Ida Tarbell Work

Advertisement

Ida Tarbell's Work: Unveiling the Muckraking Giant and Her Enduring Legacy



Introduction:

Have you ever heard of a journalist so powerful, her investigations shook the foundations of American industry? Ida Tarbell was such a woman. This in-depth exploration dives into the impactful work of Ida Tarbell, a pioneering muckraker whose relentless pursuit of truth exposed the monopolistic practices of Standard Oil and forever changed the landscape of investigative journalism. We'll examine her life, her methods, the impact of her groundbreaking work, and her lasting influence on investigative reporting and corporate accountability. Prepare to be captivated by the story of a woman who dared to challenge power and shaped the course of American history.

I. The Early Life and Influences Shaping Ida Tarbell's Career:

Ida Minerva Tarbell (1857-1944) wasn't born into privilege. Raised in Titusville, Pennsylvania, amidst the burgeoning oil boom, she witnessed firsthand the transformative—and often exploitative—power of industry. This firsthand experience of the oil industry's impact, both positive and negative, instilled in her a keen understanding of the economic and social realities of the time, laying the groundwork for her future investigative work. Her father, a small-time oil producer, struggled against the dominance of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, fostering in Ida a deep-seated skepticism towards unchecked corporate power. Her education, including a degree in classics from Allegheny College, equipped her with critical thinking skills and a meticulous approach to research, crucial elements of her investigative journalism. These formative experiences shaped her perspective and fueled her determination to expose corporate corruption.

II. The Epic Investigation: Ida Tarbell's History of the Standard Oil Company

Tarbell's magnum opus, a serialized exposé published in McClure's Magazine from 1902 to 1904, remains a cornerstone of investigative journalism. This meticulous investigation, spanning over two years, meticulously documented the ruthless tactics employed by Standard Oil to establish and maintain its monopoly. Tarbell's work didn't simply recount facts; it revealed the moral bankruptcy underpinning Rockefeller's empire. She detailed how Standard Oil used predatory pricing, intimidation, and even violence to crush competitors, showcasing the human cost of unchecked corporate greed. The series’ impact resonated far beyond the pages of McClure's Magazine, influencing public opinion and eventually contributing to the Supreme Court's 1911 decision to break up Standard Oil into smaller, competing companies. This victory marked a watershed moment in American antitrust law and solidified Tarbell’s position as a leading figure in the Progressive Era.

III. Beyond Standard Oil: Ida Tarbell's Broader Contributions to Journalism

While her work on Standard Oil cemented her legacy, Tarbell’s contributions extended far beyond a single exposé. She explored numerous other critical societal issues, showcasing her versatility and unwavering commitment to social justice. She penned biographies, including a well-regarded study of Abraham Lincoln, demonstrating her ability to tackle different subjects with the same rigorous research and compelling narrative style. She also actively engaged in the burgeoning field of business journalism, offering insights and analysis of corporate strategies and practices. Her work served as a model for future generations of investigative journalists, demonstrating the power of meticulous research, compelling storytelling, and fearless reporting to hold powerful institutions accountable.

IV. The Lasting Impact and Legacy of Ida Tarbell's Work:

Ida Tarbell’s impact transcends the historical context of her time. Her relentless pursuit of truth and her dedication to exposing corporate malfeasance continue to inspire investigative journalists today. Her work demonstrated the crucial role of journalism in holding powerful interests accountable, promoting transparency, and shaping public discourse. Her meticulous research methods, engaging writing style, and unwavering commitment to social justice serve as a blueprint for ethical and effective investigative journalism. She is remembered not only for her groundbreaking exposé of Standard Oil but also for her lasting influence on the field of journalism and the broader fight for corporate accountability and social justice. Her legacy underscores the power of a single voice to challenge injustice and bring about meaningful societal change.


V. The Enduring Relevance of Ida Tarbell’s Work in the 21st Century:

In an era of increasing corporate consolidation and complex global financial systems, Ida Tarbell’s work remains strikingly relevant. Her lessons on corporate power, the dangers of monopolies, and the importance of investigative journalism are as pertinent today as they were a century ago. The challenges of holding powerful corporations accountable continue, highlighting the enduring significance of Tarbell's contributions. Her meticulous approach to research and her commitment to uncovering the truth serve as a powerful reminder of the crucial role of investigative journalism in a democratic society. The need for transparency and accountability in corporate practices remains a pressing concern, making Tarbell’s work a timeless guide for those fighting for a more just and equitable world.


Book Outline: "The Unwavering Pen: The Life and Work of Ida Tarbell"

Introduction: A brief overview of Ida Tarbell's life and the significance of her work.
Chapter 1: Early Life and Influences: Focuses on her upbringing in the Pennsylvania oil fields and the formative experiences that shaped her worldview.
Chapter 2: The Making of a Muckraker: Explores her early career as a writer and her transition into investigative journalism.
Chapter 3: The Standard Oil Investigation: A detailed account of her research, writing, and the impact of the History of the Standard Oil Company.
Chapter 4: Beyond Standard Oil: Explores her other significant works and her broader contributions to journalism and social commentary.
Chapter 5: Legacy and Lasting Impact: Analyzes her enduring influence on investigative journalism, corporate accountability, and the fight for social justice.
Conclusion: Summarizes her key contributions and their relevance in the 21st century.


Detailed Explanation of Book Outline Points:

Each chapter of the proposed book would delve deeper into the specific points outlined above. For instance, Chapter 3 would analyze the meticulous research methods Tarbell employed, the challenges she faced in gathering information, and the strategic choices she made in presenting her findings to the public. It would also examine the public and political reaction to her exposé and its impact on antitrust legislation. Similarly, Chapter 5 would discuss Tarbell’s lasting influence on investigative journalism, examining how her work continues to inspire and inform journalists today. It would also explore the broader implications of her legacy regarding corporate accountability and social responsibility. The entire book would be richly supported by primary source materials, including Tarbell’s own writings, letters, and contemporary accounts.


FAQs:

1. What was Ida Tarbell's main contribution to journalism? Her most significant contribution was her groundbreaking investigative reporting on Standard Oil, exposing its monopolistic practices and setting a new standard for muckraking journalism.

2. What methods did Ida Tarbell use in her investigations? She employed meticulous research, interviewing numerous individuals, examining company records, and meticulously documenting her findings.

3. How did Ida Tarbell's work influence antitrust laws? Her exposé played a significant role in shaping public opinion against Standard Oil, ultimately contributing to the Supreme Court's decision to break up the company.

4. What other topics did Ida Tarbell write about besides Standard Oil? She wrote biographies, including one of Abraham Lincoln, and covered various business and social issues.

5. What is the significance of Ida Tarbell's work today? Her work remains relevant because it highlights the ongoing struggle for corporate accountability and the importance of investigative journalism in a democratic society.

6. How did Ida Tarbell's upbringing influence her work? Growing up in the oil fields during the boom, she witnessed firsthand the impact of unchecked corporate power, fueling her determination to expose such practices.

7. What challenges did Ida Tarbell face as a female journalist in her time? She faced gender bias and discrimination common for women in the early 20th century, but she persevered and achieved remarkable success.

8. What is the lasting legacy of Ida Tarbell's muckraking? Her legacy lies in her pioneering work in investigative journalism, which continues to inspire reporters to hold powerful institutions accountable.

9. Where can I learn more about Ida Tarbell's life and work? You can find numerous biographies, academic articles, and online resources dedicated to her life and achievements.


Related Articles:

1. Ida Tarbell and the Rise of Muckraking Journalism: An examination of the historical context of her work and the broader muckraking movement.

2. The Methodology of Ida Tarbell's Standard Oil Investigation: A detailed analysis of her research methods and the techniques she employed.

3. The Impact of Ida Tarbell's Work on Antitrust Law: An in-depth look at the legal and political ramifications of her exposé.

4. Ida Tarbell's Legacy in Contemporary Investigative Journalism: How her work continues to inspire and inform journalists today.

5. Comparing Ida Tarbell to other Muckrakers: A comparative study of Tarbell's work and the contributions of other prominent muckrakers.

6. The Human Cost of Monopoly: Ida Tarbell's portrayal of Standard Oil's impact: Focuses on the human consequences of Standard Oil's practices as depicted by Tarbell.

7. Ida Tarbell and the Progressive Era: Explores the connections between her work and the broader social and political context of the Progressive Era.

8. Ida Tarbell's Writings Beyond Standard Oil: An exploration of her diverse body of work, encompassing biographies and other social commentary.

9. Feminism and Ida Tarbell's Career: Discusses the challenges and triumphs of a female journalist in a male-dominated field.


  ida tarbell work: The History of the Standard Oil Company Ida Minerva Tarbell, 2020-09-28 One of the busiest corners of the globe at the opening of the year 1872 was a strip of Northwestern Pennsylvania, not over fifty miles long, known the world over as the Oil Regions. Twelve years before this strip of land had been but little better than a wilderness; its chief inhabitants the lumbermen, who every season cut great swaths of primeval pine and hemlock from its hills, and in the spring floated them down the Allegheny River to Pittsburg. The great tides of Western emigration had shunned the spot for years as too rugged and unfriendly for settlement, and yet in twelve years this region avoided by men had been transformed into a bustling trade centre, where towns elbowed each other for place, into which three great trunk railroads had built branches, and every foot of whose soil was fought for by capitalists. It was the discovery and development of a new raw product, petroleum, which had made this change from wilderness to market-place. This product in twelve years had not only peopled a waste place of the earth, it had revolutionised the world’s methods of illumination and added millions upon millions of dollars to the wealth of the United States. Petroleum as a curiosity, and indeed in a small way as an article of commerce, was no new thing when its discovery in quantities called the attention of the world to this corner of Northwestern Pennsylvania. The journals of many an early explorer of the valleys of the Allegheny and its tributaries tell of springs and streams the surfaces of which were found covered with a thick oily substance which burned fiercely when ignited and which the Indians believed to have curative properties. As the country was opened, more and more was heard of these oil springs. Certain streams came to be named from the quantities of the substance found on the surface of the water, as “Oil Creek” in Northwestern Pennsylvania, “Old Greasy” or Kanawha in West Virginia. The belief in the substance as a cure-all increased as time went on and in various parts of the country it was regularly skimmed from the surface of the water as cream from a pan, or soaked up by woollen blankets, bottled, and peddled as a medicine for man and beast. Up to the beginning of the 19th century no oil seems to have been obtained except from the surfaces of springs and streams. That it was to be found far below the surface of the earth was discovered independently at various points in Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania by persons drilling for salt-water to be used in manufacturing salt. Not infrequently the water they found was mixed with a dark-green, evil-smelling substance which was recognised as identical with the well-known “rock-oil.” It was necessary to rid the water of this before it could be used for salt, and in many places cisterns were devised in which the brine was allowed to stand until the oil had risen to the surface. It was then run into the streams or on the ground. This practice was soon discovered to be dangerous, so easily did the oil ignite. In several places, particularly in Kentucky, so much oil was obtained with the salt-water that the wells had to be abandoned. Certain of these deserted salt wells were opened years after, when it was found that the troublesome substance which had made them useless was far more valuable than the brine the original drillers sought.
  ida tarbell work: Ida M. Tarbell Emily Arnold McCully, 2014 The only biography of the pioneering investigative journalist Ida M. Tarbell for YA readers, lavishly illustrated with archival photographs and prints.
  ida tarbell work: The Business of Being a Woman Ida M. Tarbell, 2019-11-29 The Business of Being a Woman by Ida M. Tarbell. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.
  ida tarbell work: Ida Tarbell Kathleen Brady, 1989-10-15 In this first definitive biography of Ida Tarbell, Kathleen Brady, who is on the staff of Time, has written a readable and widely acclaimed book about one of America's great journalists.Ida Tarbell's generation called her a muckraker (the term was Theodore Roosevelt's, and he didn't intend it as a compliment), but in our time she would have been known as an investigative reporter, with the celebrity of Woodward and Bernstein. By any description, Ida Tarbell was one of the most powerful women of her time in the United States: admired, feared, hated. When her History of the Standard Oil Company was published, first in McClure's Magazine and then as a book (1904), it shook the Rockefeller interests, caused national outrage, and led the Supreme Court to fragment the giant monopoly.A journalist of extraordinary intelligence, accuracy, and courage, she was also the author of the influential and popular books on Napoleon and Abraham Lincoln, and her hundreds of articles dealt with public figures such as Louis Pateur and Emile Zola, and contemporary issues such as tariff policy and labor. During her long life, she knew Teddy Roosevelt, Jane Addams, Henry James, Samuel McClure, Lincoln Stephens, Herbert Hoover, and many other prominent Americans. She achieved more than almost any woman of her generation, but she was an antisuffragist, believing that the traditional roles of wife and mother were more important than public life. She ultimately defended the business interests she had once attacked.To this day, her opposition to women's rights disturbs some feminists. Kathleen Brady writes of her: [She did not have] the flinty stuff of which the cutting edge of any revolution is made. . . . Yet she was called to achievement in a day when women were called only to exist. Her triumph was that she succeeded. Her tragedy ws that she was never to know it.
  ida tarbell work: Citizen Reporters Stephanie Gorton, 2020-02-18 A fascinating history of the rise and fall of influential Gilded Age magazine McClure’s and the two unlikely outsiders at its helm—as well as a timely, full-throated defense of investigative journalism in America The president of the United States made headlines around the world when he publicly attacked the press, denouncing reporters who threatened his reputation as “muckrakers” and “forces for evil.” The year was 1906, the president was Theodore Roosevelt—and the publication that provoked his fury was McClure’s magazine. One of the most influential magazines in American history, McClure’s drew over 400,000 readers and published the groundbreaking stories that defined the Gilded Age, including the investigation of Standard Oil that toppled the Rockefeller monopoly. Driving this revolutionary publication were two improbable newcomers united by single-minded ambition. S. S. McClure was an Irish immigrant, who, despite bouts of mania, overthrew his impoverished upbringing and bent the New York media world to his will. His steadying hand and star reporter was Ida Tarbell, a woman who defied gender expectations and became a notoriously fearless journalist. The scrappy, bold McClure's group—Tarbell, McClure, and their reporters Ray Stannard Baker and Lincoln Steffens—cemented investigative journalism’s crucial role in democracy. From reporting on labor unrest and lynching, to their exposés of municipal corruption, their reporting brought their readers face to face with a nation mired in dysfunction. They also introduced Americans to the voices of Willa Cather, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Joseph Conrad, and many others. Tracing McClure’s from its meteoric rise to its spectacularly swift and dramatic combustion, Citizen Reporters is a thrillingly told, deeply researched biography of a powerhouse magazine that forever changed American life. It’s also a timely case study that demonstrates the crucial importance of journalists who are unafraid to speak truth to power.
  ida tarbell work: Muckrakers Ann Bausum, 2007 Tells how investigative reporting began with the muckrakers in the early 20th century.
  ida tarbell work: The History of the Standard Oil Company Ida M. Tarbell, 2009-01-01 IDA MINERVA TARBELL (1857-1944) is remembered today as a muckraking journalist, thanks to this 1904 blockbuster expos. Originally published as a series of articles in *McClure's* magazine, this groundbreaking work highlighted the dangers of business monopolies and contributed to the eventual breakup of Standard Oil. In this era of financial crisis compounded, and even perhaps enabled, by a dearth of investigative reporting, it is valuable to go back in time to learn from the work of great journalists with the courage to have taken on avaricious corporations and irresponsible business practices. Perhaps no book demands our attention and respect as much as the one now in your hands. The unabridged edition, long out of print, of Ida Tarbell's study/expose of the history of the Standard Oil Company is an American classic, a model of careful research, detailed analysis, clear expository writing, and social mission. It has been hailed as one of the top ten of journalism's greatest hits. In Volume II, Tarbell explores: [ battles over oil pipelines [ the marketing of oil [ the political response to Standard's domination [ breaking up the oil trust [ competition in the oil industry [ and more. Investigative journalist DANNY SCHECHTER is editor of Mediachannel.org and author of numerous books on the media, including *Plunder: Investigating Our Economic Calamity and the Subprime Scandal* (Cosimo). For more, see www.newsdissector.com/plunder. He writes in his new introduction, exclusive to this Cosimo Classics edition:
  ida tarbell work: The Tariff in Our Times Ida M. Tarbell, 2022-09-04 DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of The Tariff in Our Times by Ida M. Tarbell. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.
  ida tarbell work: More Than a Muckraker Robert C. Kochersberger, 1994 Twentieth-century investigative journalism finds its roots in the work of Ida M. Tarbell (1857-1944). Interested in the sciences, Tarbell brought the rigor of scientific inquiry and a penchant for accuracy to detailed investigations of larger topics, especially those involving governmental corruption and the excesses of big business. And, although Tarbell is best known for her muckraking journalistic battles with John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil and the fight for antitrust legislation, she was also a thorough biographer, a social commentator and speaker, and a women's rights advocate - of sorts - during a time when most women did not work (or write) outside the home. Despite all of Tarbell's accomplishments, there has been little analysis, and no compilation, of her writings. Robert C. Kochersberger has painstakingly gathered the best of her scattered articles, book chapters, speeches, and previously unpublished pieces into a single volume so that her writings may be reexamined in the light of recent scholarship in the fields of journalism, women's and gender studies, sociology, and American history. The resulting analysis reveals Tarbell to have been much more than just a muckraker, as Teddy Roosevelt once labeled her. In fact, Kochersberger's presentation of Tarbell's fifty-year writing career holds her as an exemplary journalist whose passion, conviction, and nonfiction reporting of business and social topics demonstrate how the best journalists should use and communicate facts and impressions to the reading public.
  ida tarbell work: The Jungle Upton Sinclair, 2024-06-18 The Jungle is a groundbreaking novel written by Upton Sinclair and published in 1906. The book is a powerful exploration of the harsh working conditions and social issues faced by immigrant workers in the Chicago stockyards during the early 20th century. The story follows the life of Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant, and his family as they struggle to survive in the harsh urban jungle of Chicago. The novel is a compelling work of historical fiction that provides a vivid portrayal of the social and economic conditions of the time. Sinclair's detailed descriptions of the meatpacking industry, including the brutal working conditions, lack of labor regulations, and the exploitation of immigrant workers, exposed the dark side of capitalism and the need for reform. One of the most notable aspects of The Jungle is its social and political commentary. Sinclair was a socialist, and the book reflects his political views, with the protagonist eventually embracing socialist ideals. The novel played a significant role in the progressive movement and helped to spur the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in 1906. Despite its focus on social and political issues, The Jungle is also a compelling human drama. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the story is engaging and emotionally resonant. The novel explores themes of poverty, exploitation, and the struggle for survival in a harsh and unforgiving world. The Jungle is a powerful and important work of literature that shines a light on the social and economic issues of the early 20th century. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in history, politics, or social justice. Its enduring relevance and impact make it a classic of American literature.
  ida tarbell work: Lincoln Steffens Justin Kaplan, 2013-11-26 The acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winning biographer of Mark Twain and Walt Whitman brings alive the life and world of Lincoln Steffens, the original Muckraker and father of American investigative journalism. Early 20th century America was a nation in the throes of becoming a great industrial power, a land dominated by big business and beset by social struggle and political corruption. It was the era of Sinclair Lewis, Emma Goldman, William Randolph Hearst, and John Reed. It was a time of union busting, anarchism, and Tammany Hall. Lincoln Steffens—eternally curious, a worldwide celebrity, and a man of magnetic charm—was a towering figure at the center of this world. He was friends with everyone from Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson to Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. As an editor at McClure’s magazine—along with Ida Tarbell he was one of the original muckrakers—he published articles that exposed the political and social corruption of the time. His book, Shame of the Cities, took on the corruption of local politics and his coverage of bad business practices on Wall Street helped lead to the creation of the Federal Reserve. Lincoln Steffens was truly a man of his season, and his life reflects his times: impetuous, vital, creative, striving. In telling the story of this outsized American figure, Justin Kaplan also tells the riveting tale of turn-of-the-century America.
  ida tarbell work: Random Reminiscences of Men and Events John D. Rockefeller, 2003-06 CONTENTS Some Old Friends The Difficult Art of Getting The Standard Oil Company Some Experiences in the Oil Business Other Business Experiences and Business Principles The Difficult Art of Giving The Benevolent Trust -- The Value of the Co?perative Principle in Giving
  ida tarbell work: Women in Journalism - The Best of Nellie Bly Nellie Bly, 2021-05-06 First published between 1887 and 1890, Women in Journalism – The Best of Nellie Bly is an insightful volume containing all of Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman’s best journalistic works, including the famous exposé, Ten Days in a Mad-House. Women in Journalism includes the most shocking and captivating reports that Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman wrote during her journalistic career. The pioneering columnist inspired a new era of journalism - girl stunt reporting. Many female journalists began to put themselves in the midst of the action, narrating their experiences in popular novel-like reports. Using this style of writing, Bly puts her readers in the midst of the adventure by providing first-hand accounts of her exploits. From her time tracing the footsteps of Jules Verne’s fictional character, Phileas Fogg, in Around the World in Seventy-Two Days to her account of real life inside a women’s mental institution in Ten Days in a Mad-House, Bly tackles her work hands-on, focusing on revealing the often horrifying truth to her readers. This volume encompasses the breadth of Nellie Bly’s journalistic career, with its contents including: - Elizabeth Cochrane - Ten Days in a Mad-House - Trying to Be a Servant - Nellie Bly as a White Slave - Six Months in Mexico - Around the World in Seventy-Two Days Read & Co. Books has republished Women in Journalism – The Best of Nellie Bly in this beautiful new edition as part of the Brilliant Women series. This imprint celebrates the trailblazing women in history by offering a unique insight into their work and legacies. This volume is not to be missed by collectors of Bly’s work or lovers of immersive travel writing.
  ida tarbell work: Private Empire Steve Coll, 2012-05-01 “ExxonMobil has met its match in Coll, an elegant writer and dogged reporter . . . extraordinary . . . monumental.” —The Washington Post “Fascinating . . . Private Empire is a book meticulously prepared as if for trial . . . a compelling and elucidatory work.” —Bloomberg From the Pulitzer Prize-winning and bestselling author of Ghost Wars and The Achilles Trap, an extraordinary exposé of Big Oil. Includes a profile of current Secretary of State and former chairman and chief executive of ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson In this, the first hard-hitting examination of ExxonMobil—the largest and most powerful private corporation in the United States—Steve Coll reveals the true extent of its power. Private Empire pulls back the curtain, tracking the corporation’s recent history and its central role on the world stage, beginning with the Exxon Valdez accident in 1989 and leading to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The action spans the globe—featuring kidnapping cases, civil wars, and high-stakes struggles at the Kremlin—and the narrative is driven by larger-than-life characters, including corporate legend Lee “Iron Ass” Raymond, ExxonMobil’s chief executive until 2005, and current chairman and chief executive Rex Tillerson, President-elect Donald Trump's nomination for Secretary of State. A penetrating, news-breaking study, Private Empire is a defining portrait of Big Oil in American politics and foreign policy.
  ida tarbell work: Abraham Lincoln and the Jews Isaac Markens, 1909
  ida tarbell work: Lincoln Gore Vidal, 2011-04-13 Lincoln is the cornerstone of Gore Vidal's fictional American chronicle, which includes Burr, 1876, Washington, D.C., Empire, and Hollywood. It opens early on a frozen winter morning in 1861, when President-elect Abraham Lincoln slips into Washington, flanked by two bodyguards. The future president is in disguise, for there is talk of a plot to murder him. During the next four years there will be numerous plots to murder this man who has sworn to unite a disintegrating nation. Isolated in a ramshackle White House in the center of a proslavery city, Lincoln presides over a fragmenting government as Lee's armies beat at the gates. In this profoundly moving novel, a work of epic proportions and intense human sympathy, Lincoln is observed by his loved ones and his rivals. The cast of characters is almost Dickensian: politicians, generals, White House aides, newspapermen, Northern and Southern conspirators, amiably evil bankers, and a wife slowly going mad. Vidal's portrait of the president is at once intimate and monumental, stark and complex, drawn with the wit, grace, and authority of one of the great historical novelists. With a new Introduction by the author.
  ida tarbell work: Plunder Danny Schechter, 2008-01-01 DANNY SCHECHTER, The News Dissector has spent decades as a truth teller in the media, with leading media companies and as an independent filmmaker with the award-winning independent company Globalvision. A graduate of Cornell and the London School of Economics, Schechter was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard and a multiple Emmy Award winner at ABC News, where he was among the first to cover the S&L crisis. In 2007, his film IN DEBT WE TRUST was the first to expose Wall Street's connection to subprime loans, predicting the economic crisis that this book investigates. Schechter is a blogger, editor of Mediachannel.org, and author of nine books. He has reported from 53 countries, and lives in Gotham. He owns no derivatives or tranches.
  ida tarbell work: The Shame of the Cities Lincoln Steffens, 1957-01-01
  ida tarbell work: Pure America Elizabeth Catte, 2022-01-16 The highly anticipated follow-up to What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia explores the legacy of white supremacy in a small Virginia town
  ida tarbell work: Wealth Against Commonwealth Henry Demarest Lloyd, 1894
  ida tarbell work: Woodrow Wilson and World Settlement Ray Stannard Baker, 1923
  ida tarbell work: The History of the Standard Oil Company Ida M. Tarbell, 2013-12 Ida Tarbell's masterly work of investigative journalism leaves the reader longing for a principled, hard-working, thorough and hard-working reporter such as Ida Tarbell and her fellow idealists at McClure's Magazine at the turn of the 20th Century. She and her colleagues came to President Roosevelt's attention, at first with doubt, but later with appreciation. His actions helped to bring about remarkable and desperately needed changes. This book should be required reading in any journalism course today. Muckrakers was the name that Theodore Roosevelt gave journalists of the early part of the 20th century who exposed abuses in American business and government. Ida Tarbell, one of the original muckrakers, was able to help shut down the Standard Oil Company monopoly that had hampered her father's efforts in the oil industry in Pennsylvania. Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller, irked by her stinging éxpose, dubbed her Miss Tarbarrel. The History of the Standard Oil Company is listed number five among the top 100 works of twentieth-century American journalism by the New York Times in 1999. This muckraking classic, which eventually led to effective regulation of the Standard Oil Company, was the inaugural work for crusading journalists whose mission was to expose corruption in politics and the abuses of big business during the early twentieth century. The history combined descriptions of John D. Rockefeller's business practices with his personal characteristics, creating an image of a cunning and ruthless person--a picture that not even decades of Rockefeller philanthropy were able to dispel.
  ida tarbell work: Following the Color Line Ray Stannard Baker, 2020-12-17 Racial divide in America is getting deeper and deeper every day. The chant of Black Lives Matter has gripped the imagination of US citizens more strongly than ever and for better. However, one must always remember that these social eruptions are not accidental. To understand the history behind the collective anger against racism one needs to follow the color line. Musaicum Books presents to you this meticulously edited and formatted edition to help you in this endeavour. The present book is adjusted for readability on all devices and traces the history of race relations in the aftermath of Atlanta Race Riot by Ray Stannard Baker. Now is the time to remember and recall the tectonic shifts in race relations that have deliberately been ignored by the majoritarian politics for centuries. Keep reading!
  ida tarbell work: Titan Ron Chernow, 1998 There are worse men than John D Rockefeller,' Arena magazine observed at the turn of the century. 'There is probably not one, however, who in the public mind so typifies the grave and startling menace to social order.' The son of a flamboyant bigamist and pedlar of patent medicine, Rockefeller was by then America's richest man, the mastermind and creator of the country's first and most powerful monopoly: the Standard Oil Company. Reaching into every household across America, Standard Oil controlled 90% of all oil refined in the US, as well as its production, transportation, marketing and distribution. The story of Rockefeller is the story of a pivotal moment in modern history: the shift, after the American Civil War, from small-scale business to economy of scale, and the development of the first modern corporation. In Ron Chernow's magisterial work we see this transition in all of its nuances - accompanied by the rise in labour militancy, the tabloid press and large-scale philanthropy. TITAN is a business epic that, by illuminating the past, teaches us much about where we are today.
  ida tarbell work: The Age of Reform Richard Hofstadter, 2011-12-21 WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • From the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and preeminent historian comes a landmark in American political thought that examines the passion for progress and reform during 1890 to 1940. The Age of Reform searches out the moral and emotional motives of the reformers the myths and dreams in which they believed, and the realities with which they had to compromise.
  ida tarbell work: Women in American Journalism Jan Whitt, 2008 Jan Whitt tells the stories of women who have been overlooked in journalism history, offering an important corrective to scholarship that narrowly focuses on the deeds of men like Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. She explores the lives of women reporters who achieved significant historical recognition, such as Ida Tarbell and Ida Wells-Barnett, as well as literary authors such as Joan Didion, Susan Orlean, Willa Cather, and Eudora Welty, whose work blends influences from both journalism and literature. This study shows how numerous women broadened the editorial scope of newspapers and journals, transformed women's professional roles, used journalism as a training ground for major literary works, and led breakthroughs in lesbian and alternative presses.
  ida tarbell work: Sensational Kim Todd, 2021-04-13 A gripping, flawlessly researched, and overdue portrait of America’s trailblazing female journalists. Kim Todd has restored these long-forgotten mavericks to their rightful place in American history.—Abbott Kahler, author (as Karen Abbott) of The Ghosts of Eden Park and Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy A vivid social history that brings to light the “girl stunt reporters” of the Gilded Age who went undercover to expose corruption and abuse in America, and redefined what it meant to be a woman and a journalist—pioneers whose influence continues to be felt today. In the waning years of the nineteenth century, women journalists across the United States risked reputation and their own safety to expose the hazardous conditions under which many Americans lived and worked. In various disguises, they stole into sewing factories to report on child labor, fainted in the streets to test public hospital treatment, posed as lobbyists to reveal corrupt politicians. Inventive writers whose in-depth narratives made headlines for weeks at a stretch, these “girl stunt reporters” changed laws, helped launch a labor movement, championed women’s rights, and redefined journalism for the modern age. The 1880s and 1890s witnessed a revolution in journalism as publisher titans like Hearst and Pulitzer used weapons of innovation and scandal to battle it out for market share. As they sought new ways to draw readers in, they found their answer in young women flooding into cities to seek their fortunes. When Nellie Bly went undercover into Blackwell’s Insane Asylum for Women and emerged with a scathing indictment of what she found there, the resulting sensation created opportunity for a whole new wave of writers. In a time of few jobs and few rights for women, here was a path to lives of excitement and meaning. After only a decade of headlines and fame, though, these trailblazers faced a vicious public backlash. Accused of practicing “yellow journalism,” their popularity waned until “stunt reporter” became a badge of shame. But their influence on the field of journalism would arc across a century, from the Progressive Era “muckraking” of the 1900s to the personal “New Journalism” of the 1960s and ’70s, to the “immersion journalism” and “creative nonfiction” of today. Bold and unconventional, these writers changed how people would tell stories forever.
  ida tarbell work: The Ways of Woman Ida Minerva Tarbell, 1915
  ida tarbell work: The Afro-American Press and Its Editors Irvine Garland Penn, 1891
  ida tarbell work: The Other Half Tom Buk-Swienty, 2008 A portrait of the late-nineteenth-century social reformer draws on previously unexamined diaries and letters to trace his immigration to America, work as a police reporter for the New York Tribune, and pivotal contributions as a muckraker and progressive.
  ida tarbell work: All in the Day's Work: An Autobiography Ida M. Tarbell, 2022-07-21 This is an autobiography of Ida Minerva Tarbell, an American writer, investigative journalist, biographer, and lecturer. She was one of the leading muckrakers of the Progressive Era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and pioneered investigative journalism. Tarbell is best known for her 1904 book The History of the Standard Oil Company, which contributed to the dissolution of the Standard Oil monopoly and helped usher in the Hepburn Act of 1906, the Mann-Elkins Act, the creation of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Clayton Antitrust Act.
  ida tarbell work: Owen D. Young Ida Minerva Tarbell, 1932 Biography about Owen D. Young.
  ida tarbell work: Poison Penmanship Jessica Mitford, 2010-09-07 Jessica Mitford was a member of one of England’s most legendary families (among her sisters were the novelist Nancy Mitford and the current Duchess of Devonshire) and one of the great muckraking journalists of modern times. Leaving England for America, she pursued a career as an investigative reporter and unrepentant gadfly, publicizing not only the misdeeds of, most famously, the funeral business (The American Way of Death, a bestseller) and the prison business (Kind and Usual Punishment), but also of writing schools and weight-loss programs. Mitford’s diligence, unfailing skepticism, and acid pen made her one of the great chroniclers of the mischief people get up to in the pursuit of profit and the name of good. Poison Penmanship collects seventeen of Mitford’s finest pieces—about everything from crummy spas to network-TV censorship—and fills them out with the story of how she got the scoop and, no less fascinating, how the story developed after publication. The book is a delight to read: few journalists have ever been as funny as Mitford, or as gifted at getting around in those dark, cobwebbed corners where modern America fashions its shiny promises. It’s also an unequaled and necessary manual of the fine art of investigative reporting.
  ida tarbell work: Through All the Years Jonathan E. Helmreich, 2005-01-01
  ida tarbell work: In the Footsteps of the Lincolns Ida Minerva Tarbell, 1924 Young Samuel Lincoln, who had been apprenticed as a weaver in England, arrived in the Puritan colony of Boston Bay in 1637. Ida M. Tarbell traces the generations from Samuel to Abraham Lincoln, offering rich details of character and circumstance and showing that the president's ancestors were not precisely as his detractors painted them. She takes Abraham Lincoln from the cabin of his birth to the White House, where he is introduced to a nation in crisis.
  ida tarbell work: Americans Who Tell the Truth Robert Shetterly, 2009-07-10 Features quotes, biographies, and portraits of powerful and influential Americans, including Rachel Carson, Rosa Parks, and Mark Twain, who used the power of truth combined with freedom of speech to challenge the system and inspire change. Reprint.
  ida tarbell work: The Red Record Ida B. Wells-Barnett, 2005 Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United States
  ida tarbell work: Women Against Women Jane Jerome Camhi, 1973
  ida tarbell work: Masters of Enterprise H. W. Brands, 1999 Here, in a wittily told and deeply insightful history, is a complete set of portraits of America's greatest generators of wealth. Only such a collective study allows us to appreciate what makes the great entrepreneurs really tick. As H.W. Brands shows, these men and women are driven, they are focused, they deeply identify with the businesses they create, and they possess the charisma necessary to persuade other talented people to join them. They do it partly for the money, but mostly for the thrill of creation.
  ida tarbell work: All in the Day's Work Ida Minerva Tarbell, 2003 Tarbell was the only woman in her class of forty students at Allegheny College. Shortly after graduation she took a job at The Chautauquan, beginning a lifelong immersion in the world of journalism. But it was at McClure's magazine - where she was the only woman on staff - that Tarbell made her name as a determined journalist, one of the fearless brigade of truth seekers famously chastised by Theodore Roosevelt, who used the term muckraker to discredit those who attacked U.S. senators in print. Tarbell also wrote serialized biographies of Napoleon and Abraham Lincoln, as well as a landmark series of articles on Standard Oil and John D. Rockefeller.