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Founder: A Portrait of the First Rothschild and His Time by Amos Elon (52,000 words and 51 illustrations)
In this short biography of Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744-1812), historian and journalist Amos Elon describes how the founder of the Rothschild dynasty started out by dealing in rare coins and traveling across Germany while still confined, as a Frankfurt Jew, to its Judengasse. Assisted by his five skilled sons, Rothschild subsequently built up a fortune by helping manage the investments of the Landgrave of Hesse, circumventing Napoleon’s blockade of England and funding Napoleon’s eventual defeat.
“This slim, charming volume is actually a biographical essay, yet it succeeds in snatching its elusive subject from oblivion.” — Ron Chernow, The New York Times
“This is a fascinating story.” — The New York Review of Books
“A memorable first biography of a near-mythical founding father.” — Publishers Weekly
“A thoroughly researched, fascinating, and altogether exemplary biography.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Amos Elon’s portrait of the man who fathered a dynasty makes fascinating reading for anyone even mildly interested in money and power and their effects on history. Founder is a rich and colorful examination of [Meyer Amschel Rothschild]” — Morley Safer
“Elon’s book... is a thoroughly researched and absorbing biography.” — St. Louis Jewish Light
“A biography that’s a must read for today’s entrepreneurs.” — Houston Chronicle