Using previously unreleased archives, the author narrates the compelling life of Cornelius Vanderbilt: willful progenitor of modern American business. Vanderbilt made his initial fortune in the transportation industry by building ferry and cargo routes for sailing vessels. Then he moved into steamboats and railroads. With the New York Central Railroad, Vanderbilt established the nation's first major integrated rail system, linking New York with Boston, Montreal, Chicago, and St. Louis. At the same time, he played a key role in establishing New York as the financial center of the United States.