Steve Weinberg

5799. Armand Hammer The Untold Story, by Steve Weinberg (read 23 Aug 2022) This book was published in 1989. Hammer died in 1990, so it covers nearly all of his amazing life. He was born in New York City on 21 May 1898 to Russia-born parents, and lived for a time in Russia where he came to know Lenin. He founded a pencil factory in Russia. but in time became the president of Occidental Petroleum company and played a major role in its development until he died. The book appears to have been well researched and sometimes seems seems almost unbelievable. Hammer became very wealthy and always played a role in the affairs of Russia, and was deemed as too friendly with Soviet leaders. He was eager to be friends with the people in power. and even managed to become close to Republicans like Reagan and Bush. But he was not an admirable person when dealing with his own family, and while he donated millions to causes was niggardly toward his own relatives.… (mehr)

5788. Taking on the Trust The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller, by Steve Weinberg (read 29 Apr 2022) This is a 2008 book telling of Ida Tarbell and her famed muckraking study of Rockefeller. It tells of the life of both Tarbell and Rockefeller and does a fair job. The author did much research and tells of both lives but since it is a book of only 289 pages it is not very comprehensive. The author is apparently not a lawyer (nor was Tarbell) and so the illegality of Rockefeller's tactics is not made very clear--though there is no doubt of ruthless behavior in amassing his fortune. I remember learning of Rockefeller's death in 1937, the headline in the paper reading "John D. Will be buried Thursday' and asked "Who is John D. Will?' to my older sibling's scorn at my not recognizing the headline referred to Rockefeller. (Hey, I was only 8.)… (mehr)

Tariffs, corruption, environmental destruction, overzealous oligarchs who hoard and build their power by squeezing from others and then scattering the crumbs down to us through public works. It might sound like the 21st century United States, but this story is about the late nineteenth and early 20th century. I've been reading and researching Ida Tarbell and this book is not only an invaluable resource but also an interesting read. I like the author's use of a "dual" biography. The juxtaposition sets the stage for Tarbell's takedown of Standard Oil by telling both her life story as well as John D. Rockefeller--who was where doing what and when. It gives a bigger picture of America in the late nineteenth, early twentieth centuries.

Oh, where is our Teddy Roosevelt? Ida once described Roosevelt as a "boy on skates." He gave her the term, "muckraker."
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Looking at the Table of Contents this looks like it was invaluable and thorough--in 1983 when it first came out. But what's happened in terms of research since 1983? Right. The internet. I'm sure one could still glean a lot from this, but a handbook isn't supposed to make you work, it's supposed to be a reference where you can turn to a chapter and start working. I'd love to get my hands on a revised, up-to-date revision of this, but alas... (If this were still 1983, this would get four or five stars.)… (mehr)