Mr Five Per Cent: The many lives of Calouste Gulbenkian, the world’s richest man - Softcover

Conlin, Dr Jonathan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1788160436 ISBN 13: 9781788160438

Publisher: Profile Books, 2020

Synopsis

When Calouste Gulbenkian died in 1955 at the age of 86, he was the richest man in the world, known as 'Mr Five Per Cent' for his personal share of Middle East oil. The son of a wealthy Armenian merchant in Istanbul, for half a century he brokered top-level oil deals, concealing his mysterious web of business interests and contacts within a labyrinth of Asian and European cartels, and convincing governments and oil barons alike of his impartiality as an 'honest broker'. Today his name is known principally through the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, to which his spectacular art collection and most of his vast wealth were bequeathed.

Gulbenkian's private life was as labyrinthine as his business dealings. He insisted on the highest 'moral values', yet ruthlessly used his wife's charm as a hostess to further his career, and demanded complete obedience from his family, whom he monitored obsessively. As a young man he lived a champagne lifestyle, escorting actresses and showgirls, and in later life - on doctor's orders - he slept with a succession of discreetly provided young women. Meanwhile he built up a superb art collection which included Rembrandts and other treasures sold to him by Stalin from the Hermitage Museum.

Published to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, Mr Five Per Cent reveals Gulbenkian's complex and many-sided existence. Written with full access to the Gulbenkian Foundation's archives, this is the fascinating story of the man who more than anyone else helped shape the modern oil industry.

About this title

Review:

Compelling ... lovingly researched and crafted with skill... The book pulls off a double success: academic researchers will enjoy and be inspired by it, while general readers will appreciate its clarity and concision. While there are other books written about the extraordinary life of Calouste Gulbenkian, none come close to matching this volume. (Bülent Gökay BBC History 2019-02-01)

Calouste Gulbenkian accumulated so many millions as to be an international power of his own. Jonathan Conlin is an astute and tenacious biographer of this Armenian Maecenas-Superman, and is never duped by the subterfuges and skulduggery of the international oil business. (Richard Davenport-Hines)

Praise for The Nation's Mantelpiece: Wise, funny, and massively informative (Jonathan Keates Spectator)

Conlin's in-depth study will remain the authoritative account for many years to come (Daily Mail)

Praise for Adam Smith: As thorough as it is entertaining. ... without oversimplifying, Conlin brings Smith's world to life. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

Praise for Tales of Two Cities: Fascinating. Admirable skill and a painter's eye ... The reader will never think of London or Paris in the same way again (Amanda Foreman)

Book Description:

King of oil, deal-maker, art collector

About this edition

• Publisher: Profile Books
• Publication date: 2020
• ISBN 10: 1788160436
• ISBN 13: 9781788160438
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 448