Reviews (4)

Different than what I expected, but still a very rich book
I'll admit that my primary motivation for reading this book was somewhat shallow--I basically wanted to read about how one of history's most successful businessmen amassed so much wealth. To be honest, the book didn't really give as many details as I would have liked on that particular interest. But what I got along the way made the book worth it.

First and foremost, after reading 350 pages of Carnegie writing about his life you feel like you really start to know him, to get a sense of what kind of human being he was, and even to get a sense of his somewhat remarkable confidence level that exists in conjunction with his pretty inspiring level of benevolence and compassion. But I think even more than getting a sense of Carnegie, you get a sense of the time he lived in. Some of the most engaging parts of the book for me were the first-hand accounts of Lincoln during the Civil War, or Carnegie's conversations with President Harrison about a small uprising in Chile. You also hear about how he handled the strikes of steel workers, an occurence I'd only read about in history books but never learned directly about from the perspective of the manager.

All throughout Carnegie peppers with his nuggets of wisdom, and you get the feeling he knows people want them really badly but that he chooses to give them sparingly.

In the end, I probably will never re-read this book, but I feel better educated about one of history's greatest industrialists, greatest benefactors, and the time he lived in after having read it. If you have a nascent interest in history, you will most likely enjoy this book; if you're looking for a "how to make your millions" from a master, I would look elsewhere.

Essential Reading
The vanity of today's uneducated society is breathtaking. White is black and black is white and 'a little knowledge' is indeed proving very dangerous. This book (along with the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin) should be read by every American citizen - to relearn what America once represented.

For example, Carnegie Steel, the world's largest company in 1900, was NOT a corporation; it was a private partnership. The sale of the company to JP morgan (for half a billion dollars) was done on a handshake; a contract was a mere afterthought. Reputation and honesty and customer service were THE guiding principles of the era. 'Individual responsibility' was considered a good thing in those days.

America now has more lawyers per capita than any other nation on Earth. Our politicians now attempt to micro-manage every detail of our lives. You break a fingernail and sue the universe. We have become terrified of freedom. Read this book if you want to understand how America rose from a third world country to a superpower between 1800 and 1900 - without government intervention or welfare or all the millions of rules and regulations we now hold so dear. We have traded away our freedom for security. The price is higher than you think.

A literary chore
It has been over a year since I ground my way through this book. My lack of adaptability to the Olde Worlde English may have contributed to this. I found this to be a long book about an interesting individual whose sole purpose for writing the book, I have concluded, was to leave a lasting, self-congratulatory reminder of his own life. I must disagree with a previous review that stated it was a must for any young ambitious person. I am; it wasn't.
For sheer inspiration from another person's life, I would recommend works on Lincoln, the Wright brothers (Kill Devil Hill), Richard Branson, Edison, Spielberg, Mme Curie, Bruce Lee, Iacocca and Einstein.

The Bill Gates of a century ago.
This book was pracitically written for the ambitious young man, as there are many references to this. Mr. Carnegie serves as a great role model, which I feel is quite important, especially considering the terrible events in schools lately. Carnegie emphasizes the importance of self-improvement, knowing your talents, being kind, and also the importance of public speaking. You will learn important lessons thru personal anecdotes of his life. This book should be required reading for every adolescent attending high school. ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive biography that transports readers into the world and mind - of the legendary Warren Buffett. The financial world's ongoing fascination with Warren Buffett is insatiable. Of Permanent Value hits bookshelves as the most comprehensive, informative biography yet on the investor who, through knowledge, savvy, and hard work, became the world's second-richest man. Avid investors will even find a chapter detailing Buffett's unprecendented investment record, quarter by quarter. Filled with fascinating strategies, compelling stories, and rare photos, Of Permanent Value delivers a hard-hitting but highly readable story of how Buffett built his empire - and what he plans to do next. It gives investors and Wall Street enthusiasts at every level: Behind-the-scenes stories of Buffett's remarkable rise; Personal details of Buffett's best investment moves; A candid examination of history's most successful investor. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The encyclopedia od all things Buffett
This book is the reference manual for any serious student of Warren Buffett. Besides all the inside scoops and anecdotes, there is a lot (and I emphazise lot) of thought provoking information within. Don't let it's size fool ya! It's an easy read. No investor should be without a copy of this book.

We all know Warren Buffett is the greatest investor.
I have tremendous respect and admiration for history's greatest investor. Andrew Kilpatrick chose a different style, short chapters of other people telling stories of Warren, and not a dry traditional biograpghy.

Mr. Kilpatrick did his homework on this story, but I was annoyed at the length of this biography. Yes, there was some humor and interesting insights in to Warren's life, but I got the picture about half way through the book. That picture is simple, Warren Buffett is the best.

Kilpatrick needs an editor
If an editor took out all the repetitious, irrelevant waste from this book, it would only be 200 pages. There are much better books about Buffett and BRK, and the annual reports are fabulous, but this book is a waste of time. It is poorly written and badly organized. It is as if he had written 100 short newspaper articles, and strung them together into a book about himself and his own relationship with BRK. He is obviously a nice man, and I am sorry he has not written a better book.

Hero worship.
The other biography of Buffett is by Lowenstein and is far superior to this disorganized, fawning, but very detailed work. The flattery of Buffett gets so thick in this book it's sickening. Some of the other reviewers have done a good job of describing the other problems with the book so I won't go into detail. It does have its strengths -- exhaustive detail and excellent sources -- the guy did serious amounts of research. My suggestion: by all means read this if you are an "intelligent investor" (but use a library copy). If you want to buy a book on Buffett, get Lowenstein.

For "Berk-Heads" Only
This is a relatively well-written book, telling the story of Warren Buffett in great detail. Let me emphasize this last part by repeating it: it tells the story of Warren Buffett _in great detail_.

Author Andrew Kilpatrick has tackled his subject with the dedication of a stalker. Throughout _Of Permanent Value_ readers will be told, not just how WEB has accumalated a mind-boggling fortune, but also how well he tips (or doesn't), who his favorite philosopher is and what type of car he drives. You'll learn of the different groups of Buffett fans, the relatives of Buffett, the foundation that will spread around his wealth after he's no longer tap-dancing to work. And you'll read accounts of (random) people who saw Buffett in China, who taught or went out with him when he was younger, and so on and so on ad infinitum.

As such, the book is primarily for those who want to know more about who Warren Buffett the person is, than about how one can be more like him financially. To those, then, who want to know how to invest like Buffett I do not recommend you read this book--at least not until after you've read the other, better books on this subject. These are _The Warren Buffett Way_ (my favorite), _The Making of an American Capitalist_, and _How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett_.

If you, however, _do_ want to know much more about Buffett than the average person, this book can not be recommended highly enough. Everything has been written down in the pages of this book--the only thing that wasn't discussed was whether Buffett wears boxers or briefs. (I'm sure Kilpatrick's saving this one for the next, revised edition however.) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

GOOD AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Good book out of print Amazon copy received was in near mint condition. 351 pages,30 pages of photographs. Not as mean as he was portrayed yet it is evident the author was a bit vain. he is obviously an interesting read. You learn "what makes him tick". If you are looking for a guide to riches this is not for you but if you are interested in learning about the richest man of his time then read this.

RANKING OVERALL 7/10 BIO INFO 8/10 USEFUL INFO 5/10 ... Read more

Book Description

America's top media journalist on the rise and fall of the industry's most colorful titan.

Ted Turner, the "mouth from the South," revolutionized television. Grasping cable's potential in its infancy, Turner parlayed a tiny UHF station in Atlanta into a national cable superstation; invented the world's first 24-hour cable news channel, CNN; and transformed the MGM film library into lucrative cable networks. Although Turner sold his company to Time Warner and was eventually ousted, his influence is still pervasive in the business world through his philanthropy.

Ken Auletta, whose New Yorker profile of Turner won a National Magazine Award for Best Profile in 2001, has written the first book-length retrospective on the volatile Turner and his roller-coaster career, and received the active cooperation of Turner himself, including fifteen hours of taped interviews. Media Man is a captivating view of a daring entrepreneur, a pioneering company, and the industry they helped create. 6 photographs.

About the series: W. W. Norton and Atlas Books announce the launch of a dynamic new series: ENTERPRISE pairs distinguished writers with stories of the economic forces that have shaped the modern world—the institutions, the entrepreneurs, the ideas. Enterprise introduces a new genre—the business book as literature. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Disney Book Loaded With Photos and Info !!
This 213 page book is just full of an endless supply of full color photos of everything Disney for the past 100 years. You'll learn all about Walt's early life and how his ideas created worldwide Disney worlds. Each chapter covers a decade from 1901 to 2001 !! Many of these pictures are archival and never made available before. The book provides many memories for "children" of all ages. It's a keeper. Enjoy !

No details
This is a great book about Disney Company. It goes chronologically from 1901 to 1999 and beyond. Every event in the company's history is put in the book, but without much detail.
Since he maintains Disney Archives, Dave Smith could have done a litle better, like he did with Disney's Encyclopedia.

Excellent
This book was excellent! It had terrific pictures and it told from 1901 when Walt was born until 2001. It is a great keepsake. I purchased mine at Walt Disney World during the 100 Years of Magic celebration.

An excellent overview of Walt¿s life and of the Disney Co
I really enjoyed this book. It is packed with lots of great photographs and artwork from Walt Disney and the Disney Company. It also has a really nice overview of the life of Walt Disney and the work of the Disney Company in text.

I appreciated the organization of the book. The book is arranged chronologically, which helped me to understand the flow of events better. This book has a very upbeat, positive tone and paints a very bright and exciting future for the Disney Company.

This book does not contain nearly as much information about Walt Disney as some of the biographies that I have read, but I don't think that was the goal of this book. This book does a very nice job of chronicling the art and the work of this great American icon and then continues the chronology with the work of the Disney Company in the post Walt era.

This book starts with very early Disney and takes the reader all the way through to Fantasia 2000. This is an excellent coffee table book. I highly recommended it to anyone that loves Walt, his work and the continuing work of the Disney Company.

Excellent!!!
Here is the definite Disney chronicle of the century, put together by the world's leading authority on everything Disney - Dave Smith, and his fellow-writer Steven Clark. Follow the fabulous story of Walt Disney and his magic empire year by year, from its humble beginnings in the American Midwest up to its present ever-expanding days. "Disney: the First 100 Years" is a well-written, informative and fun book to read. You get the entire story of the Disney Company on 198 pages (filled with great photos), and will undoubtedly find it fascinating. This book is a must-have for anyone who likes Disney, and honestly - who doesn't? I really recommend this one - buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

"The Making of a Blockbuster is an engrossing depiction of an out of nowhere, self-made American industrialist, Wayne Huizenga. It captures with intensity the true grit and dynamic, unwavering character of a blockbuster personality and his rise to this country's preeminent entrepreneur." — Sumner Redstone Chairman of the Board, Viacom Inc.

"This is more than a book. It's a fantasy about a man with great vision. A must read for anyone with dreams for their future." — Aaron Spelling Spelling Television Inc.

"I have always admired anyone who makes it on their own and Wayne has done that in a big time way while never forgetting where it all began. The whole story is between the covers of this fascinating book, The Making of a Blockbuster." — Frank Gifford ABC Sports

Despite all the media buzz surrounding Blockbuster video, little has been written about Wayne Huizenga, the charismatic man behind it all—until now. Here is the complete inside story of how this college dropout-turned-garbage collector rose to become a corporate titan. This eye-opening book reveals everything from Huizenga's incredible transformation of 19 Blockbuster stores into a $4 billion entertainment conglomerate to his successful entry into the sports arena as owner of the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, and the Florida Panthers. Huizenga's winning combination of business strategies, management style, and vision is explained in this book—a fascinating testament to the power of true grit, seat-of-the-pants dealmaking, and sheer entrepreneurial genius. The Making of a Blockbuster is an enthralling read for all who follow the entertainment and sports industries, and business readers who want to find out just how it's done. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Is Right On This One
It's not that the effort wasn't there or that the subject wasn't interesting but the style was rough. It does seem gushy at points and is a jumble of facts. I love Huizenga's story and do think the book is a worthwhile read, but the lack of smooth flow in the storytelling is distracting.

A real life course in entrepreneurship
Wayne Huizenga's life is a real life course in entrepreneurship, and business owners should make this book a must read. He has been a master at dealing with people, setting and achieving goals, and growing a business. This book is not one of the typical "vanity biographies." The author interviewed a wide variety of individuals in writing a rather balanced portrait of a dynamic individual ... Read more

Book Description

This is a collection of thirty portraits of individuals involved in all aspects of wine productions and consumption, superbly written by one of the most respected writers on wine in the world today.It is by no means restricted to Proprietors and producers, but includes wine merchants and traders, wine writers, and a sommelier.People are attracted to wine for all sorts of reasons.Some inherit properties and perpetuate the skills and traditions handed down to them, others start form scratch creating wine estates or transforming existing properties in the wish to improve diversity; the grand and the modest, the rich and the struggling, the standard bearers of tradition and bold innovators, old men and young women.Every person has been interviewed, and as far as possible ideas are presented in the words of the individual.The parade of personalities is deliberately international.But even so it has proved impossible in a book of this limited size to include individuals from every single wine-producing region of significance.The central focus of the book remains European, and rightly so, but voices are also heard from as far away as Oregon and New Zealand.Accompanying these wonderful essays are photographs of chateaux, cellars and bottles and enchanting line drawings of the protagonist. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An appealing, fascinating, fact-filled book
Wine People by Stephen Brook (contributing editor for Decanter magazine) is an impressive and informative collection of forty portraits of individual people who devote their professional lives to the many different nuances of wine production and consumption, from the wine creators and salesmen to critics and connoisseurs. Lush, full-page color photographs abound in this highly engaging account, written by a respected wine fancier for anyone who wants to know more about wine and the people who make it. Wine People is an appealing, fascinating, fact-filled book, and highly recommended for cultured wine devotees and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in learning more about the personalities and professions that comprise the wines and wineries of today! ... Read more

Book Description

On Her Own Ground is the first full-scale, definitive biography of Madam C. J. Walker -- the legendary African American entrepreneur and philanthropist --by her great-great-granddaughter, A'Lelia Bundles.

The daughter of slaves, Madam C. J. Walker was orphaned at seven, married at fourteen and widowed at twenty. She spent the better part of the next two decades laboring as a washerwoman for $1.50 a week. Then -- with the discovery of a revolutionary hair care formula for black women -- everything changed. By her death in 1919, Walker managed to overcome astonishing odds: building a storied beauty empire from the ground up, amassing wealth unprecedented among black women and devoting her life to philanthropy and social activism. Along the way, she formed friendships with great early-twentieth-century politi-cal figures such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington.

On Her Own Ground is not only the first comprehensive biography of one of recent history's most amazing entrepreneurs and philanthropists, it is about a woman who is truly an African American icon. Drawn from more than two decades of exhaustive research, the book is enriched by the author's exclusive access to personal letters, records and never-before-seen photographs from the family collection. Bundles also showcases Walker's complex relationship with her daughter, A'Lelia Walker, a celebrated hostess of the Harlem Renaissance and renowned friend to both Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. In chapters such as "Freedom Baby," "Motherless Child," "Bold Moves" and "Black Metropolis," Bundles traces her ancestor's improbable rise to the top of an international hair care empire that would be run by four generations of Walker women until its sale in 1985. Along the way, On Her Own Ground reveals surprising insights, tells fascinating stories and dispels many misconceptions. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Good Reading
This book tells the incredible story of Madam C.J. Walker and her rise to fame and fortune. The author, takes time to include the complex relationships between her and her daughter, neighbors, competitors and finanacial contributors of her business and political pursuits during the course of her life. She includes the good, the bad and the ugly.

A'Lelia Bundles has untangled the life of Madam C. J. Walker in a way that is easy to read and follow. My biggest critism is that some of the details of her business decisions did not get proper attention. Other than the well told stories of her travels to train "Walker Agents" and make inroads to some of the best known Negro business and political organizations there is little detail of business acquistions, product expansions, etc. Though the company continued until the mid 1980's, I am curious as to what happend to some of the key players of it's most properus time - Ransom, Mae Walker, and others - and who ran the business after the death of A'Lelia Walker, her daughter. These lingering questions are my reasons for giving the book 4 stars in stead of 5.

I would still recommend this book to anyone.

A compelling portrait of an American pioneer
On Her Own Ground details the life story of Madame C.J. Walker, best known for developing a line of hair care products. To know her only for this accomplishment would be short sighted, indeed. Born to slaves, Sarah Breedlove (her given name) was orphaned by age 7, married by age 14 and widowed with a small daughter by age 20. She was one of many women who took in washing to earn a living and to support her daughter. She began to experiment with hair salves when she noticed her hair was breaking and falling out. Tapping into a common problem for black women of the time, she began to produce and sell her discovery. This is also the story of a woman who was in the forefront of black educational and political movements of the early 1900's. She was friends (and sometimes adversaries) with many of the well known names of the time,including Booker T. Washington,Mary McLeod Bethune,and W.E.B DuBois. and a force behind providing educational and employment opportunities for African American women. Her daughter , who also helped run the family business was at the forefront of the Harlem Reniassance. Working against the prejudice of not only her race, but her sex, she built a family industry that exisits today ( although no longer in family hands).She built a home among the most wealthy of the time and enjoyed an income comprabable to any white, male executive of the time. A'Lelia Bundles has skillfully woven a complex portrait of a woman who shaped marketing techniques still used universally today. Using a wealth of family material (Bundles is the great-great granddaughter of Madam Walker)as well as other well documented sources, the author opens the door to a vibrant time in Black history, provides a historical context to help explain and compliment this amazing woman and tells a story so compelling that this is a hard book to put down.

My Speech On Mrs. Walker
Mrs. Bundles,
I just wanted to let you know, I got an 'A' for my presentation on your great- great grandmother. My teacher told me that my speech was on a 2nd year speech class level and that I was like a piece of brass, I just needed some fine polishing. I may have a future in motivational speaking and I just had to thank you. The information in your book was not only factual and informative, but interesting to me as well as my mother and sisters. Our family history could be parallel to yours, except we have yet to find the key to financial success, but we will.
I have fully enjoyed your book and reading what you yourself have been able to accomplish has been an added inspiration to me.
Thank you for your time in guiding me to my 'A'

A wonderful story, beautifully written
The author tells the amazing rags to riches story of her great great grandmother, while at the same time providing a detailed account of a fascinating time in American history. This was a delight to read. Highly recommended!

On her Own Ground
This book helps you to appreciate our past generations and how their struggles were not that different from our own. Madam CJ Walker is more than a shinning example of what anyone with determination can accomplish. A'Lelia Bundles is truly blessed that her great-grandmother and grandmother left so much documentation her to quench her love of family history. The experiences and stories of those that knew them take you back in time. This book helped me to look at my grandmother's antiques differently. I used to view them as beautiful things I have grown up with and am comforted by, but now I realize that they hold the key to what I may have been searching for all of my life. Just as she was drawn to the her grandmother's dressing table so was I. We are blessed as black women to have such a rich heritage to share. A'Lelia carries with her the dignity and pride of her family that I wish all of our young people could express. I think reading this book will help everyone to look to their past in a quest for the future. ... Read more

Book Description

Published in 1991, Carret's latest book is organized in three sections; autobiographical, personal and financial. He begins with his definition of the "money mind" and proceeds with a text that is both eloquent and inspirational. A unique, incisive and yet humble observer of the entire 20th century. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A bit dry
I'm sure Mr. Carret was a good, moral man, but this biography was a bit dry and disappointing. I expected more. What I got instead was a story of a nice man working in the investment field.

Phillip Carrett died in 1998 at age 101. He will be missed.
Just an addendum to the previous review. Phillip Carrett passed away in 1998 at age 101. He will be missed.Read this book to gain from his experience. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Pearls of Wisdom from How They Achieved

"Pride comes from knowing what you want to do and trying your best.You may not always get there, but you will be proud of the experience of trying your best.And if you really, really try and enjoy the process, nine times out of ten you will get there."––John Chen, President and CEO, Sybase

"Be the most passionate guy in the room.Not the smartest, not the cleverest, but the most passionate.Care more than anybody.You’ll be the guy that wins."––Ted Bell, Vice Chairman and Worldwide Creative Director, Young & Rubicam

"People who are lucky enough to be in a position to choose their career should ask themselves, ‘What interests me? What makes me really excited?’Then they should get going and never take no for an answer."––Susie Tompkins Buell, founder and former owner, Esprit Clothing

"People usually plan their vacations more carefully than they plan their careers.I’m a compulsive planner, but there were times when I had no idea what I was doing."––Bob Cohn, CEO, Octel and Lucent Technologies

"A lot of it is timing, but a lot of it is a desire to work hard and to contribute, to not be somebody sitting on the sidelines and commenting, but to be someone playing a part in what’s happening.It’s also having the courage to toss your ideas out even though eight out of ten of them will be shot down."––Jane Cahill Pfieffer, President, NBC, and former vice president, IBM ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A great achievement
Lucinda Watson made reality her dream of understanding how very successful people get where they are. The book is lucid and informative. More importantly it is inspirational. The great collection of interviews serves as a learning voyage into the minds of greatness and determination.

Highly Inspirational!
This book is very well organized, systematic, and most of all very very inspirational. It is a compilation of stories from 20 highly successful people. It is about how they made it, their inspirations, their values and beliefs and how all these factors combine to make them who they are today. These people are divided into 3 categories: CEO's, Entrepreneurs, and Visionaries. This distinction is very useful because there are different traits that are associated with each category. To be successful is to hold firm to your own beliefs, but we all know this is difficult because you will be taking enormous amount of risks and inevitably be facing a lot of insecurities. This book will remind you that you are not alone and many of these highly successful people have gone through the same thing. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to find support in achieving their goals and dreams.

Take it along on your summer vacation
This is a great book--full of interesting insights and sound advice, yet fun and spunky--just like the author.

There is no substitute for hard work...
I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Watson previously and this book is every bit delightful and enlightening as she is. Her book shows that strength of character, passion and hard work are the most important components to a successful business career and happy life. She brings her subjects to life, and leaves the reader with the impression of really knowing these super-achievers at a very intimate level. How They Achieved is a badly needed antidote to the Internet generation's belief of overnight success.

the most helpful book ever
Interesting and helpful, this book has made all the difference in making my business more succesful. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without it, thank you Lucinda. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Carnegie and the American Dream
Andrew Carnegie really epitomized the American Dream. His rags to riches story, while unusual in its extent, was the life every poor person's vision encompassed. His family was poor in Scotland, and even poorer after they immigrated to Pennsylvania. Carnegie's first job in a textile mill paid little, but it was a step in the right direction. Carnegie worked long and hard to support his family, and that hard work paid off eventually.
Once Carnegie had amassed enough money to be deemed 'respectable' he began his real climb to unbelievable wealth. He learned management skills while working for the railroad - a very complex business. It was while working for the railroad that Carnegie became obsessed with costs. It was by controlling costs that he was able to make such huge fortunes in the steel industry. His management techniques would probably not work today, because he was such a bully to his management team.
Carnegie's career mirrored the Industrial Revolution as a whole. He used the latest technology and the most efficient practices to make his factories grow. Unlike his competition, he was concerned with costs, not profit itself, because he knew that low costs led to greater profits. He also was different than the rest of the industrialists because he sold his steel mills and retired to become a great philanthropist.
When Carnegie was starting out, he tried to take care of the people who worked for him, but as his business grew, he saw them more as replaceable parts of a machine. He originally thought labor unions were a good thing, but later fiercely and violently resisted strikes. He needed to retain control over all the workers - hiring and firing, working conditions, even how fast workers were supposed to work. He did not allow his workers any control over their work.
Carnegie left a complex legacy. His many charitable gifts, especially the many Carnegie libraries built around the country, were a blessing for the less fortunate. However, his ruthless behavior in constructing his industry cannot be condoned by today's standards of ethical practices. He was definitely a man of his times and should be remembered as just that.
This book is short, readable, and contains interesting facts without overloading the reader.

This book details his life in general but not specifics
the book is interesting i must say. everything pretty much deals with the anglo cycle. You will not read of Carnegie dealing at all with African American people or other Minorities. Everything revolves around the white world, [i am just saying, positively] The author will explain that his mom motivated him since he was little to become a man in life, because his dad was average or just fell short of the expectations his wife wanted out of life. it deals with connections, how the aikens and hogans assisted the carnegies to come to United states when things got bad. I recommend this book to all who want to know some things about this man and his empire that he built, and the people who shaped him to be the man that he became. Life was tough, but his hard work, and optimism helped him thru in life to achieve the rewards that he wanted to obtain. The book does not talk about the women that were in his life. it would have been interesting if the author had mentioned if this guy [CARNEGIE] had any pretty voluptuous ladies after him at the work place, or babes who wanted to marry this future tycoon in his last day. The in side stuff would have been a fascinating chapter on this man.

Biography will give you picture of past, Superb book
I have to say that the book is well written by the author. The inner world lives of the Carnegies is explained. The leaving of Scotland due to the machine factories putting the commoners out of work is explained in detail. The goals of Andrew when he is a teenager are also explained, and the man who molded Andrew to become successful in life. The whole world focuses on him, and it is good. The only thing I found interesting was that the book did not say at all if Andrew Carnegie interacted with African Americans at all. It also did not emphasis the women who fell in love with the man[at the work place]. It is bound to happen . Those inner details are not explained , but alot is said in detail in how he got to be at the top. This book does not have any photographs at all inside the book. The book is of good size. book is recommended to all[WOMEN & MEN] who want to know about the man, and the time century-the nineteenth century.

Industrial revolution
Funny how it turns out that we only read these books in school. I read this for my first year American History class.

The book revolves around Carnegie and his rise to sucess during the late 19th century and early 20th century.

In the wake of the industrial revolution many indivduals like Carnegie succeeded. We see this with the Rockefellers who were the worlds first billionaires and with Carnegie , who was the first billionaire of the 20th century.

By the integration of horizontal and verticle industries we see how he has accomplished this. Again, the opportunity is here for us as the information age is still in it's infancy.

It involves both aspects from a historical look at an american immigrant and the ideal "American Dream". The economic outlook is equally helpful studying how he valued verticle and horizontal integration of industries.

steve@virtualpage.com

an enlightening, informative book of the man and his success
I was given this book to read as a requirement of my United States History Class in college. I am 36 years old and had heard of Mr. Carnegie, ie; Carnegie Hall in New York, but knew nothing of the man or his greatness. This book is an easily read biography of Andrew Carnegie and his successes and failures, the latter being few. The book reads easily and quickly, yet covers a great deal of information and circumstances in Carnegies life; letting the reader know and understand Mr. Andrew Carnegie more. I am pleased this was an assigned book and a required reading. I have a much better understanding of the industrial revolution and of Mr. Carnegie. I think anyone needing information on the Industrial Revolution or Andrew Carnegie will find this book very helpful, interesting, easy to read and informative. I certainly did. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Remarkable Medicine
This is a remarkable story, a remarkable man, and a remarkable medicine.A Dr. first gave this book to me 14 years ago - it changed my life. Like Jack Dreyfus I lost interest in things I once enjoyed and like Jack Dreyfus I lost perspective and couldn't watch the news which is full of so much horror and sadness.People would tell me I needed to keep well informed, but it created panic attacks and I couldn't get it out of my mind.Drs. experimented with all kinds of medications that made me very ill and some that are habit forming nightmares.ONE INFORMED Dr. gave me this book and with Dilantin helped me get off all the "expensive, helpful medicines" that were making me worse.This book is written from the heart - just as the research was conducted.Thanks Dr. Roberts - Thanks Jack!!!

Miracle drug or snake oil?
As a pharmacist, I found the book to be very inaccurate.Dilantin has proven nothing short of miraculous for millions of epileptics for the past 65 years, and has proven useful for peripheral neuropathy and (to a very minor extent) bipolar disorder, but it has side effects that are often very unpleasant and is notorious for producing drug interactions.

I believe that many alternative and off-label therapies have legitimate use, but this is a vanity publication that has about as much merit as supermarket tabloid advertising.

I am grateful that people have not bombarded their doctors with requests for this "miracle" drug.

Miracle drug or snake oil?
As a pharmacist, I found the book to be very inaccurate.Dilantin has proven nothing short of miraculous for millions of epileptics for the past 65 years, and has proven useful for peripheral neuropathy and (to a very minor extent) bipolar disorder, but it has side effects that are often very unpleasant and is notorious for producing drug interactions.

I believe that many alternative and off-label therapies have legitimate use, but this is a vanity publication that has about as much merit as supermarket tabloid advertising.

I am grateful that people have not bombarded their doctors with requests for this "miracle" drug.

fabulous and fascinating
this is one of the most informative and well written books - I found it after seeing the remarkablemedicine website - it tells of Dreyfus' realization of the amazing versatile uses of dilantin - a medicine that iseffective for a whole host of conditions and not just epilepsy. The book ismust reading for all doctors and everyone interested in biography - JackDreyfus - he hasunbelievable talents - and his discovery of the uses ofdilantin is so important the whole world should know it. Read the book andcheck out the website - this story is important for everyone to know.

amazing
I came across this book by chance,and it is the most amazing medical book I have read in a very long time. Jack Dreyfus met with two presidents, a vice president, the heads of the FDA and others to try and be a help tohumanity. This man started a foundation which has spent over 80 milliondollars trying to get the benefits of this drug out to the public. At theage of 45 he became severely depressed and was seeing a psychoneurologist 6time a week, and eventually had himself voluntarily commited. He asked hisdoctor to use this drug and was litirally helped within the hour. The bookreads like a novel after that as he struggles to let the world know aboutthe other uses of this drug.This man is a humanitarian of the highestorder, and this book will definitly change the lives of many people whohave a wide variety of illnesses. ... Read more

Book Description

Just who was the man whose name has become synonymous with the classic “rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul” scam in which money from new investors is used to reward earlier ones?  In December 1919, he was an unknown thirty-eight-year-old, self-educated Italian immigrant with a borrowed two-hundred dollars in his pocket.  Six months later, he was Boston’s famed “wizard of finance,” lionized by the public and politicians alike.  Based on exclusive interviews with people who knew Charles Ponzi, lent him their money, and exposed him, Donald Dunn’s Ponzi recreates both one of America’s most notorious and colorful financial con artists and the mad money-hungry era in which he thrived.

Reviews (3)

great for book clubs!
This book is a great read that all will enjoy! Fascinating story and very well written. I am recommending PONZI for my next book club meeting. And I can't wait for the movie to come out!

An engaging tale...
Like a great crime drama, "Ponzi" takes you down the amazing road of a simple huckster, and how close he came to making it big. I knocked it out in under 3 days; it's impossible to put down!

Perhaps the finest overview of Charles Ponzi!
To understand the Ponzi scheme, is to understand the basic root of all types of [cheating]. This book gives a wonderful overview of the life and times of Charles Ponzi. It is written as a historical novel, but seems to be very well researched! The epilogue alone is full of details concerning an important subject about whom little has been written. I only wish the book was footnoted as to references. Donald Dunn has done history a great service by documenting the life of Mr. Ponzi. THIS BOOK IS A "FUN READ" ABOUT A SERIOUS HISTORICAL EVENT! ... Read more

Book Description

The first comprehensive biography of John and Horace Dodge and the history of their company, Dodge Brothers. ... Read more

Book Description

The Real Jack Daniel, Straight Up

You know the brand, now meet the man. He was dapper and diminutive, with the soft, amiable drawl of the quintessential Southern gentleman. Upon first meeting the mature and successful Jack Daniel, few would have guessed that this elegant, mild-mannered aristocrat had clawed his way up from stark poverty, toiled for countless hours, risked his life many times, and overcome obstacles that crushed seemingly tougher men to achieve his success.

Blood &Whiskey tells the rousing and inspiring tale of this legendary distiller’s rise to fame and fortune. Reaching deep into the rich history of Lynchburg, Tennessee, author Peter Krass paints a compelling portrait of the post—Civil War South and reveals how an impoverished orphan, taken in by neighbors, discovered his calling at an early age and went on to create one of the most powerful and recognized brands in the world.

Critical Praise for Peter Krass’s Carnegie

"Seizing the mantle that J. F. Wall has held since 1970 as Andrew Carnegie’s definitive biographer, Peter Krass has written a superb new account of the legendary industrialist and philanthropist’s remarkable life . . . timely, balanced, revealing."
–Barron’s

"An objective and readable portrait of a fascinating, conflicted man."
–Dallas Morning News ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

"J. Peterman" is a name known to over 40 million consumers and business people, thanks to a unique mail-order catalog hailed as "witty, entertaining....the stuff of literature" (New York Times Magazine) and regular appearances of a "J. Peterman" character on the popular Seinfeld TV show.

Now the real John Peterman steps from behind his persona in a candid memoir that interweaves the rise and fall of the J. Peterman Company with a recounting of the unusual life experiences that shaped the man himself.

Starting with a $500 investment and one product-an ankle-length, cowboy-style duster coat bought on impulse in Jackson Hole, Wyoming-Peterman built a $75 million company. His unconventional "Owner's Manual" catalog used long, literate copy and artful watercolors instead of photos to surround his wares-whether a Navy watch cap or a deck bench from the Titanic-with an aura of adventure and romance. Then came a cash-flow crisis, Chapter 11...and a harrowing personal and professional reassessment.

Through autobiographical anecdotes (including his early years with the Pittsburgh Pirates), Peterman explains how to turn dreams into action, find courage to go beyond the conventional, and be part of a team without sacrificing individuality. He shows how true passion and drive are not defeated by failure, but used as a stepping stone for the next venture.

For anyone starting, growing, or running a business, Peterman Rides Again offers hard-won lessons in entrepreneurship and the painful (but essential) art of learning from mistakes. For consumers, it's a chance to finally meet up close the bon vivant and raconteur they knew from the pages of the catalog. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Confucius, Aesop, and Ben Franklin Ride Again
Peterman's Last Stand is a helpful reminder of the joys that dreams can give us - and the pain they sometimes cause. Through a series of anecdotes, flashbacks and parables, the author takes us through the rise and fall of his delightful company, candidly sharing the pitfalls of his naivete, the vagaries of the marketplace, and the brutal truths of the financial community. Sometimes witty, often wistful, the story offers an honest portrayal of the serendipity - and the reality - that go along with building a company out of a dream.

This is a treatise on honesty and hope: we are constantly reminded of the value of honesty - to ourselves, our peers, and especially to our ideals. The casual and folksy style makes this an easy read and a refreshing way to garner some valuable lessons about business while picking up some pointers for enriching our personal lives. John Peterman comes through as an individual we would like to get to know and with whom we would all like to share a beer and some yarns.

A Natural Entrepreneur's Entertaining Memoir
I read the book because I suspected there's a whole lot more to John Peterman than his fabulous-but-now-defunct catalog ("Owner's Manual") and the fabulous-but-now-defunct Seinfeld character (Elaine's "Mr. Peterman"). This book proved my suspicion. (The chapters are called: "Banana Boats, Cavalry Charges and Cowboys", "Dreaming and Doing", "Cheese Downstairs and Dusters Upstairs", "Peterman, You Must Be Crazy", "The Catalog That Started a Cult", "The Education of John Peterman", "Seinfeld and Me", "Why Generals Have Their Own Tents", "My Voyage on the Titanic", "Come at Once, We Have Struck a Berg" and "Climbing Back on the Horse". The mercurial Peterman writes in a quick, witty style that seems a little too light for a business book until you realize that he's actually teaching you something useful. His anecdotes add up to a very credible case study in personnel management -- not to mention, of course, merchandising, marketing, and finance. Example: See p. 112, where he writes that "True corporate culture runs deeper than dispensing free latte and letting employees go barefoot. And true motivation is more than a generous stock option." That segues into an incident that led an employee of the catalog company to notice that their mail list was out of whack -- it had a lot of addresses going to cities where there were federal prisons. He ends the section by writing "We were grateful for her discovery; it stopped a small problem from possibly becoming a costly one. More important, we were grateful for the show of initiative. We made a point of publicly congratulating her for what she'd done, giving her a well-deserved lift and energizing the rest of us, too. People talked about it in the halls, started looking for trends themselves, and frankly, I was motivated to finally bring our MIS out of the Stone Age." There's also some celebrity trivia (Ethan Hawke?!), sports trivia (Peterman once played second base for the Pittsburgh Pirates) and photos of him on his world travels.

The Triumphs & Failures of the Iconic J. Peterman Company.
If you're among the 40 million Americans who discovered an oddly shaped "Owner's Manual" in your mailbox between 1988 and 1999, you'll recognize John Peterman as the man behind the J. Peterman Company, whose often-imitated mail order catalog changed direct marketing forever. If you're not, John Peterman built a mail order apparel business on an archaically styled cowboy duster coat and a catalog that featured drawings, not photographs, of the items for sale, one item to a page, accompanied by long, poetic descriptions, that marketed mood more than specifics. "Peterman Rides Again" is John Peterman's story of the J. Peterman Company, the culture it created for its customers, and the life it created for himself. His account traces the company from its infancy selling dusters in magazine ads, through the beginnings of the mail order catalog that millions of Americans would read like a novel, to the J. Peterman Company's eventual decline in the mid-nineties and it's bankruptcy in 1999. John Peterman's prose is only moderately eloquent, but it's very readable. I found his discussion of various things the J. Peterman Company did right and the marketing, financial, and organizational decisions that were definitely wrong to be the most interesting aspect of the book. That and the details of upstarting a mail order business might interest any budding entrepreneur. For those of us who miss the early years of the J. Peterman "Owner's Manual", Peterman's account shows us the circumstances behind the bad decisions that I think most customers recognized and lamented at the time. "Peterman Rides Again" is an enlightening read for Mr. Peterman's former customers and anyone in the direct marketing business.

how to succeed and fail and get up again
solid business story with the details of the failures and successes. a good american business read about a product everyone who lived thru the 90's in the US remembers

Peterman vs Seinfeld re defamation of character
An inspiring account of an entrepreneur living the
American dream. I am suprised that John did not recognize the damage that Seinfeld's characterization of him as a pompus, self centered fool and jackass did not ring alarm bells and cause a suit against the continuation of his character assassination. Perhaps the fact that the actor portraying him was tall and handsome obscured the fact that John was portrayed as a sexist, racist, colonialist fool. The real John was a hard working innnovative businessman dedicated to selling unusual, sometimes rare items of clothing and accessories that represented value for a price. John is an innovative merchant who I believe will be successful again. This book is a must for any budding entrepreneur to read and heed, both the right and wrong way to start and manage an enterprise. ... Read more