This is a hugely engaging and entertaining book about an extraordinary man. Cornelius Vanderbilt’s life spanned the transition in the USA from the post-revolutionary society to a more recognisably modern one. The changing shape of economic activity was a vital, a deeply contested part, of the transition. Cornelius Vanderbilt was a significant force in developing new commercial ideas and concepts. His success provided a path for acceptance and others to follow. When he died, Cornelius Vanderbilt was the richest man in America by a significant margin. He inherited nothing; he earned his wealth by his ceaseless work and astounding eye for business opportunities.
Passenger transport provided the backbone for the life of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Starting with sailing ships, bring passengers to New York from the surrounding islands. Then to steam driven paddle ships and finally railways. The changes in the modes of transport parallel the changes in the economic development of the USA. Each stage proved opportunities for Cornelius Vanderbilt that others failed to see.
T.J. Stiles writes three stories in one, seamlessly weaving them together into a wonderfully satisfying whole.
The first story is the narrative of the life of Cornelius Vanderbilt. This is a fascinating story. Coming from Dutch descendant farmers on Staten Island, he grew up in a commercially aware family. The need to have transport from Staten Island to New York was the opening Vanderbilt used to develop his career. Cornelius Vanderbilt had a tremendous interest in technology. Particularly where it could develop a business advantage. This led to his move into steamboats and railroads. It was his ability not to be tied to the conventional understanding of business that enabled him to succeed at such an enormous scale. He never committed to any economic philosophy; everything was a tool to be used to advance his projects.
The second story is the enormous structural changes that were happening in the USA across the life of Cornelius Vanderbilt. A population was growing and spreading across the country. Rapid transport infrastructure development was necessary to connect markets, suppliers, and customers. A development brought the conflict between the outgoing economic models used. This conflict created enormous opportunities for anyone who had the imagination to see them. T.J. Stiles describes this conflict and the way it expressed itself in business and politics with clarity and the consistent use of telling details. The role of Nicaragua in the development of San Francisco and the attempted invasion by William Walker is astonishing.
The last story is the business context that surrounded Cornelius Vanderbilt all his life. T.J. Stiles never shies away from technical detail and he explains them with clarity. It is an achievement to make the details of countless business transaction intriguing. T.J. Stiles shows how these details were the key to Cornelius Vanderbilt’s success. He did the work that others had failed to imagine could be done.
T.J. Stiles weaves all three stories together into a coherent, compelling whole that takes the reader on an engaging, thrilling ride. T.J. Stiles manages an enormous cast with care. He gives everyone the space they need so that their relevance is apparent.
The First Tycoon. Is a comprehensive book without a surplus word. A triumph.
