Alfred I. du Pont: The Man and His Family
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.31 (622 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0195043499 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 718 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-03-20 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
He won a Bancroft Prize in 1971 for his acclaimed biography, Andrew Carnegie.. About the Author:Joseph Frazier Wall is Professor of History at Grinnell College
His recognition that great privilege entails social responsibility echoed the thinking of great-great-grandfather Pierre Samuel du Pont (1739-1817), a liberal French politician who narrowly missed being guillotined and who later emigrated to the U.S. and helped his friend Thomas Jefferson acquire the Louisiana territory. Ostracized by the clan, he subsequently brought slander suits against two relatives. His later marriage to a Virginia farmgirl also raised eyebrows. More than a biography of Alfred, this magisterial family saga is checkered with lethal e
In 1902, upon the death of Eugene du Pont, Alfred was brash and confident enough to claim for himself the company his elders wanted to sell to their major competitor, Laflin and Rand. With two cousins, he formed a triumvirate which ultimately converted the old gunpowder company into the great chemical empire it is today. But Alfred du Pont remains the center of the narrative. If Alfred I. Wall details his rejuvenation of the family company after Eugene's death, the bitter family feud that followed his marriage to his cousin Alicia, the fifteen-year battle that he waged with some of the family's most powerful members (leading to his ouster from the company in 1916), and his brilliant second career in Florida (where he pioneered the development of sound banking, transportation, and the paper industry). Beginning at the bottom as little more than a teamster and handyman, within fifteen years young du Pont was widely recognized as "the best black powderman in the nation" and the mechanical genius of the du Pont family. In preparing it, Wall had complete access both to Alfred's own papers in Florida as well as the vast collection of the du Pont archives in Wilmington. We meet Henry du Pont, the conservative leader of the third generation (he favored candles over electric lights in the office), who organized the entire gunpowder industry; Lammot du Pont, the crown princ
Robert J. Cerullo said Two Stars. interesting. Hefty Tome but Wall is a Biographer Par Excellence Nancy L. Farren At first intimidating because of its length, you will find yourself fascinated by this bio! In fact, it's worth running the risk of dropping the heavy volume on yourself as you struggle to stay awake reading it late into the night like I did. The time period covered extends from the French Revolution through our Depression and all the genuinely remarkable DuPonts during those generations. Wall's research is impressive. Living in Jacksonville, FL, site of Epping Forest, I was especially interested in "A.I" and also Jessie Ball, his last wife. A.I.'s story does no. shrbld said Outstanding Biography. As a very frequent reader of biographies, this book was a pleasant surprise. Not knowing much about the DuPont family I was impressed with the character and integrity of Alfred DuPont, a man who was deeply committed to equality of all people. He was a true renaissance man who shared his fortune with people who struggled financially. The author captured the times of the era as well as the social, economic, and political values of early "Outstanding Biography" according to shrbld. As a very frequent reader of biographies, this book was a pleasant surprise. Not knowing much about the DuPont family I was impressed with the character and integrity of Alfred DuPont, a man who was deeply committed to equality of all people. He was a true renaissance man who shared his fortune with people who struggled financially. The author captured the times of the era as well as the social, economic, and political values of early 20th century. The book easily deserves a five star rating!!!. 0th century. The book easily deserves a five star rating!!!