The Global Merchants

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The astonishing story of the Sassoons, one of the nineteenth century's preeminent commercial families, reveals the secrets behind their phenomenal success. This Jewish family, exiled from Ottoman Baghdad, forged a mercantile empire in colonial Bombay, building a vast network of agents and politicians that bridged East and West, both culturally and commercially. As one competitor noted, "silver and gold, silks, gums and spices, opium and cotton, wool and wheat - whatever moves over sea or land feels the hand or bears the mark of Sassoon & Co." Drawing on extensive family archives, Joseph Sassoon vividly brings to life remarkable characters from a single generation: Flora, the first woman to lead a major global business; Siegfried, the poet; and Victor, the tycoon who attracted Hollywood stars to his Shanghai skyscraper. Their lives in London, Bombay, and beyond immerse readers in a world of politics, power, innovation, and high society. This narrative serves as both an intimate family portrait and a sweeping panorama of their 130 years of prominence, spanning events like the Opium Wars, the American Civil War, and India's independence. The Sassoons were agents, advocates, and casualties of globalization, offering a fresh perspective on its evolution and impact on our present.