Reading rank 309
The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich
, subject: Marc Rich, commodities trading, oil spot market, Glencore origins, 2009
A biography of Marc Rich, whose life story belongs to the wider history of oil fortunes and the industry behind them.
65
Coverage Score
3
Scored evidence
About the book
Ammann reconstructs Marc Rich's commodities career, role in developing the oil spot market, dealings with sanctioned states, flight from U.S. charges, and the trading firm that became Glencore.
Why read it
Best if you want a detailed account of Marc Rich's life and where it fits in the history of oil fortunes.
Key themes
- One life inside oil-industry history
- More story than a summary can hold
Evidence and original sources
Sources: official Founders episodes — #63, #198
Near the close of the episode, David directly recommends the book, noting there is much more to the story than he could cover.
- The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich — David identifies The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich as the book behind this episode and builds the entire episode around summarizing it.
- Nathan Rothschild (Rothschild Family Dynasty) — David points to his earlier Marc Rich biography, The King of Oil, in the archive while surveying oil fortunes and industry history.