Book Review - The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King

BOOK REVIEW

THE FISH THAT ATE THE WHALE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF AMERICA’S BANANA KING

By: Rich Cohen

Originally Published: 2012

Genre: Biography

Have you had a Chiquita banana recently? I was amazed to learn the remarkable story behind the brand, which began with a poor Jewish immigrant struggling to feed himself.

The Fish that Ate the Whale begins with Sam Zemurray arriving in America in 1891 without a dollar to his name. By the time he dies in New Orleans sixty-nine years later, he is one of the most influential men in the world. His complete story is remarkable; filled with mercenaries, corporate takeovers and, of course, bananas. The book is a great case study of American business in the early part of the 20th century.

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