Just thought I’d share. I discovered this gem over the weekend on the History channel. (The entire series is on ON Demand.)
It’s a four part series and I have to say it’s one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in a while. I was so enthralled, I wound up watching the whole series in a single sitting.
It’s basically about the pioneers of industry; John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and J.P. Morgan; and the impact they had on America and free enterprise.
Well worth a look.
(I’m sharing this because I never saw the promos for this show. Which is weird because the HC is usually pretty good about that sort of thing.)
The episodes were very good in that they were extensively researched. Lots of background I had never heard before and I’m a minor history buff. But, IMHO, very poorly edited. After each commercial segment there’s a 2 or 3 minute recap of what you just saw before the commercial! Way too much repetition.
No, but it turns out he was and ice road trucker before he emigrated.
Actually, while it’s repetitive and light on content it’s a pretty honest attempt to make history sexy. If that’s what it takes to get an audience for some actual historical knowledge I commend the History Channel on spending some cash on it’s production.
I’d like to see a stronger counterpoint to the consequences of these visionaries ambitions for the little guy though. The Men who build America were also the poor, ignored and mistreated.