School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-After an interesting introduction to the beginnings of the industry, Aaseng takes readers through a who's who of its greatest pioneers. He profiles John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil, Marcus Samuel and Shell Oil, Pattillo Higgins and Andrew Mellon of Gulf Oil, William Knox D'Arcy and British Petroleum, Frank Phillips and Phillips Petroleum, J. Paul Getty and Getty Oil, and Robert O. Anderson and ARCO. Each biography gives excellent insights into the individual, the period, and the industry at that time. The portraits are easy to understand, well researched, authoritative, and fascinating to read. Black-and-white photographs of the men and oil sites enhance the well-written text. The wide margins contain photographs, definitions, and interesting asides, and provide visual variety. Students will find this book helpful for research, and teachers will find enough information for lively discussions about the oil industry, its founders, and its future.-Linda Wadleigh, Oconee County Middle School, Watkinsville, GA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2001)

Each volume begins with a historical overview of an industry, followed by concise biographical profiles. Those featured include Bill Gates and Steve Jobs (Computers), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (Oil), and the founders of White Castle and McDonald's (Fast Food). The wide margins contain often fuzzy black-and-white photos and boxed quotes. All but Oil contain time lines. Bib., glos., ind.

ALA Booklist (Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2001)

Reviewed with Nathan Aaseng's Business Builders in Computers. Gr. 5-8. In these volumes from the Business Building series, Aaseng presents the stories of major figures in two financial sectors, oil and computers. Organized chronologically and offering a sense of historical development, each book profiles six individuals and one set of partners who directed companies that rose to prominence. Oil begins with John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil and includes figures such as Andrew Mellon and J. Paul Getty. Comput ers starts with Thomas Watson Jr. leading IBM into early dominance of the computer field and includes chapters spotlighting Bill Gates of Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple, and Steve Case of America Online. These volumes present their information in an organized way, and unlike some series titles, they also tell intriguing stories that bring the subject to life. Black-and-white photos illustrate the books.