John Jacob Astor: America's First Multimillionaire

Found it to be a interesting look at the man behind the millions. The main focus of the book is aimed at examining how he made his fortune, sometimes in too much detail. I was expecting to find more information on how his fortune stood in relation to the times and how he spent his money, but Astor was known more for making money, not spending it. The book is more like a study in the business of late 18th century trapping, merchant shipping and real estate than it is about Astor, but that is the underlying theme of the book as well. Astor was the biggest business man in all three areas. The story of Astor deals with wealth, politics and war and how they were all connected. Well researched book and easily read. RECOMMENDED.