Ida Tarbell was an American journalist and author who is best known for her 1904 book, The History of the Standard Oil Company. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1857 and began her career as a teacher before becoming a journalist. She wrote for several magazines, including McClure's Magazine, where she wrote a series of articles on the Standard Oil Company that exposed the company's unethical practices. Her work helped to bring about the breakup of the company and made her a prominent figure in the field of investigative journalism.