Tuxedo Park: A Wall Street Tycoon and the Secret Palace of Science That Changed the Course of World War II

About the book

The biography follows Loomis from finance and his laboratory at Tuxedo Park into the wartime mobilization of civilian science. Working with figures such as Ernest Lawrence and Vannevar Bush, Loomis used money, relationships, and intense focus to accelerate radar and nuclear research while operating far outside a conventional academic career.

Why read it

Best if you like biographies that combine capital allocation, scientific invention, private networks, and high-stakes execution during World War II

Evidence and original sources

David calls it one of the most surprising, almost-unbelievable books he's covered on the podcast.

• Francis Greenburger (Real Estate Billionaire) — David says he read Alfred Lee Loomis's biography, identifies it as Founders Episode 143, and recalls the palace of science at the center of the book.
• Vannevar Bush (Pieces of the Action) — David connects this Alfred Lee Loomis biography to Founders episode 143.
• Alfred Lee Loomis (the most interesting man you've never heard of) — This entire episode is built around Jennet Conant's Tuxedo Park, the story of financier-turned-scientist Alfred Lee Loomis and his private WWII-era research lab.
• William Shockley (Creator of the Electronic Age) — David points listeners back to his earlier Founders coverage (~#140) of Tuxedo Park for more on wartime scientists.
• Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography — David references reading this book for episode 143.
• The Essays of Warren Buffett — David calls Tuxedo Park a fantastic book and identifies its central lesson as focusing on the single most important problem.