The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King

by Rich Cohen
The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King cover
Good Books rating 4.12
Technical
  • ID: 104
  • Added: 2025-09-02
  • Updated: 2025-09-02
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
jewishbookcouncil.org · Unknown · 2025-09-17
intriguing 4.00

The reviewer finds Rich Cohen's book about Samuel Zemurray, 'The Fish That Ate the Whale,' fascinating and well-written, highlighting Zemurray's rise in the banana industry and his complex character. However, they caution against mindless hero worship and emphasize the need for moral reflection on his actions.

Rich Cohen's 'The Fish That Ate the Whale' is a captivating memoir about Samuel Zemurray, a Jewish immigrant who rose to become a giant in the banana trade. The reviewer praises Cohen's masterful storytelling, which details Zemurray's clever strategies, calculated risks, and eventual vertical integration of his business. Zemurray's charisma and ambition are vividly described, though his methods are questionable, including engineering a coup to protect his empire. The reviewer notes that while Zemurray's story is compelling, it also raises important questions about the morality of his actions. They caution readers against idolizing wealthy business leaders without considering the ethical implications of their success. The book is recommended for those interested in the banana industry's history and the complexities of power and ambition.

Quick quotes

    Strength, charisma, shrewdness, power -- his defining characteristics were the sort not recorded in photos or articles, which can make him seem mysterious, strange. What drove him? Didn't he know you can't take it all with you in the end? ...he wanted to win. And would do whatever it took. Here was a self-made man, filled with the most dangerous kind of confidence...This gave him the air of the berserker, who says, If you're going to fight me, you better kill me. If you've ever known such a person, you will recognize the type at once.

    Did he love his wife, his children? Of course he did, but he needed the company more. Think of him as a gambler in the midst of a run, whose mind is fixed on one thing. If he does not look up, it's not because he is shallow or stupid. It's because he knows the moment he looks up, the spell is broken and the game is lost.

    I recommend 'The Fish That Ate the Whale' with caution: no good comes from mindless hero worship of wealthy business leaders. Financial success needs linkage to a system of morality for success to have meaning beyond the sum total of bank accounts.

literaryreview.co.uk · Unknown · 2025-09-17
compelling 4.50

Rich Cohen's biography of Sam Zemurray, 'The Fish That Ate the Whale,' is a compelling exploration of the banana kingpin's life and the moral complexities of his actions. The book weaves together Zemurray's personal story with the history of the banana trade and Central America, offering a nuanced look at a conflicted character.

Rich Cohen's 'The Fish That Ate the Whale' tells the story of Sam Zemurray, a poor immigrant who built a corporate empire in the banana trade. The book is a rich tableau of early twentieth-century history, detailing Zemurray's journey from a New Orleans banana peddler to the chairman of United Fruit. Cohen's well-researched biography not only documents Zemurray's remarkable life but also examines the moral implications of his actions. Zemurray's philanthropic efforts, such as donating to Tulane University and the early Zionist movement, are highlighted, but the book also critiques his impact on indigenous populations in Central America. The author delves into Zemurray's complex character, noting that his late realization of the damage he caused in Latin America ultimately fell short of making him a great man. Readers will appreciate the opportunity to consider the motivations and ethics of such a complicated historical figure.

Quick quotes

    Cohen weaves a well-researched biography of Zemurray, a detailed history of the international banana trade, and a concise overview of late colonial Central America, into one compelling story.

    Zemurray attempts to mitigate the fallout from his meddling in several Central American nations through generous anonymous giving, or tsedakah.

    If he had questioned the workings of this machine, he would have been a great man, but he was not a great man.

publishersweekly.com · Unknown · 2025-09-17
captivating 4.00

The reviewer highlights the fascinating life of Samuel Zemurray, an immigrant who built a banana empire and challenged United Fruit. They praise his entrepreneurial spirit and the book's engaging narrative, which portrays Zemurray as a quintessential American capitalist.

The reviewer finds Rich Cohen's biography of Samuel Zemurray to be a captivating tale of an immigrant who transformed the banana industry. Zemurray's journey from a young trader to the head of a major banana company is depicted with vivid detail, showcasing his relentless work ethic and business acumen. The reviewer appreciates how the book illustrates Zemurray's impact on modern consumption and his role in making bananas a staple food. They also note his eccentricities, such as advocating for fig-only diets and head-standing for digestion. Overall, the reviewer views the book as a compelling exploration of a unique figure in American business history.

Quick quotes

    Zemurray was two parts Henry Ford and one part John Harvey Kellogg

    He was an archetype of thrusting individualistic capitalism

    The book illustrates Zemurray's impact on modern consumption and his role in making bananas a staple food

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-09-17
engaging 4.00

Rich Cohen's biography of Samuel Zemurray presents a multifaceted view of the banana mogul, exploring themes of American capitalism, the American dream, and the complexities of power. The book delves into Zemurray's rise from a poor immigrant to a disgraced mogul, highlighting his significant impact on various global events.

Rich Cohen's biography of Samuel Zemurray is a compelling exploration of the life of a man who rose from humble beginnings to become a powerful figure in American capitalism. The book presents Zemurray's story as a parable of American capitalism, an example of the American dream in decline, and a quintessentially Jewish tale. Cohen's narrative is rich with details about Zemurray's involvement in various global events, including the creation of Israel and the rise of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. The book also delves into the ethical dilemmas posed by Zemurray's actions, leaving readers to ponder whether the ends justified the means. Cohen's writing is engaging and backed by thorough research, making this biography a captivating read for those interested in history and the complexities of power.

Quick quotes

    Cohen provides a boatload of angles for his biography of little-known antihero, Samuel Zemurray (1877-1961), presenting his story as a parable of American capitalism, an example of the American dream in decline, the story of 20th-century America, a quintessentially Jewish tale, and “a subterranean saga of kickbacks, overthrows, and secret deals: the world as it really works.

    Fortunately, Cohen (Sweet and Low) backs up his hyperbole. Once a poor immigrant buying ripe bananas off a New Orleans pier, Zemurray became the disgraced mogul of the much hated United Fruit Company.

    The reader gets to decide not only whether the ends were worth the means, but whether the means were worth the ends.

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