Mcclure and tarbell were restless in their initial publishing forays until mcclure discovered tarbell s work and hired her. Feb 21, 2020 tarbell was making ends meet barely by writing articles about france, one of which she submitted to s. The result, ida tarbells magazine series the history of the standard oil company. Their desire was to add to our knowledge of abraham lincoln by collecting and preserving the reminiscences of such of his contemporaries as were then living. Ida tarbell was a muckraker, see it now ida tarbell. Abby phillip citizen reporters offers a fascinating exploration of the adventurous work produced at mcclures. Tke presents online stephanie gorton matching books to. Mcclure, ida tarbell and the magazine that rewrote america, will discuss the book and explore the topic, muckrakers. Mcclure, ida tarbell and the magazine that rewrote america is a fascinating history of the rise and fall of influential gilded age magazine mcclures and the two unlikely outsiders at its helmas well as a timely, fullthroated defense of investigative journalism in america. The staff breakup of mcclures magazine ida tarbell. Jul 05, 2012 ida minerva tarbell was born in 1857, in a log cabin in hatch hollow, in western pennsylvanias oil region. A graduate of the university of edinburgh and goucher colleges. The book was published as a series of articles in mcclure s magazine from 1902 to 1904. In undertaking the work it was determined to spare neither labor nor money and in this.
An expanded book, a short life of napoleon bonaparte, was then published in 1895. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that rewrote america at. Ida tarbell and the muckrakers constitutional rights foundation. Her lincoln series was very popular, bringing in more than one hundred thousand new subscribers to the magazine. Ida tarbell, a leading muckraking journalist at the turn of the 20th century, spent a decade and a half writing for mcclures magazine. The book was published as a series of articles in mcclures magazine from 1902 to 1904. Gorton is an excellent writer and her work has been superbly edited. Mar 31, 2017 the mcclures magazine ran from 1893 to 1911 and had competitive newspapers like the saturday evening post and colliers. Born in pennsylvania at the onset of the oil boom, tarbell is best known for her 1904 book the history of the standard oil company. The first installment of ida tarbell s comprehensive, readable biographical series on napoleon was printed in mcclure s in november 1894, and by the final installment in april 1895 the magazine s circulation had reached 100,000. Running in mcclures magazine from november 1902 to april 1904, the serial, also published in book form in 1904, enthralled thousands of americans. Previously, she held editorial roles at canongate books, the overlook press, and open road.
Mcclures magazine july 1901 by tarbell, ida m good trade. And in 1904 ida tarbell collected all his research in. Seems with all the lobbyists and the political climate today there should be more courageous journalists like those on mcclures magazine. Mcclures inner lives are interwoven in a story of feminism and american reporting that will have a lasting impact on its readers. Tarbell meticulously documented the aggressive techniques standard oil employed to outmaneuver and, where necessary, roll over whoever got in its way. She is best remembered for her 19part mcclures magazine series, that began in 1902, about corruption at the standard oil company.
Mcclure s was founded by samuel sidney mcclure and john sanborn phillips in 1893 and quickly rose in popularity using quality fiction and substantial articles on timely topics which established the muckraking standard of the age with original photography and illustrationthe demise came slowly after phillips and key writer ida tarbell left. Rockefellers fervent desire to learn every detail of the oil trade, to be able to reach its remotest point, to control even its weakest factor as this was his ideal of doing. I like ida tarbell articles on lincoln and look forward to reading her standard oil books. She had hoped that it would be received as a historical study. Phillips, both literary intellectuals, who firmly believed in media transparency and truth. He soon came to see magazines like mcclures as allies. Citizen reporters tells of tenacious journalist tarbell, and the eccentric editor s. Mcclures magazine was a powerhouse publication providing readers with topnotch literary and reported pieces. American investigative journalism gilded past and uncertain future. The miniheadline had nothing in common with the illustration, although it is curious that they put angels to talk about the mischiefs of rockefeller. She is remembered today as a muckraking journalist, author of such blockbuster exposes as 1904 s the history of the. Ida tarbell s history of the standard oil company won immediate attention from all sides for its innovative research methods, sheer daring, and new perspective on the rights of corporations.
This book was converted from its physical edition to the. When she discovered a centuryold professional relationship between magazine publisher samuel sidney mcclure and his star writer, ida minerva tarbell, she began to conduct research for this book. New york university placed her book, the history of the standard oil company, at no. Cancelled the kings english bookshop matching books. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that that rewrote america. Both born in 1857, mcclure and tarbell met in 1892 as he sought to hire her for the editorial staff of his nascent, eponymous monthly magazine.
The copy of mcclure s june 1903 in which ida tarbell related her research. A very rare copy of this, the first appearance of cutting to kill, chapter 3 of part 2 of ida tarbell s groundbreaking history of the standard oil company. Circulation of mcclure s magazine doubled to 80,000 people a month after the publication of the napoleon series. Journalist stephanie gorton, author of citizen reporters. Mcclure, his star reporter ida tarbell, and the writers associated with mcclures magazine, stephanie gorton gives us a fascinating glimpse of a formative time in american historyand reveals the urgent and necessary role played by investigative journalists. From january 1907 to june 1908, mcclures published the first detailed history of christian science and the story of its founder, mary baker eddy 18211910 in 14 installments. Jan 06, 2020 mcclures magazine published it in 19 installments. The author of this story was ida minerva tarbell, which worked at the magazine since 1894. Mcclures magazine july 1901 by tarbell, ida m good. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that that rewrote america kindle edition by gorton, stephanie. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that rewrote america, takes me back to my early fascination with the impact of the muckraking journalists and how their history helped inspire me to a fourdecade career in news editing and reporting. In stephanie gortons crisp, fastmoving narrative, we come to know, love, and fear visionary editor s. Ida tarbell and the magazine that helped break up standard oil. Jun 12, 2020 ida tarbell was an american journalist born on november 5, 1857, in erie county, pennsylvania.
The magazine is credited with having started the tradition of. Drawn from original sources and containing many speeches, letters and telegrams. After years of research, ida tarbell produced a detailed analysis of the most perfect of all monopoles, standard oil. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that rewrote america. Tarbell grew up around the pennsylvania oil industry, where her father suffered from, and protested, john d. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that rewrote america stephanie gorton one of the most influential magazines in american history, mcclure s drew more than four hundred thousand readers and published the groundbreaking stories that defined the gilded age, including the investigation of standard oil that toppled the. Mcclure s magazine napoleon bonaparte is an unchanged, highquality r. Tarbell, the history of the standard oil company, 1904. Mcclure s magazine was a powerhouse publication providing readers with topnotch literary and reported pieces. Mcclures magazine, used abebooks shop for books, art. Citizen reporters harpercollins harpercollins publishers.
It has been called a masterpiece of investigative journalism. Hendrick, rudyard kipling, sir arthur conan doyle, robert louis stevenson, willa cather, and lincoln steffens. Tarbells the history of the standard oil company was first serialized in mcclures magazine starting in 1902 and then published as a bestselling book in 1904. The copy of mcclures june 1903 in which ida tarbell related her research sold over 400,000 copies. Books by ida minerva tarbell author of history of standard. Nov 10, 2019 in 1894, ida tarbell was hired by mcclure s magazine and returned to america. The scrappy, bold mcclure s group tarbell, mcclure, and their reporters ray stannard baker and lincoln steffenscemented investigative journalisms crucial role in democracy. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that rewrote america 2020 by stephanie gorton the first article of ida tarbell s history of the standard oil company appeared in the november 1902 issue of mcclures. It appeared in 19 installments in mcclures magazine beginning november of 1902, published as a two volume book in 1904. And in 1904 ida tarbell collected all his research in the book history of standard oil company, considered the fifth of the top 100 works of journalism in the united states in the 20th century, by the new york times march 1 1999. The history of the standard oil company is a 1904 book by journalist ida tarbell.
Mcclures magazine december, 1895 by ida minerva tarbell. Though the lives of samuel mcclure and ida tarbell have been well documented, author stephanie gorton has weaved their two lives together, as well as those of other significant individuals, to provide an understanding of why mcclures magazine became a runaway success at the turn of the century and then struggled to survive. A biography for young adults highlighting tarbells journalistic career including her series of articles and books taking on standard oil, her relationship with sam mcclure, her views on womens suffrage, and her lifelong labor to support her family. Born in pennsylvania at the onset of the oil boom, tarbell is best known for her 1904 book, the history of the standard oil company. Stephanie gorton will read from and sign her new biography, citizen reporters. Ida tarbell helped pioneer investigative journalism when she wrote a. Mcclure, ida tarbell, and the magazine that rewrote america, stephanie gorton weaves an entertaining history of this important journal and the people responsible for.
The president of the united states made headlines around the world when he publicly attacked the press, denouncing reporters who threatened his reputation as. Tarbell became the star of the heady stable of writers assembled by mcclure. Tarbell published two books about madame rolands revolutionary conduct and stressed napoleon bonapartes modernization of france. Ida tarbell, a staff writer, editor, and minority stockholder in the magazine, also played an. Tarbell author of the history of the standard oil company, life of lincoln, etc. Mcclure s was founded by samuel sidney mcclure and john sanborn phillips in 1893 and quickly rose in popularity using quality fistion and substantial articles on timely topics which established the muckraking standard of the age with original photography and illustrationthe demise came slowly after phillips and key writer ida tarbell left. It has been called a masterpiece of investigative journalism by. The articles were later published in book form as the life of mary baker g. Rockefeller s fervent desire to learn every detail of the oil trade, to be able to reach its remotest point, to control even its weakest factor as this was his ideal of doing business.
The magazine shaped the moral compass of the century. A very rare copy of this, the first appearance of cutting to kill, chapter 3 of part 2 of ida tarbells groundbreaking history of the standard oil company. The magazine is credited with having started the tradition of muckraking journalism investigative, watchdog or reform journalism, and helped shape the moral compass of the day. Her father, frank tarbell, spent years building oil storage tanks but began to prosper. The rise of mcclures although mcclures magazine is no longer on the newsstands, it does. This book was published as a series of articles in mcclures magazine from 1902 to 1904.
Illustrated with portraits a prince should earnestly endeavor to gain the reputation of kindness, clemency, piety, justice, and fidelity to his engagements. On the left, the front page of mcclure s january 1901. His steadying hand and star reporter was ida tarbell, a woman who defied gender expectations and became a notoriously fearless journalist. Her work was a sensation and the installments became a twovolume book entitled, the history of the standard oil company, published in 1904.
To the right of the photograph is a portion of the headline the history of the standard oil company, as well as a portion of the mcclures magazine header, both from page 3 of the magazine s november 1902 issue. A fascinating history of the rise and fall of influential gilded age magazine mcclures and the two unlikely outsiders at its helmas well as a timely, fullthroated defense of investigative journalism in america. Ida tarbell, one of the insurgents, aptly summarized the breakup as the explosions of our fine idealistic undertakings. Mcclures was founded in 1893, barely surviving a financial panic and mcclures freespending ways, yet the finished work published spoke volumes. Mcclure feared being held back by his cursed mediocre versatility. Stephanie groton has produced a firstrate book about two fascinating characters at the end of the 19th century editor s. Ida tarbell facts, worksheets, life, death, summary of achievements.
Rockefeller, the richest figure in american history. Ida tarbell was one of the first investigative journalists. Shortly after this came tarbell s series titled the early life of lincoln, which appeared from november 1895 to. Ida minerva tarbell november 5, 1857 january 6, 1944 was an american writer. The woman who took on the tycoon smithsonian magazine. Mcclure s or mcclure s magazine 18931929 was an american illustrated monthly periodical popular at the turn of the 20th century. Mcclures magazine published influential pieces by respected journalists and authors including jack london, ida tarbell, upton sinclair, burton j. The president of the united states made headlines around the world when he publicly attacked the press, denouncing reporters who threatened his reputation as muckrakers and. Eventually, sam encouraged her to write a book about americas mos. Lincolns first inauguration mcclures magazine january, 1899 lincoln gathering an army mcclures magazine february, 1899 lincolns method of dealing with men mcclures magazine march, 1899 lincoln and the emancipation proclamation mcclures magazine april, 1899. Mcclure s magazine published influential pieces by respected journalists and authors including jack london, ida tarbell, upton sinclair, burton j. On the right, the first page of the history of the standard oil company by ida tarbell. Originally serialized in nineteen parts in mcclure s magazine, the book is a seminal example of muckraking, and inspired many other journalists to write about trusts, large.
A fascinating history of the rise and fall of influential gilded age magazine mcclures and the two unlikely outsiders at its helmas. When ida tarbell was a girl, she wished to be a scientist. Probably no one was better fitted to take on standard oil, the empire rockefeller built. The woman who took on the tycoon history smithsonian magazine.
She was the only woman in her graduating class at allegheny college in 1880. The work here offered the public was begun in 1894 at the suggestion of mr. Tarbell grew up around the pennsylvania oil industry, where her father. This event is free and open to the public and will take place at the bookshop. Mcclure s magazine december, 1895 by ida minerva tarbell 3.
Mcclures magazine december, 1898 the later life of lincoln. Tke presents online stephanie gorton citizen reporters. Ida tarbell was one of the few willing to hold him accountable. Tarbell stamp features a blackandwhite photograph of tarbell. Convinced of their editors mental instability, and affronted by love affairs and unrealistic schemes they considered economically dangerous and morally untenable, the mcclures staff left the magazine. Apr 04, 2021 investigative journalist ida tarbellwas born on november 5, 1857. She published some of her articles as books, including biographies of napoleon, madame roland, and president lincoln.
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