Bernard M Baruch

“During his public years, approximately half of the nine decades of his active life, Bernard Baruch has served or advised many of the men who in that time have ruled the Western world... Baruch approves of his own ideas and achievements, but neither is it rancid, for the author, at ninety, cares less for self-vindication than for a rational and decent order among men. The spirit of that admirable objective informs his often anecdotal narrative of men and events, among them the administration of the War Industries Board, the Paris Conference of 1919, the adventures of the prosperous and the trials of the poor in the decade of the 1920’s, and some aspects of the New Deal, economic mobilization in World War II, and the abortive efforts since then for international control of atomic energy. Here there are contented recollections of Wilson, Churchill, Clemenceau and Roosevelt, and, less contented but still appreciative, of Harry Truman... [Baruch’s] work is... significant... for what it reveals about him.” — The American Historical Review “That [Baruch] has unusual talents, no one denies. Had he been ambitious he might have become the first Jewish President of the United States. But not loving power, not yearning for the spotlight of publicity, and not wishing to assume responsibilities that would be extremely controversial, he has chosen to be an unofficial adviser for Presidents. And what a good one he has made! The Public Years should be a required book for all students of the United States in the twentieth century.” — The Journal of Southern History “Looking back at his experiences, Baruch interweaves his philosophy of government, service, and values, and his autobiography stands as a personal creed of individualism, patriotism, and communal responsibility.” — American Jewish Historical Quarterly “Mr. Baruch relates his association with great and near-great persons and his involvement in national and international affairs. His comments on past events, while profiting from the vantage of hindsight, are penetrating and sound. This account portrays the keen insight and wisdom of Bernard Baruch in surveying the momentous years between Presidents Wilson and Truman, and reveals the sage advice which he provided to those in positions of authority relative to the social, economic and military affairs of this nation.” — Naval War College Review “It can be said with complete accuracy, I think, that no living person surpasses Bernard M. Baruch in experience, study, and leadership in all phases of industrial preparedness.” — Ordnance

Baruch: My Own Story is the memoirs of Bernard M. Baruch, a man whose life spanned the late nineteenth century and over half of the twentieth century. Given the time period, he is a man who has seen much having met seven presidents, witnessing two wars and working on Wall Street for a time. In these memoirs, Baruch has tried to set forth the philosophy through which he had sought to harmonize a readiness to risk something new with precautions against repeating the errors of the past.

This biography of Bernard Baruch considered to be renowned as the definitive story about the notorious financial wizard and presidential advisor. Baruch's political policies are discussed briefly, and James Grant includes a detailed account of Baruch's trading and investment gains and losses.

By anyone's standards Bernard M. Baruch was a giant among Americans of this century. Although he was never elected to public office, his influence on American public policy was staggering. A Jew who amassed a fortune from Wall Street speculation in raw materials, Baruch became one of the most powerful, interesting, and enigmatic personalities in Washington politics. The Speculator: Bernard M. Baruch in Washington, 1917-1965 is the first complete study of Baruch. President Wilson appointed him chairman of the War Industries Board in 1918 and asked for his economic advice at the Paris Peace Conference. Thereafter, Baruch adopted the roles of background political strategist and of publicist on national issues such as price stabilization. He became extraordinarily influential during the 1920s, the New Deal, and World War II. By the end of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, Baruch's fame as a presidential advisor and his network of friends had made him one of the most respected and feared men in Washington. Jordan A. Schwarz's biography not only reinterprets Baruch but also illuminates the major figures and events of his time. Through Baruch's eyes we gain an enhanced understanding of Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and other prominent Americans. Schwarz's analysis offers us insights into the persistence of Wilsonian liberalism in public policy, the drive for corporatist planning during the New Deal, the organization of war mobilization, the development of the Baruch Plan for control of atomic energy during the cold war, and the failure of anti-inflation efforts during the 1940s and 1950s. Schwarz's definitive study is the result of extensive research in Baruch's large manuscript collection and in dozens of other library collections throughout the country, including those at the Hoover, Truman, and Roosevelt libraries.

Bernard Baruch was a self-made millionaire, legendary stock trader, and venture investor. For most of the first half of the 20th century, he epitomized the "good side" of Wall Street in the public mind. Celebrated as "Adviser to Presidents" and "The Park Bench Statesman," he also became known as "The Man Who Sold out before the Crash." James Grant's much praised biography draws on a wealth of previously untapped material.

Belle W. Baruch (1899–1964) could outride, outshoot, outhunt, and outsail most of the young men of her elite social circle—abilities that distanced her from other debutantes of 1917. Unapologetic for her athleticism and interests in traditionally masculine pursuits, Baruch towered above male and female counterparts in height and daring. While she is known today for the wildlife conservation and biological research center on the South Carolina coast that bears her family name, Belle's story is a rich narrative about one nonconformist's ties to the land. In Baroness of Hobcaw, Mary E. Miller provides a provocative portrait of this unorthodox woman who gave a gift of monumental importance to the scientific community. Belle's father, Bernard M. Baruch, the so-called Wolf of Wall Street, held sway over the financial and diplomatic world of the early twentieth century and served as an adviser to seven U.S. presidents. In 1905 he bought Hobcaw Barony, a sprawling seaside retreat where he entertained the likes of Churchill and FDR. Belle's daily life at Hobcaw reflects the world of wealthy northerners, including the Vanderbilts and Luces, who bought tracts of southern acreage. Miller details Belle's exploits—fox hunting at Hobcaw, show jumping at Deauville, flying her own plane, traveling with Edith Bolling Wilson, and patrolling the South Carolina beach for spies during World War II. Belle's story also reveals her efforts to win her mother's approval and her father's attention, as well as her unraveling relationships with friends, family, employees, and lovers—both male and female. Miller describes Belle's final success in saving Hobcaw from development as the overarching triumph of a tempestuous life.

Road to Survival is a 1948 book by William Vogt. It was a major inspiration for the modern environmentalist movement. "THE COST OF MODERN WAR, AS WELL AS THE COST OF peaceful living, has risen so sharply that we have built a structure of indebtedness that is a danger to our entire economic structure. Our outstanding bills comprise national, state, and municipal debts, including legal obligations to veterans, and implied promises to pay for growing, government-sponsored social responsibilities. Since our real wealth--as opposed to the product of government printing presses--is drawn from the earth, in always limited quantities, as minerals, food, wood, water, and wildlife, destruction of the earth’s surface, and waste of its products have a cogent meaning that touches the life, today and tomorrow, of every human being. Because of the great abundance of the earth’s resources we have taken them for granted. But now, over most of the globe, as this book shows, we are face to face with a serious depletion of 'resource capital.' More than one country is already bankrupt. Such bankruptcy has wiped out civilizations in the past; there is no reason for thinking we can escape the same fate, unless we change our ways.”--Introduction