THE MAN WHO MADE WALL STREET: Anthony J. Drexel and the Rise of Modern Finance
Dan Rottenberg, . . Univ. of Pennsylvania, $29.95 (248pp) ISBN 978-0-8122-3626-2
Though Drexel (1826–1893) was a major player in American finance as the country moved into the industrial age and certainly deserves a serious biography, his achievements are often overlooked in favor of more famous figures such as Jay Gould and J.P. Morgan. In fact, the book's title is ironic, given that Drexel's base was Philadelphia's Third Street financial district. Yet most of this book concerns his indirect effect on New York financial circles and his very direct effect on the fortunes of his good friend J.P. Morgan. Some of Drexel's obscurity is attributable to his private nature; there are few surviving papers and no interviews. On this score, Rottenberg (
Reviewed on: 09/17/2001
Genre: Nonfiction
Paperback - 296 pages - 978-0-8122-1966-1