The Dark Genius of Wall Street: Jay Gould

Edward Renehan talked about The Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons, published by Basic Books. In the book, he argues that Jay Gould, owner of the Union Pacific railroad company and one of the largest investors of his day, has been portrayed unfairly by the press and in previous books about his life. Mr. Renehan says that Mr. Gould’s ability to beat out other business tycoons of the day such as J. P. Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt gave Mr. Gould the reputation for being ruthless. Mr. Renehan explained how he became interested in Gould and read at length from the book. He stressed Mr. Gould’s humanity, his personal relationships, and the help he offered to others who had come from reduced circumstances. He responded to questions from members of the audience. close