Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/conversation-tj-stiles-national-book-award-winner-for-nonfiction Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Conversation: T.J. Stiles, National Book Award Winner for Nonfiction Arts Nov 25, 2009 11:24 AM EDT The winner of this year’s National Book Award for nonfiction tells the story of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, who rose from humble means to amass a vast fortune, build the country’s largest fleet of steamships, erect the original Grand Central Depot in New York and control a railroad empire. Simply put, Vanderbilt helped to shape our modern corporate economy, often ruthlessly. The author of “The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt” is T.J. Stiles, who also wrote “Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War,” a finalist for the 2003 Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Stiles joined us by phone earlier this week: We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now
The winner of this year’s National Book Award for nonfiction tells the story of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, who rose from humble means to amass a vast fortune, build the country’s largest fleet of steamships, erect the original Grand Central Depot in New York and control a railroad empire. Simply put, Vanderbilt helped to shape our modern corporate economy, often ruthlessly. The author of “The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt” is T.J. Stiles, who also wrote “Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War,” a finalist for the 2003 Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Stiles joined us by phone earlier this week: We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now