Memoirs

David Rockefeller was born in 1915, the youngest child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., one of the richest men in the United States, and the great patron of modern art Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. He graduated from Harvard College in the depths of the Depression, when the capitalist order, which his grandfather had helped to create, was under relentless attack. He studied at the London School of Economics and the University of Chicago, where he earned a Ph. D." "He worked briefly for New York City's flamboyant mayor Fiorello La Guardia before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1942. His service as an intelligence officer in North Africa and France brought him into contact with many of the individuals who would soon dominate European politics and gave him a unique perspective on the events and personalities that eventuated in the "twilight struggle" of the Cold War." Rockefeller joined the Chase bank in 1946 as an assistant manager in the Foreign Department and rose through the ranks to become chairman of the board and chief executive officer. During that time, he struggled constantly to modernize and internationalize the bank's operations, often against a conservative and risk-averse corporate culture.-Dust jacket

Originally published: New York : Random House, ©2002. 1st trade ed.

Grandfather -- Mother and father -- Childhood -- Travels -- Rockefeller center -- Harvard -- Learning from the great economists -- Dissertation, a wife, and a job -- War -- Embarking on a career at chase -- Launching a parallel career -- Building the Chase Manhattan Bank -- Conflict -- Difficult transitions -- Creating a global bank --- Taking the Helm -- Engaging the Soviets -- Penetrating the bamboo curtain -- Emissary for "Balance" in the Middle East -- Surviving OPEC -- Business turbulence -- Family turmoil -- Brotherly conflicts -- Shah -- Redemption -- New York, New York -- Proud internationalist -- South of the border -- Passion for modern art -- Rockefeller Center Redux -- Partnerships.