|
Villard: The Life And Times Of An American Titan
by Alexandra Villard De Borchgrave, John Cullen
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Diane Pub Co (2004-01)
ISBN: 0756773350
EAN: 9780756773359
Dewey Decimal #: 920
Hardcover: 414 pages
SKU: 57085
Condition: New
Comments: WITH A GREAT DUST COVER! 1ST EDITION, 2001. Talese. EARLY PRINT. WITH WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS. HARDBACK BOOK AND JACKET IN PERFECT CONDITION. SHIPPED RAPIDLY WITH A FREE TRACKING, ALSO SHIPS TO APO/AFO AND BY AIRMAIL. 2nd*
|
Editorial Reviews
|
Product Description
Henry Villard was one of the most remarkable and important figures to shape the tumultuous history of nineteenth -century America. A preeminent Civil War journalist, an industrialist, and a financial maverick, his courage, perseverance, and farsightedness made him the equal of such titans of his day as J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Carnegie.
Penniless and not speaking a word of English, Villard emigrated in 1853 from Germany at the age of eighteen, leaving behind the privileges and expectations of his affluent, stifling parentage. Within five years of arriving on American soil, he had mastered the language and was covering the events of the day for the nation's top newspapers. Villard reported firsthand on the Lincoln-Douglas debates and later, from the front lines of the Civil War, filed graphic, hard-hitting reports that earned him the admiration of the newspaper community. His circle of acquaintances included President Lincoln, General Grant, and the famed abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison, whose daughter he married.
When the Civil War ended, Villard's penchant for risk-taking and adventure and his uncanny business acumen led him to become a restless innovator, breaking new ground in many areas. In journalism, he launched the first news syndicate in the United States; in the world of finance, he was a pioneer of venture capitalism and one of the first to employ the leveraged buyout. He catapulted himself into presidency of the Northern Pacific Railroad and shared with Thomas Edison the vision of an electrified nation. His investment in Edison's electrical enterprises eventually paved the way for Villard to mastermind the consolidation of what is now known as the General Electric Company. In 1883, triumphantly driving the last spike himself, he completed the nation's second transcontinental railroad. Later that year a financial panic nearly ruined him, but within a few years he made a phenomenal comeback based on his faith in Edison and the future of electricity. Throughout his life, Villard's unfailing ability to impart his convictions to others, his talent for meeting the right people and gaining their confidence, enabled him to conquer adversity.
Drawing on unpublished letters, Henry Villard's German and English memoirs, and many other sources, Alexandra Villard de Borchgrave's and John Cullen's fast-paced, absorbing biography vividly re-creates Villard's times and tells the rags-to-riches story of a German immigrant who made major contributions to his adopted homeland.
|
Customer Reviews
|
A remarkable book about a remarkable figure
Rating  (4)
Date: 2007-01-22
This biography by A.Villard De Borchgrave, Henry Villard's great granddaughter, and the knowledgable man of letters, John Cullen, is an admirable book and much more than a biograpy. It follows the life of Heinrich Hilgard resp. Henry Villard in all its ups and downs, its great asset however is the comprehensive representation of Villard's worlds. The Palatine history after the failed revolution of 1848, Bismarck and German history before and after unification, the German-Americans in Civil War America, the rise of American journalism, the immensely detailed history of the Civil War with close-ups of Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, Garrison and of course the history of transcontinental railroads.
The book is well written, clearly structured and contains a fine selection of photos graphically documenting Villard's life. I was most impressed by the close scrutiny of young Henry's seemingly unending struggle to survive in his first few immigrant years. He retained his optimism even after hard blows, he stuck to a life in style inspite of his spare means , his determination to succeed to prove his critical and somewhat narrow-minded father wrong - these character traits mainly make him an "American Titan". The "wanderer between two worlds" finally turned out to be a true American when he freely extended his generosity to manifold causes, especially in his home towns in the Bavarian Palatinate where his philanthropism is still very well known. In Speyer ( and not in Zweibrücken!- p. 344) he helped found a hospital with a nursing school whose huge buildings you will today find in "Hilgard-Straße" not far from his birthplace and the fine and ancient cathedral. Hilgard/Villard surely loved this imposing building, but as a catholic place of worship it could hardly have been the place of his protestant confirmation(p.11). While the book dutifully covers Villard's contacts with the most influential German-American at that time,Carl Schurz, it is a pity that it does not refer to the Palatine Thomas Nast, the Father of American Caricature and creator of Father Christmas.
|
|
A 19th Century Forrest Gump
Rating  (5)
Date: 2002-12-30
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book delivers on two levels. First, it is a well told journey through 19th Century American history. Henry Villard personally witnessed many of the transformational events of that time: the Colorado gold rush; the 1860 Republican Convention; Lincoln's journey from Springfield to Washington for his inauguration; the Civil War Battles of Bun Run, Shiloh, Corinth, Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Cold Harbor and Petersburg; the completion of the second transcontinental railroad; and the clashes of the industrial barons of the Gilded Age. This book takes you briskly through those events with Villard as the central figure. The story is that of a 19th Century Forrest Gump. On another level, the book describes the rags to riches personal journey of this extraordinary man. Indeed, Villard's own life is a quintessential American story: a penniless immigrant becomes a star journalist and acquaintance of legendary generals and a president. After the war, he metamorphoses into an industrial titan and rival of Morgan and Gould, before suffering substantial financial setbacks and then revived fortunes that permit him to regain his place at the pinnacle of American Society. The book is a very enjoyable read that describes important events in American history and the story of a man who played a significant, if largely forgotten, role in those events. It deserves more attention and a wider readership.
|
|
Empathic history of grand-visioned man
Rating (4)
Date: 2001-12-22
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This well-written biography gives a very empathic account of Villard and his contemporaries. Characters' weaknesses are described as forthrightly as their strengths.The account covers more than Villard's participation in the financial world. It also tells of his experiences as a poor immigrant. Most vivid are the chapters that describe Villard's career as a Civil War correspondent, a 'special' to coin a period term. Reading this book was enjoyable both because of the story, and the way it was told. The writing style is sometimes poetic, sometimes cheeky, but always concise. I would highly recommend this book to those interested in the Civil War, or in war journalism. The chapters dealing with Gilded Age industrialism were more biographic than historically comprehensive. For a better historic account, I'd recommend "Titan : The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr" by Ron Chernow.
|
|
Empathic history of grand-visioned man
Rating (4)
Date: 2001-12-22
1 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
This well-written biography gives a very empathic account of Villard and his contemporaries. Characters' weaknesses are described as forthrightly as their strengths.The account covers more than Villard's participation in the financial world. It also tells of his experiences as a poor immigrant. Most vivid are the chapters that describe Villard's career as a Civil War correspondent, a 'special' to coin a period term. Reading this book was enjoyable both because of the story, and the way it was told. The writing style is sometimes poetic, sometimes cheeky, but always concise. I would highly recommend this book to those interested in the Civil War, or in war journalism. The chapters dealing with Gilded Age industrialism were more biographic than historically comprehensive. For a better historic account, I'd recommend "Titan : The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr" by Ron Chernow.
|
|
railroad titan
Rating (4)
Date: 2001-05-05
4 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book is throughly researched by Harry Villard's great grand daughter. Despite the relationship the author looks at the pros and conns of the man.This book is able to appeal to many interests. It is the story of a very young man, new to America who eventually makes it to the very top of society. It is a lso a story about the politics and battles during the Civil War; and it is a story of the Guilded Age and the railroad wars. All this history centers on the life of Henry Villard, German born, young immigrant, newspaper reporter, and fiinally tycoon. A fascinating read with lots of history. All this
|
|
|
|
|