Word: du
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1980-1989
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...explanation of the family's success stems from baronial mentality that allowed them to view the company as both their empire and their self-justification. As long as the family controlled the company, their fortunes and their power grew. The book is subtitled The Rise and Fall of the du Ponts of Delaware-- and the fall comes only in the late 1950s with a government crackdown, anti-trust laws, and the removal of the family from active control of the corporation...
...diaries of his subjects and recreates their emotions and feelings. He attempts to latch onto the most vulnerable side of the leading family members, and expands on the little quirks to introduce each of his characters. Mosley's style of intimate portrayals is effective with the twentieth-century du Ponts--simply because he had superb material to work with...
...scene is a du Pont Corporation board meeting. The board of officers is gathered awaiting the arrival of P.S. du Pont, their president. His absence is baffling. He is punctilious about company matters, and he never misses a board meeting. The officers begin to speculate that perhaps the influenza epidemic or a terrible accident has stricken the boss. He, in fact, is missing the meeting to be at the sick bed of his chauffeur--his only true friend. Mosley contrasts P.S.'s affection for his servant with his marked coldness toward his wife. P.S. is the first of many du...
Mosley spends less than half the book on the nineteenth century, establishing family traditions of unhappy near-incestuous marriages, cousinly battles over control of the company and a heritage of business genius. In the early years, these characteristics are most clearly embodied in General Henry du Pont, who attempted to banish his brother William from company ranks because of his scandalous romances. General Henry started the company's monopolistic control of the gunpowder industry by promoting the establishment of the Gunpowder Trade Association. Originally a cooperative effort amongst gunpowder manufacturers, the association rapidly became the cover for du Pont...
After General Henry, the most successful director of the company was P.S. du Pont; and it is on P.S. and his cousin Alfred I. du Pont that Mosley focuses the rest of the book. His fascination with these two men is obvious; he reveals their motives and characters as if he knew them. If Mosley were any less meticulous with his and notes you might think he had fabricated scenes in order to create lively portraits...