Robber Baron: The Life of Charles Tyson Yerkes - Rilegato

Franch, John

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0252030990 ISBN 13: 9780252030994

Casa editrice: Univ of Illinois Pr, 2006

Riassunto

Standing alongside J. P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and John D. Rockefeller, Charles Tyson Yerkes (1837-1905) was one of the most colorful and controversial public figures in nineteenth-century America. Robber Baron is the first biography of the streetcar magnate who was the mastermind behind Chicago's Loop Elevated and the London Underground and namesake of the University of Chicago's observatory. Yerkes also served as the inspiration for Frank Cowperwood, the ruthless protagonist of Theodore Dreiser's Trilogy of Desire: The Financier, The Titan, and The Stoic. Despite various philanthropic efforts, Yerkes and his unscrupulous tactics were despised by the press and public, and he left Chicago a bitter man. John Franch has drawn upon every available source to tell the complete story of a man desperate to leave a lasting impression on his world. While Yerkes's enduring public works testify to his success, Robber Baron uncovers the cost of this boundless ambition.

Su questo libro

Product Description:

Standing alongside J. P. Morgan, Carnegie, and Rockefeller, Charles Tyson Yerkes (1837-1905) was one of the most influential and controversial public figures in America. Robber Baron is the first biography of the traction magnate who was behind the Chicago Loop Elevated, an investor in the London Underground, namesake of the University of Chicago's observatory, and vilified as Frank Cowperwood in Theodore Dreiser's trilogy, "The Financier", "The Titan", and "The Stoic". After losing his fortune and being jailed for financial improprieties in Philadelphia, Yerkes used political blackmail to secure a pardon. With his boundless ambition intact, he relocated to Chicago and made millions from questionable financial transactions, while also using his influence and charm to assemble one of the world's finest mass transit networks. Despite various philanthropic efforts, Yerkes and his methods were despised by the press and public, and he left Chicago a bitter man. He moved to London, organizing much of the Underground, battling J. P. Morgan, and romancing Emilie Grigsby, the love of his life, before his death at age 68. John Franch has drawn upon every available source, including newspapers, memoirs, credit reports, court filings, bankruptcy records, and correspondence to tell the complete story of a man desperate to leave a lasting impression on his world. Yerkes's enduring public works and remarkable history are a testament to his success, but Robber Baron reveals that his legacy wasn't as sparkling as he might have hoped.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Univ of Illinois Pr
• Data di pubblicazione: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0252030990
• ISBN 13: 9780252030994
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero edizione: 1
• Numero di pagine: 374