"What we think of as the modern American economy was the creation of four men: Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould, and J. P. Morgan. They were the giants of the Gilded Age, the tycoons behind the period of riotous growth that established America as the richest, most inventive, and most productive country on the planet. They are, quite literally, the founding fathers of our economy - and, thus, of modern America. " "Charles R. Morris takes us deep into these men's empires and their methods, and reveals their influence on the lives of regular Americans. These four men - as fascinating as they were flawed - were essential to creating the America we have come to know. In this narrative, Morris reveals how they transformed our new and grasping nation into a world power. "--Jacket.