So I am not sure where I ended up finding this book, or how I heard about it. I think vaguely someone mentioned it on a podcast that I was listening too. I want to say that it was Tom Segura from YMH.. I can’t really recall in what context it was brought up in. However, I think I heard it and it sounded so interesting to me. I will say that this did not disappoint.
I tend to read a lot of self-help and motivational books, all written by successful individuals. I like to hear how these people think, what they did to become so successful, and hear about their upbringings. This one in particular was not a book that was meant to be written and sold to the masses, but rather it’s a collection of letters that John D Rockefeller Sr. had wrote to his son. It’s so cool to read what at the time and as we know it one of the richest people on earth was talking about and how he operated in his daily life.
This book is a collection of letters all prefaced with a general theme before each chapter. Each chapter is usually a 1 – 2 sentence quote or phrase that John wants his son to harp on. Many of the chapters as you can imagine if you know anything about John D Rockefeller, are centered around business and how he got so successful. Yes, many of them focus on money, yes many focus and preach capitalism, and yes he really did work as hard as you think. However, there’s this fatherly side, and compassionate side of Rockefeller that gets lost in translation when you learn about history in highschool.
I always pictured the Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Rockefeller family as these ungrateful individuals, extremely wealthy (which they were), and guys who didn’t do anything except be wealthy. This book changed my perspective for sure especially of the Rockefeller’s family of the time. Getting to hear about his upcoming as he writes to his son the valuable lessons he’s learned along the way. The most interesting theme that he really does try to preach to his son regards his fame and outside perspective of him.
There are many times in the book where he addresses the public’s view of him being how I just described when I grew up learning about him. He explains his side to his son, and explains why he thinks or acts this sort of way. For example regarding money at the time yes that’s what he was chasing, but it wasn’t to be rich it was his goal and his mark of progress in the world. He loved to work from a young man until his old age. He advocated for his family to have this vast sum of wealth, but to use it and make the world a better place. He preached about the importance of his workforce, and how he put his employees in roles where they were best at and felt a purpose. Sure, everyone is always going to be mad at those who are wealthy and in the 1%, but he was very grounded even in that time.
Throughout the book he gives lessons on money, value, compassion, work ethic, and a big focus on building relationships. He was a generous individual while building his empire, and tried to do what was best. Multiple times throughout the book, he writes how he wanted to partner with many of his competitors before ruthlessly taking them down by outsmarting them.
This is one of those books that I wish I got earlier in life. Halfway through the book, I realized this is one of those perfect graduation or promotion books that you can give to someone. He preaches a lot of great life lessons, that any 20 year old can benefit from these days. He’s business focused, but also recognizes the bigger picture outside of his empire. He was really advocating for a balanced life, for his son and most importantly tells him to make the most of the opportunities that he has being apart of the family.
He was ahead of his time, supporting entrepreneurship, taking risks, and taking great care of his workers. If we had more of our society now and then who went against the grain, to support the next generation we’d be in a better place. There’s something we’d all be able to learn from this book.
Christopher Sandoli 
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