by Cary Reich
First published 1998
André Meyer fled Nazi-occupied France and transformed himself into what David Rockefeller called "the most creative financial genius of our time in the investment banking world." Cary Reich chronicles how this ferociously energetic immigrant became known as "The Picasso of Banking" and "The Incomparable Investor." The biography traces Meyer's remarkable ability to revitalize American business single-handedly after World War II. Reich explores Meyer's relationships with powerful figures like the Kennedy family, William Paley, and Katherine Graham. The book details Meyer's business acumen and his role in building companies that became household names, including Avis and Holiday Inn. Reich presents a portrait of a charming yet ruthless businessman who operated like a master strategist on the Monopoly board of American commerce. The biography reveals how one man's vision and determination reshaped the financial landscape of postwar America.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, 20th-century, business, 21st-century, finance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: immigrant-story, rags-to-riches
Setting: France, America
Period: World War II, Postwar
400 pages · Paperback · Wiley