Ida M. Tarbell

"Ida Minerva Tarbell was a pioneer among journalists. Before exposés were routine, she wrote a series of magazine articles detailing the shady business practices of John D. Rockefeller, head of the powerful conglomerate called the Standard Oil Trust. Ida's articles--and the public uproar they aroused--resulted in legislation against trusts, and in government regulation of business in general. Her work made history, beyond the history of journalism. Intelligent, curious, and determined to succeed, Ida rose to prominence, becoming known as 'the most famous woman in America,' in an era when women had few options and no rights. Her story is a panorama of American life at the turn of the twentieth century, including politics, the women's suffrage movement, the economy, big business, the role of printed periodicals in informing public opinion, the literary landscape, and important people in all these areas. At the heart of the story are Ida's turbulent, roller-coaster years at McClure's Magazine and the groundbreaking work she did there. From her childhood in oil country to her pinnacle of fame to her later years as a recognized authority on almost everything, Ida is revealed as a fascinating and complex person: quirky, opinionated, reserved, adventurous, independent--a woman making her way in a man's world."--Dust jacket.