The story of Leland Stanford - from his birth in a lonely bar to the founding of a world-class university that became and remains the core of Silicon Valley.

The life of this politician and historical figure is the amazing story of how one extremely ambitious the man became a true "destroyer" of the country, changing industry and organizing one of the greatest raids on the state treasury to build the transcontinental railroad in America.

The saga of how Stanford overcame all obstacles and became one of the most influential and rich men of America, using his high elected office to enrich himself before losing the only thing that mattered most to him - his only child and son. Scandal and intrigue followed Stanford throughout his life and even after his death, when his widow was murdered in a Honolulu hotel - a crime quickly covered up thanks to the nearly stillborn university she saved.

Rich in detail and deeply researched, the book restores Leland Stanford's rightful place as a revolutionary and architect of modern America.

Roland de Volk is an investigative reporter.