The book reads as easily as a warm conversation between friends. You'll find yourself engaged throughout, from topics about WWII, the world of high finance, the extraordinary world of top-level diplomacy and the intrincacies and complexities of being involved with the great New York City.
But most of all, you will learn (or relearn) that great wealth is not what makes a great man, but great character. As others, David Rockefeller could have followed the easy life of the "junior". He choose to live instead one of the most accomplished and interesting lives of the century.
As the author says, he was largely ignored by his older siblings growing up and more or less went it alone. He did carve out a highly successful career as one of the leading bankers in the world, whose advice was sought after by prominent people from all walks of life. To this end, one must give David Rockefeller his due, not ignoring his place of noble birth. It must be hard to start at the top and work across. Regarding philanthropy, he correctly points out that those who wish to take issue with his enormous wealth disregard the good that his giving has done over the years. And yes, we hear about it all. David Rockefeller may be the quiet one, but his ego matches his siblings'.
Much of his memoirs is told from a banking perspective and there are endless pages of statistical molasses. As a book, it often grinds to a halt. Is there a board on which Rockefeller hasn't served? It doesn't appear so. When the author speaks of his interests outside of the business world, i.e. art, New York, his family, etc. he does so in a way that is almost too carefully crafted and therefore, dispassionate. One gets the feeling of a man somewhat detached, perhaps reflecting that isolated childhood to which he refers.
The best chapter in this book deals with his (often contentious) relationships with his brothers, especially Nelson. Being in a locked room as an observer at one of their summit meetings would have been a treat! I suspect that part of the motive of Rockefeller's writing this book was to cast himself in the best possible light vis-a-vis John, Laurence, Winthrop and Nelson. In the end, he presents his own portrait as the diplomat of the five, certainly the most reasoned and the one with coolest head.
David Rockefeller, nonetheless, is an unusual man from many angles and his book is a rare and valuable insight into his famous family. Without sibling rebuttal, I'm just not sure how much of it to believe. His reflections, however, have made me hope that in the future a book can be written about all of the Rockefeller brothers from an outsider's point of view. This would give a more balanced view of the Rockefeller family.