Hammer

New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1987. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. Good/Very good. 544 pages. Illustrations. Index. Inscribed bookplate signed by Armand Hammer on half-title page. DJ has some wear and soiling. Some page discoloration. Pencil erasure residue on half-title page. Armand Hammer (May 21, 1898 - December 10, 1990) was an American business manager and owner, most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, a company he ran from 1957 until his death, though he was known as well for his art collection, his philanthropy, and for his close ties to the Soviet Union. Hammer's business interests around the world and his "citizen diplomacy" helped him cultivate a wide network of friends and associates. He appeared frequently on television, commenting on international relations or agitating for research into a cure for cancer. As of 2016, he has been the subject of six biographies-in 1975 (Considine, authorized biography), 1985 (Bryson, coffee table book), Weinberg 1989, Blumay 1992, Epstein 1996, and Alef 2009; and two autobiographies (1932 and a best seller in 1987). His art collection and his philanthropic projects were the subject of numerous publications. Derived from a Kirkus review: His odyssey runs from a comfortable childhood in the pre-WW I Bronx to the chairmanship of Occidental Petroleum, an energy concern with global revenues exceeding $15 billion annually. After graduating in 1921, he went to the Soviet Union. Once there, Hammer learned that food, not doctors or medical aid, was the real need. In return for local goods that could be sold in the US, he contracted for grain shipments--and stayed to do well. After nine years in the USSR, he returned home. Hammer's entrepreneurial instincts led him into commercial alcohol, distilling, and allied industries. In 1956 Hammer became involved with Los Angeles-based Occidental and turned a dubious local venture into a major multinational enterprise via high-stakes drilling gambles in Libya, the North Sea, Latin America, and other remote venues. In the meantime, Hammer has done much to advance the cause of world peace. By any measure, Hammer's balance sheet boasts far more credits than debits, and he can be pardoned for focusing on the high points of a remarkable life's work. An engrossing testament.