Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

This is a great biography that shows both sides of this complicated captain of industry. Rockefeller was both a deeply pious and generous philanthropist, and at the same time a ruthless businessman who knew how to manipulate competitors and entire markets. He built the Standard Oil trust in the midst of a hyper-competitive environment by identifying the appropriate part of the value chain to dominate. Later in life, he settled down significantly – spending tie enjoying golf and founding enduring institutions like the University of Chicago and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (later Rockefeller University). (View on Amazon)