WealthAn Empire of Wealth
T4 An Empire of Wealth
John Steele Gordon · 2004
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Dark Genius of Wall Street: The MisunderstooDark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons
T4 Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons
Edward J. Renehan · 2005
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The TycoonsThe Tycoons
T4 The Tycoons
Charles R. Morris · 2005
Carnegie, Rockefeller, Gould and Morgan and the economy they built
Open Library
“on how four great builders of the 19th century built the world we live in today”Marc Andreessen
Recommended byMarc Andreessen
The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie and TheThe Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie and The Gospel of Wealth
T4 The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie and The Gospel of Wealth
Andrew Carnegie · 2006
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The Genesis of Industrial America, 1870-1920
T4 The Genesis of Industrial America, 1870-1920
Maury Klein · 2007
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of CorneliusThe First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
T4 The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
T. J. Stiles · 2009
Pulitzer and National Book Award winner; the definitive life.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc RiThe King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich
T4 The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich
Daniel Ammann · 2009
Marc Rich, the founder of modern commodity trading.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Dynasties of the Sea: The Shipowners and Fin
T4 Dynasties of the Sea: The Shipowners and Financiers Who Expanded the Era of Free Trade
Lori Ann La Rocco · 2012
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Empty MansionsEmpty Mansions
T4 Empty Mansions
Bill Dedman · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byMorgan Housel
The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story ofThe Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters
T4 The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters
Gregory Zuckerman · 2013
How wildcatters and shale debt rewrote US supply.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Breaking RockefellerBreaking Rockefeller
T4 Breaking Rockefeller
Peter B. Doran · 2016
Open Library
Recommended byCynthia Johnson
Americana: A 400-Year History of American CaAmericana: A 400-Year History of American Capitalism
T4 Americana: A 400-Year History of American Capitalism
Bhu Srinivasan · 2017
Open Library
Recommended byChamath Palihapitiya
ColossusColossus
T4 Colossus
Jack Beatty
unverified
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Rich and How They Got That WayThe Rich and How They Got That Way
T4 The Rich and How They Got That Way
Cynthia Crossen
unverified
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai

Experts 31

The people who wrote this page's books, and the people who recommend them.

Authors 6

Daniel Yerginwrote 1 book hereRon Chernowwrote 1 book here
GZ
Gregory Zuckermanwrote 1 book here
JB
John Brookswrote 1 book here
CR
Charles R. Morriswrote 1 book hereAndrew Carnegiewrote 1 book here

Recommenders 25

MP
Mohnish Pabrairecommends 15 books herePaul Grahamrecommends 4 books hereCharlie Mungerrecommends 2 books hereMarc Andreessenrecommends 2 books hereWarren Buffettrecommends 2 books here
MH
Morgan Houselrecommends 2 books hereBill Gatesrecommends 2 books here
JC
Jim Collinsrecommends 1 book here
NS
Nick Sleeprecommends 1 book hereRyan Holidayrecommends 1 book here
AW
Andrew Wilkinsonrecommends 1 book here
AP
Anthony Pomplianorecommends 1 book here
Show all 25
AA
Austen Allredrecommends 1 book hereChamath Palihapitiyarecommends 1 book here
CB
Christopher Bloomstranrecommends 1 book here
CJ
Cynthia Johnsonrecommends 1 book hereDavid Friedbergrecommends 1 book hereEmmett Shearrecommends 1 book hereLarry Ellisonrecommends 1 book here
NH
Nick Huberrecommends 1 book herePatrick Collisonrecommends 1 book here
PO
Patrick O'Shaughnessyrecommends 1 book here
SP
Sam Parrrecommends 1 book here
BI
The Barefoot Investorrecommends 1 book here
RW
The Rational Walkrecommends 1 book here
See all 31 in the Experts tab →

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