The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt (Pulitzer Prize Winner) [Paperback]

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

In this groundbreaking biography, T.J. Stiles tells the dramatic story of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, the combative man and American icon who, through his genius and force of will, did more than perhaps any other individual to create modern capitalism. Meticulously researched and elegantly written,The First Tycoondescribes an improbable life, from Vanderbilt’s humble birth during the presidency of George Washington to his death as one of the richest men in American history. In between we see how the Commodore helped to launch the transportation revolution, propel the Gold Rush, reshape Manhattan, and invent the modern corporation. Epic in its scope and success, the life of Vanderbilt is also the story of the rise of America itself.AThe New York TimesNotable Book
 
AWashington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, The New Yorker, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor,andKansas City StarBook of the Year
 
“A mighty—and mighty confident—work. . . . This is state-of-the-art biography. . . .The First Tycoonhas been widely praised, and rightly so. . . . This is state-of-the-art biography.”
—The New York Times
 
“Superbly written and researched. . . . Worthy of its subject.”
—The Economist
 
“Truly remarkable. . . . A landmark study that significantly enhances one’s understanding of U.S. economic history. . . . [Stiles is] one of the most exciting writers in the field.”
—Foreign Affairs
 
“Stiles has painted a full-bodied, nuanced picture of the man. . . . Elegance of style and fair-minded intent illuminate Stiles’s latest, expectedly profound exploration of American culture in the raw.”
—The Boston Globe
 
“Stiles, a sulC-