First published 2014
Daniel Schulman chronicles the rise of America's most secretive dynasty through the story of four brothers who inherited an oil and cattle empire. When Fred Koch died in 1967, he left behind a warning that his fortune could prove either blessing or curse. His sons Frederick, Charles, and twins David and Bill would discover both sides of that prophecy. Charles and David transformed Koch Industries into a private corporation larger than Boeing or Disney while building a political machine that became central to Republican power. They spent decades injecting libertarian ideology into American politics, following their father's example as a founding member of the John Birch Society. Meanwhile, the brothers waged scorched earth legal battles over their inheritance. Bill created his own energy empire and gained fame as an America's Cup winner and flamboyant collector. Frederick chose privacy, dedicating himself to arts patronage and historic preservation. Based on hundreds of interviews with family, friends, and business associates, this biography reveals how the Koch family built their wealth, conducted their feuds, and wielded their influence to reshape the political landscape.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, business, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, power-struggle
Setting: America
Period: 1967, 20th-century, 21st-century
372 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing