The House of Morgan by Ron Chernow, a book review

In a nutshell (848 pages), this massive book is about the three Morgans who made up what we now know as JP Morgan Chase but was once referred to as the revered House of Morgan. The book begins with the founder of the bank and follows through his two sons until the family detached from the bank that bears its name.

What I got out of it

Out the gate, I learned that there were three morgans and so much more. The characters and stories are incredible and Chernow does an incredible job of weaving the generations together and the impact one has on the next. While being thorough and showing the good and the bad of the three men and the bank as well as the bankers Chernow does a brilliant job of staying on the facts and not conveying too much emotion into what could easily become smut.

What was difficult

As good as the stories and the writing may be, the book is undeniably massive. That said it does read well and the sheer size reflects the magnitude of the bank that defined finance for generations, to this day banks governments and arguably saved or destroyed the world at different times.

Recommendation

It’s an absolute must-read, and for those who don’t want to commit to the number of hours required to sit down and read the book then listen to the audiobook if you must and you will absolutely be rewarded.