A “stimulating” account of the capitalists who changed America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, setting the stage for the 1929 crash and Great Depression (Kirkus Reviews).
In the decades following the Civil War, America entered an era of unprecedented corporate expansion, with ultimate financial power in the hands of a few wealthy industrialists who exploited the system for everything it was worth. The Rockefellers, Fords, Morgans, and Vanderbilts were the “lords of creation” who, along with like-minded magnates, controlled the economic destiny of the country, unrestrained by regulations or moral imperatives. Through a combination of foresight, ingenuity, ruthlessness, and greed, America’s giants of industry remolded the US economy in their own image. They established their power and authority, ensuring that they—and they alone—would control the means of production, transportation, energy, and commerce—creating the conditions for the stock market collapse of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed.
As modern society continues to be affected by wealth inequality and cycles of boom and bust, it’s as important as ever to understand the origins of financial disaster, and the policies, practices, and people who bring them on. The Lords of Creation, first published when the catastrophe of the 1930s was still painfully fresh, is a fascinating story of bankers, railroad tycoons, steel magnates, speculators, scoundrels, and robber barons. It is a tale of innovation and shocking exploitation—and a sobering reminder that history can indeed repeat itself.

This book contains profiles of some of America's richest people and how they got that way - and how you can too. While we can't promise that this book will elevate you to the ranks of the super-rich, we can say that within its pages you'll discover everything you need to know about how, exactly, many of America's most famous (and infamous) millionaires and billionaires acquired their fortunes. The big surprise is that all of the super-wealthy it profiles got where they are today by taking one of just ten possible roads-including starting a business, buying real estate, investing wisely, and marrying extremely well. Whether you aspire to shameful wealth or just a demure fortune, bestselling author and self-made billionaire, Ken Fisher, will show you how to walk in the footsteps of tycoons-all the way to the financial success you dream of and deserve. Packed with amusing anecdotes of individuals who have traveled (or tumbled) down each road to wealth. It extracts valuable lessons on how you, too, can achieve serious wealth, and, just as importantly, hold onto it. It provides powerful tools for determining what you need to do to position yourself for success and "Guideposts" and "Warning Signs" to help keep you safely on your road to success. The Second Edition features more profiles and instructive examples than were found in the bestselling first edition.

This is the book that made Simon Schama's reputation when first published in 1987. A historical masterpiece, it is an epic account of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age of Rembrandt and van Diemen. In this brilliant work that moves far beyond the conventions of social or cultural history, Simon Schama investigates the astonishing case of a people's self-invention. He shows how, in the 17th-century, a modest assortment of farming, fishing and shipping communities, without a shared language, religion or government, transformed themselves into a formidable world empire -- the Dutch republic.

Benjamin Franklin’s classic book is full of timeless, thought-provoking insights that are as valuable today as they were over two centuries ago. With more than 700 pithy proverbs, Franklin lays out the rules everyone should live by and offers advice on such subjects as money, friendship, marriage, ethics, and human nature. They range from the famous “A penny saved is a penny earned” to the lesser-known but equally practical “When the wine enters, out goes the truth.” Other truisms like “Fish and visitors stink after three days” combine sharp wit with wisdom. Paul Volcker’s new introduction offers a fascinating perspective on Franklin’s beloved work.