The Merchant of Power: Sam Insull, Thomas Edison, and the Creation of the Modern MetropolisA "brilliant" account of an American mogul who inspired Citizen Kane "brings Insull back to complicated life . . . should revive interest in a forgotten giant" ( Chicago Sun-Times). A timely rags-to-riches story, The Merchant of Power recounts how Sam Insull—right hand to Thomas Edison—went on to become one of the richest men in the world, pivotal in the birth of General Electric and instrumental in the creation of the modern metropolis with his invention of the power grid, which still fuels major cities today. John Wasik, awarded the National Press Club Award for Consumer Journalism, had unprecedented access to Sam Insull's archives, which include private correspondence with Thomas Edison. The extraordinary fall of a man extraordinary for his time is revealed in this cautionary tale about the excesses of corporate power. "[A] focused look at one of the most interesting historical figures you've never heard of . . . fascinating." — Fortune "Does a fine job of telling the early story of utilities, moguls and scandal." — Chicago Tribune "I found the work of John Wasik not only personally enthralling but an informal history of that traumatic time." —Studs Terkel, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Good War "[A] bittersweet biography of one of the titans of American industry, business and finance . . . Highly readable." — Fort Worth Star-Telegram "A complex man whose life and times makes worthwhile reading." — Publishers Weekly "Wasik [has] taken his cue from current corporate scandals such as Enron and WorldCom in deciding to pluck Insull from semiobscurity, as many of Insull's contemporaries (including FDR) believed him to be guilty (he was acquitted) of orchestrating the first large-scale corporate deception." — Library Journal |
Contents
Edisons Power Plant | |
The Morgan Takeover | |
Insull Comes to Chicago | |
Mid1920s Scandals | |
The Crash Failure and Opera | |
Insull Flees America | |
The Insull Legacy | |
Notes on References | |
Special Thanks | |
Other editions - View all
The Merchant of Power: Sam Insull, Thomas Edison, and the Creation of the ... John F. Wasik No preview available - 2008 |
The Merchant of Power: Sam Insull, Thomas Edison, and the Creation of the ... John F. Wasik No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
advertising American appliances archives asked bankers banks Batchelor became building campaign capital cash central century Chappie Chicago Edison Chicago River city’s Commonwealth Edison Corporation Securities created customers directors Eaton efficient Electric Light electrification employees energy engineering everything Exelon Frank Lloyd Wright Gladys Hawthorn Farm holding companies Illinois industry Insull companies Insull stocks Insull Utility Insull’s interests interurban investment investors Jehl John Junior knew Lake later Libertyville lightbulbs London Louis Sullivan Mary Garden McCormick memoirs Menlo Park million modern Morgan Mullaney Mundelein nearly needed North Shore North Shore Line opera house operating companies ownership Pearl Street Pearl Street station percent power plants produced profit promote radio railroad role Roosevelt Salter Samuel Insull Schenectady sell shares sold Stanley Field Tesla told took train Villard Westinghouse wired Wright York