The Man Who Made Wall Street | Dan Rottenberg

The Man Who Made Wall Street: Anthony J. Drexel and the Rise of Modern Finance

Accolades & Praise

• J. P. Morgan: “He tamed the market's bulls and bears. He was the best friend I have ever had in every way.”

Extended Synopsis

At the height of the Gilded Age, when J. Pierpont Morgan controlled railroads, corporations, and even governments, the fate of the financial world often rested on the shoulders of one man: Anthony J. Drexel. Despite his reserved nature—shunning publicity and accolades—Drexel emerged as the most influential financier of the nineteenth century. His quiet genius laid the foundation for many modern financial practices, and his legacy endures, though his name is now mostly remembered through institutions like Drexel University.

In The Man Who Made Wall Street, Dan Rottenberg offers a meticulous and engaging biography of a man whose influence shaped the course of American finance. Born the second son of an Austrian émigré, Drexel quickly rose to prominence in the Philadelphia currency brokerage founded by his father in 1838. He formed a legendary partnership with J.P. Morgan and his father, Junius, creating the most powerful financial alliance of its era. At a time when the United States lacked a central bank, Drexel's integrity and innovative strategies enabled his firm to secure massive sums needed to build railroads, factories, and even fund wars. His pioneering efforts in trading national currencies, guaranteeing credit for travelers abroad, and rewarding individual initiative remain influential to this day.

About the Author

Dan Rottenberg is an accomplished journalist, editor, and author known for his painstaking historical research. In this definitive biography, Rottenberg utilizes newly discovered letters in Drexel's own hand to bring to light the profound impact of a financial mastermind whose critical work has long been overshadowed by his more famous partner, J.P. Morgan.

Reader Targeting

• Readers fascinated by the Gilded Age, economic history, and the origins of modern American capitalism.
• Professionals and students in finance, banking, and business economics.
• Enthusiasts of definitive historical biographies exploring the understated figures who shaped the modern world.

Bibliographic & Physical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Anthony J. Drexel?
Anthony J. Drexel was an incredibly influential 19th-century financier and the mentor and partner of J.P. Morgan. Despite his reserved nature, he pioneered global capital mobilization and integrity-driven banking practices that shaped modern American finance.

What period of history does this book cover?
The biography primarily covers the Gilded Age and the explosive period of economic growth in the 19th-century United States, navigating through the establishment of early modern financial networks and four major economic depressions.

Does the author use primary sources for this biography?
Yes, Dan Rottenberg utilizes extensive research, including the discovery of 150 previously unknown letters written in Drexel's own hand, to construct a definitive and accurate historical narrative.

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