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However, it is arguable that Livesay could have been much more detailed in descriptions
of the story of the iron ore if he were to capture not only the biography of Andrew Carnegie but
also the history of big businesses in the USA. Moreover, Livesay perception of Carnegie is not
very complimentary. He often uses words such as trickery, greed, and liar about his activities.
The author’s view of Carnegie is slightly too harsh. It is important to mention that this is a minor
fault that does not invalidate the accuracy in the storytelling of a fascinating history of the
development of the industrial empire.
The book utilizes both primary and secondary sources including Carnegie Papers in the
Library of Congress, James Howard Bridge’s work titled The inside History of Carnegie Steel
Company and Frazier Wall’s book on Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie’s writings together with these
books provided a firsthand account on the life of Carnegie hence fostering a connection between
the author and the character despite living in different centuries. Livesay utilized other secondary
resources including George Taylor’s book titled The Transportation Revolution and Mather’s
Public Order in the Age of the Chartists. Moreover, Livesay effectively intertwines the aspects
of Carnegie’s personal life and his influential career with the saga of the industrial growth. He
does this to the extent that it becomes difficult to separate the biography and the element of the
big business in the 19th century. Livesay illustrates a high degree of historical accuracy from the
introductory chapter by mentioning the industrial revolution in Scotland, and the description of
Pittsburgh as an essential location in the industrial revolution (Livesay 85). While Livesay does
not examine aspects of Carnegie live in detail, he provides complete sufficiency for a book of
this length. The book depicts a well-orchestrated biography which is a must-read for any reader
and writer.
