Biography Of A Bank - Marquis James - Bessie Rowland James:

This is the captivating story of the Bank of America, still one of the world's largest banks, and the careers of the Gianninis, father and son. They began banking in San Francisco with the Bank of Italy which catered to small farmers, mostly of Italian descent. The father, Amadeo Peter Giannini, has been called the greatest innovator in modern banking. When the fire and earthquake of 1906 forced many bigger banks to close their doors, he set up two planks on a wharf and continued business. by 1930 those two planks had grown into the Bank of America, and the Giannini policy of developing local agriculture and commerce through a system of strong branch banks had become a new force in financial history. This engrossing book will especially appeal to economists, bankers, historians, and for each person fascinated by the growth of an idea into a major business.

Contents

I. A Bank for People Who Had Never Used One Before 1
II. Opportunity Through Disaster 21
III. Learning from the Panic of 1907 33
IV. The Start at Branch Banking 48
V. The Invasion of Los Angeles 57
VI. Birth of Statewide Branch Banking 72
VII. Rural Branches in Operation: 1916-1918 81
VIII. The Education of a Superintendent of Banks 93
IX. Help for the Farmer 110
X. A Salvaging Operation 119
XI. A Rift with the Federal Reserve Board 132
XII. The Santa Maria Episode and Its Consequences 144
XIII. The Winning of southern California 159
XIV. The Liberty Bank and the Election of 1926 172
XV. The Great Victory 185
XVI. A Glance at the Inside of No. I Powell 202
XVII. Giannini Does It Again 222
XVIII. California's Own "Boom Twenties" 235
XIX. Financing Agriculture in the Twenties 248
XX. The Dream of Nationwide Banking 268
XXI. New Hands at the Wheel 293
XXII. The Walker Regime 305
XXIII. Giannini Regains Control 323
XXIV. On the Way Back 346
XXV. The Banking Crisis of 1933 362
XXVI. Giannini and the New Deal, 1933-1936 375
XXVII. Recovery of the California Farmer 393
XXVIII. Mario Giannini and New Trends in Banking 414
XXIX. A Showdown with Mr. Morcenthau 435
XXX. The Bank and World War II 458
XXXI. The World's Largest Bank 477
XXXII. End of a Dynasty 503
Comments and Acknowledgments 517
Notes 523
Index 555.