3322. The House of Rothschild Money's Prophets 1798-1848, by Niall Ferguson (read June 28, 2000) This is the first half of the author's history of the Rothschilds. There is much interesting in the book, but not being very knowledgeable in international finance, and the author not really explaining it very well, some of the reading was chore-like. Overall, I was disappointed, and I doubt I'll read volume 2. ( )

Myth-breaker
Ferguson's book is really stunning, especially when viewed against the family's mythology. In Frederic Morton's The Rothschilds, for instance, we read that Nathan Rothschild, founder of the London branch, made his fortune by selling down British consols and then scooping then up at fire-sale prices. This was reportedly initiated when Nathan learned of Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo. But in The House of Rothschild, we learn that Waterloo posed more difficulties than opportunities for the family. This book is definitely a must-buy for those interested in financial history.

(Posted in Amazon.com, July 25, 1999) ( )