The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie

Summary

Andrew Carnegie tells his own story from childhood in Scotland and his family’s move to America through early factory and telegraph work, the railroad and the steel business. Published in 1920, the memoir describes the people and chances that helped him advance.

Reading, close attention to costs and new production methods appear alongside his account of wealth and philanthropy. The book gives direct access to Carnegie’s view of his choices. As with any memoir, that view is one part of the history, especially where other people bore the costs of those choices.

• SourceAndrew Carnegie: Autobiography, public-domain text · 1920titlepage;ChapterIIIbobbinboy$1.20weekly;ChapterIVColonelAndersonlibrary;ChapterXIBessemerrails;philanthropychaptersChecked 2026-10-05

Why read it Our view

Read it to examine how learning and strong work in an early job can open later chances. Follow Carnegie’s attention to costs, concentration and technology, then ask where those habits fit your own business. Compare his account with outside histories when judging the effect of his choices on workers and partners.