Marcus Samuel turned his father’s London business into one of the most important companies in the history of the oil industry. But the path wasn’t easy. After striking gold and finding the right partnership, Samuel’s business was on the brink of failure after a bitter decadelong rivalry. But ingenious engineering, sponsorship, and deep involvement in both world wars ensured that it would emerge as one of the top 5 oil companies on the planet, even today. This is the story of Shell.