Summary of Daniel Schulman's Sons of Wichita

By IRB Media

Get the Summary of Daniel Schulman's Sons of Wichita in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. Original book introduction: Sons of Wichita traces the complicated lives and legacies of these four tycoons, as well as their business, social, and political ambitions. No matter where you fall on the ideological spectrum, the Kochs are one of the most influential dynasties of our era, but so little is publicly known about this family, their origins, how they make their money, and how they live their lives. Based on hundreds of interviews with friends, relatives, business associates, and many others, Sons of Wichita is the first major biography about this wealthy and powerful family - warts and all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Jun 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638154754

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Insights from Chapters 1-2

#1

Fred, the father of the Koch brothers, was a pioneer in the oil industry. He established Winkler-Koch by buying a one-third stake in an engineering firm in Wichita in 1925. The company later grew into Koch Industries.

#2

Fred and Mary Koch were wed in 1933 and their first son Frederick was born. In 1935, a second son, Charles, followed. In 1940, Mary gave birth to the last of her children, fraternal twins David and Bill.

#3

Although Fred’s investment had grown by then, he never wanted his children to sense that they were privileged. He gave them no money other than an allowance for completing their chores. He never allowed them any luxuries, like having a television.

#4

Fred immersed his children in manual labor because he wanted to make sure that they grew up to be men. He gave them history lessons at the dinner table.

#5

Frederick, the oldest, was sent to boarding school early on, when his father noticed his effeminate character. Fred was