“An important new book…. Gordon manages to capture the majesty, vision, and drive in the scramble for (economic) empire…. Gordon’s volume possesses a forward momentum worthy of the story he is telling and the passion he brings to it.”
—Boston Globe
“Gordon exhibits a firm grasp of political economy and finance…. Hisprose comes alive…. Tucked inside An Empire of Wealth are kernels of cautionary wisdom.”
—New York Times Book Review
“Gordon manages to please, educate, and enlighten us on every page. A deft, lively handling of an ambitious project that would have daunted almost any other writer.”
—Ron Chernow, author of Alexander Hamilton
“A fantastic, sweeping, and absorbingly informative history…. Riveting…. Gordon tells this epic tale with verve and authority, captivating any reader interested in how we arrived at where we are today.”
—Forbes
“John Steele Gordon has a rare gift—his tales of business and economic history are not only clear but enormously entertaining to read.”
—Jean Strouse, author of Morgan
“A sweeping and easy-to-read narrative with plenty of fascinating nuggets.”
—Washington Post
“Fast-moving, concise, and always lucid…. It is refreshing to read Mr. Gordon’s nonideological assessments and cool liquidation of myth…. An Empire of Wealth is must reading.”
—Harold Evans, New York Sun
“Startling…an epic story…. John Steele Gordon is a master of the economic anecdote, of telling how people built a complicated world by solving the problem in front of their noses.”
—Seattle Times
“Engrossing and comprehensive…. Gordon presents even the least vivid economic history in a fascinating manner…. A remarkably detailed and interesting book.”
—Library Journal
“If you only read one economic history of the United States, this is the one. Gordon’s narrative, from colonial times to the present, is entertaining and insightful.”
—American Spectator
“John Steele Gordon is one of our nation’s most interesting financial historians, and in An Empire of Wealth, he does not disappoint. This fascinating book…belongs on the bookshelf of all American history buffs.”
—Jay Winik, author of April 1865: The Month That Saved America
“[Gordon’s] grasp of the larger picture is sure and his prose bright. Those seeking an introduction to the general history of American economic power will find few better places to start.”
—Publishers Weekly
“In this elegant, lucid book, John Steele Gordon argues that the story of America’s rise to global power is essentially the story of money, industry, and our seemingly endless capacity to meet any challenge with a spirit of innovation and good cheer.”
—Jon Meacham, author of Franklin and Winston