Taking on the Trust, Steven Weinberg
Taking on the Trust, Steven Weinberg
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Taking on the Trust
The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller

Author: Steven Weinberg

Narrator: Pam Ward

Unabridged: 11 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook (DRM Protected)

Published: 04/01/2008

Synopsis

Long before the rise of megacorporations like Walmart and Microsoft, Standard Oil controlled the oil industry with a monopolistic force unprecedented in American business history. Undaunted by the ruthless power of its owner, John D. Rockefeller, a fearless and ambitious reporter named Ida Minerva Tarbell confronted the company known simply as “The Trust.” Through her peerless fact gathering and devastating prose, Tarbell pioneered the new practice of investigative journalism. Her shocking discoveries about Standard Oil and Rockefeller led to a dramatic confrontation that culminated in the landmark 1911 Supreme Court antitrust decision, forever altering the landscape of modern American industry. Based on extensive research, Taking on the Trust is a vivid and dramatic history of the Progressive Era with powerful resonance for the early twenty-first century.

About Steven Weinberg

Steven Weinberg received the 1979 Nobel Prize for Physics for his work in unifying two of the fundamental forces of nature, and in 1991 he was awarded the National Medal of Science at the White House. His earlier prize-winning book The First Three Minutes is the classic account of the “Big Bang,” the modern theory of the origin of the universe. Among his other books are The Theory of Subatomic Particles and Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity. Steven Weinberg is a member of the Royal Society of London as well as the US National Academy of Sciences, and has been awarded numerous honorary degrees, most recently from Columbia University and the Universities of Salamanca and Padua.

About Pam Ward

Pam Ward, an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator, found her true calling reading books for the blind and physically handicapped for the Library of Congress’ Talking Books program. The fact that she can work with Blackstone Audio from the beauty of the mountains of Southern Oregon is an unexpected bonus.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Randy on June 07, 2021

Meh. The title of this book is misleading.  It is a professional biography of Ida Tarbell with a shared focus on the subject of her most famous investigation, John D. Rockefeller.  As that, the book is fine.  Mr. Weinberg is a graceful writer and we get a decent look at the progressive era from the......more

Goodreads review by Sean on March 04, 2010

This book took a topic that I had next to no familiarity with and made it a page-turner. To be honest, I definitely "judged this book by its cover" and figured that this would be an educational but dry read, worthwhile because of its information but not necessarily good for much entertainment value.......more

Goodreads review by John on February 19, 2015

This is a highly readable, dual biography of Ida Tarbell, the path-breaking journalist whose investigative reporting led to the Supreme Court-ordered break-up of the Standard Oil trust, and John D. Rockefeller, the fascinating and ethically flawed business genius. The focus is on Tarbell, as it shou......more

Goodreads review by Cypress on January 20, 2013

Well written, good information. Overall very good... could have had a little bit more, especially toward the end in proving how Tarbell's journalism effected change of policy and restructuring of law. It was good for the length and very informative though, definitely a good story, especially about I......more

Goodreads review by Sue on September 10, 2011

A must read for any women (and men) who are interested in the roots of women's role in investigative journalism. Ida Tarbell was ahead of her time and did not back down. Inspirational piece of history.......more

Quotes

“A demonstration that the power of wealth was not absolute and the power of the press to expose corruption was not to be ignored.” Wall Street Journal

“This extensively researched account…is a truly exceptional piece of work worthy of multiple listens. Pam Ward reads with vigor and enthusiasm, presenting Weinberg’s account of Ida Tarbell and justice during the Progressive Era with honesty and resolve. Ward reads with remarkable clarity but never slows to a lethargic pace. While the subject may seem aimed at a limited audience, the topics of discussion are largely applicable in today’s modern world, and Ward seems positively aware of this in her reading.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Ward effortlessly holds the listener’s attention with her straightforward delivery of Weinberg’s complex tapestry of history and biography.” AudioFile

“This is a fascinating and well-written account of the development of monopoly capitalism and the birth of investigative journalism…This book tells a dramatic story in an engaging style and will be a good addition for both public and academic libraries.” Library Journal

“Tarbell emerges as a remarkably intelligent, diligent and principled woman with great independence of spirit.” Kirkus Reviews

Awards

  • Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award
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