Book Description

Reviews (41)

10 Stars....
Tom McMakin is a special person. He has to be; how else can one explain such a book from a corporate COO. I picked this book up on a lark when I read the jacket and learned that McMakin was the COO of Great Harvest. My wife and I love the bread and joke, at times, about junking our careers and getting a franchise. After reading Bread and Butter, we might just do it.

It is a Siddhartha for our times. Bread and Butter is a book that causes the reader to reflect on their life's path. McMakin weaves stories together in a way that makes baking bread a metaphor for introspection and renewal. The characters are role models for those seeking transformation.

All this and the book is a great read as well. McMakin gets your attention and keeps it with a writing style that is story telling at its best.

Get this book!

Work as Progress Towards Your Ideal Life
Bread and Butter combines five perspectives, and you will get more from the book is you can keep them separate in your mind:

(1) An American business success story built around superb bakeries;

(2) How entrepreneurs can choose stability and steady progress instead of overwork and riding a high risk roller coaster;

(3) A new business model for franchising fairly simple operations;

(4) How the right work can center your life around your authentic self; and

(5) The author's search for his purpose in life.

The book has a twin tale to tell, the history of Great Harvest Bread Company and how Tom McMakin found himself through his connection to the company. Arriving at the company in 1993 on a fluke, Mr. McMakin and his wife began working on a variety of jobs. Rapidly being promoted, Mr. McMakin was soon the chief operating officer of the company. But he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Faced with that crossroads in 1999 by the founders, he chose to write this book.

Great Harvest is a somewhat loosely aligned network of over 140 independently owned and operated bakeries located in 34 states. The company's headquarters is based in the small town of Dillon, Montana near lots of good outdoor recreational sites. The business succeeds because of a unique approach to providing fresh bread (selecting the farms where the wheat is grown one-by-one and testing the wheat by baking bread with it, freshly stone grinding the wheat every morning in the bakery, using high quality ingredients, offering samples to all who enter, being friendly, and expressing the unique personality of each bakery's owners and the employees), the interchange of good ideas among those who operate and own the bakeries, and the quality of the people selected to be franchisees. It's a sort of small town, homey version of an Internet study group dedicated to advancing the art of creating and serving terrific, healthy baked goods in a friendly way.

The founders and the franchisees are just as likely to share ideas about meditation, exercise, and spirituality as they are about the latest bread recipe. "How do we create health and strength in our personal lives and in the communities in which we work?" The answer they have found is to "work first on yourself." A key element is to "create business or work that is truly in service of your life." As an example of this philosophy, those who work in the company punch a time clock . . . to help ensure that no one works more than forty hours a week. Extra work would just drain the joy from the work and the giving to customers and employees. Many new franchisees have been top employees in franchised stores.

Chances are you have never worked for or even heard about a business like this one. I think you will find it interesting. At times, it does come across a little like an infomercial for the chain or its franchising, but take that with just a little butter and honey on your hot slice of bread and you will be able to swallow it all right.

This book is very hard to grade. I think the company's franchising model is probably a step forward for those with reasonably simple businesses to operate. So that aspect is definitely a five-star effort. The description of the company's history is not well hung together, so although it is fascinating, the writing is about a three-star quality. The work on how to avoid excess risk in start-ups and unbalanced lives is outstanding, and is worth five-stars. The descriptions of how the right work can improve all of your life is told at about a three-star level. The author's personal history is very jumbled and disjointed, and comes across as a two-star exposition. The book's structure is certainly awkward, and the style is more than a little preachy. So Bread and Butter is somewhere between a three and a four star book as a work of business thinking, management practices, or spiritual living. The author and the people described have a lot of heart though, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and rounded up to four stars.

If you like your business books cut and dried like a professor would do them, you will not like this book. Go visit a Great Harvest store instead,and talk to the people you meet there.

After you finish this very interesting and unusual book, I suggest that you think about where your work is at odds with your values and natural preferences. Where is your work drawing you towards doing better than you would do otherwise? Where is the opposite taking place? How can you change how you do your work to make it integrate into your life better?

Open up to the potential of building on your uniqueness!

Work as Progress Towards Your Ideal Life
Bread and Butter combines five perspectives, and you will get more from the book is you can keep them separate in your mind:

(1) An American business success story built around superb bakeries;

(2) How entrepreneurs can choose stability and steady progress instead of overwork and riding a high risk roller coaster;

(3) A new business model for franchising fairly simple operations;

(4) How the right work can center your life around your authentic self; and

(5) The author's search for his purpose in life.

The book has a twin tale to tell, the history of Great Harvest Bread Company and how Tom McMakin found himself through his connection to the company. Arriving at the company in 1993 on a fluke, Mr. McMakin and his wife began working on a variety of jobs. Rapidly being promoted, Mr. McMakin was soon the chief operating officer of the company. But he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Faced with that crossroads in 1999 by the founders, he chose to write this book.

Great Harvest is a somewhat loosely aligned network of over 140 independently owned and operated bakeries located in 34 states. The company's headquarters is based in the small town of Dillon, Montana near lots of good outdoor recreational sites. The business succeeds because of a unique approach to providing fresh bread (selecting the farms where the wheat is grown one-by-one and testing the wheat by baking bread with it, freshly stone grinding the wheat every morning in the bakery, using high quality ingredients, offering samples to all who enter, being friendly, and expressing the unique personality of each bakery's owners and the employees), the interchange of good ideas among those who operate and own the bakeries, and the quality of the people selected to be franchisees. It's a sort of small town, homey version of an Internet study group dedicated to advancing the art of creating and serving terrific, healthy baked goods in a friendly way.

The founders and the franchisees are just as likely to share ideas about meditation, exercise, and spirituality as they are about the latest bread recipe. "How do we create health and strength in our personal lives and in the communities in which we work?" The answer they have found is to "work first on yourself." A key element is to "create business or work that is truly in service of your life." As an example of this philosophy, those who work in the company punch a time clock . . . to help ensure that no one works more than forty hours a week. Extra work would just drain the joy from the work and the giving to customers and employees. Many new franchisees have been top employees in franchised stores.

Chances are you have never worked for or even heard about a business like this one. I think you will find it interesting. At times, it does come across a little like an infomercial for the chain or its franchising, but take that with just a little butter and honey on your hot slice of bread and you will be able to swallow it all right.

This book is very hard to grade. I think the company's franchising model is probably a step forward for those with reasonably simple businesses to operate. So that aspect is definitely a five-star effort. The description of the company's history is not well hung together, so although it is fascinating, the writing is about a three-star quality. The work on how to avoid excess risk in start-ups and unbalanced lives is outstanding, and is worth five-stars. The descriptions of how the right work can improve all of your life is told at about a three-star level. The author's personal history is very jumbled and disjointed, and comes across as a two-star exposition. The book's structure is certainly awkward, and the style is more than a little preachy. So Bread and Butter is somewhere between a three and a four star book as a work of business thinking, management practices, or spiritual living. The author and the people described have a lot of heart though, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and rounded up to four stars.

If you like your business books cut and dried like a professor would do them, you will not like this book. Go visit a Great Harvest store instead,and talk to the people you meet there.

After you finish this very interesting and unusual book, I suggest that you think about where your work is at odds with your values and natural preferences. Where is your work drawing you towards doing better than you would do otherwise? Where is the opposite taking place? How can you change how you do your work to make it integrate into your life better?

Open up to the potential of building on your uniqueness!

Could've Been Butter
This book was well written, and inspiring. However, after awhile it felt like I kept reading the same thing over and over again. The book could've been 100 pages shorter and i would've gotten the same thing out of it. Even though it was redundant, parts of it were fun to read and overall it was well written. I could see why it would want to make people start their own business. The main thing I got from this book was a craving for bread and butter.

Goodbye Atkins
Bread and Butter is a well-written book that is very inspirational. It leaves the reader hungry, and with the desire to start their own business, possibly a Great Harvest franchise. This book does get very repetitive and it is not exactly an edge of your seat type of experience. I liked how McMakin emphasized the importance of the quality of life, not just the quantity of money one obtains. Anyone who is struggling to balance their work and free time should read this book. I also recommend this book to anyone having trouble falling asleep at night, because this book may at times put you to sleep. I enjoyed learning about the Great Harvest Bread Company, and I am eager to go try some of this bread. I also enjoyed reading about people who have made a great life for themselves by working for this company. Overall I liked this book and I am craving bread. ... Read more

Book Description

In March 2000 Cisco Systems, with a market capitalization of $531 billion, was the most valuable company on the planet. With 44,000 employees and a stock price at $80 per share, Cisco was poised for unstoppable growth and unending glory. Six months later with the crisp smell of cold cash in the air, Cisco president and CEO John Chambers vowed to change the world. Who knew that in a matter of days disaster would strike?

The Eye of the Storm: How John Chambers Steered Cisco Through the Technology Collapse offers the gripping account of the high-tech American dream turned nightmare. Bestselling author Robert Slater's riveting narrative traces the path of Cisco's rise from anonymity to prosperity and then to its sudden, shocking fall, as a world without ceilings gave way to a world where no floor was in sight.

Through unprecedented exclusive interviews with Chambers and Cisco's top executives and unparalleled access to Cisco's private forums, Slater reveals the confidential working and insider decisions behind what was nothing short of a business miracle before the vision went temporarily awry. Unadorned and unequivocal, this is the fascinating story of how Chambers, once widely hailed as "King of the Internet," navigated Cisco through a period of inconceivable success before guiding his company through unimaginable misfortune.

Throughout this engaging tale of the birth and death of the new economy, Slater gleans pearls of business wisdom and essential lessons for corporate decision-making in the new millennium. Collected here are the brilliant maneuvers that catapulted Cisco to glory and the devastating mistakes that brought the company low. The Eye of the Storm is a story at once captivating, instructive, and provocative. Never again will we forget that our soaring revenues of today may well become our plummeting stock prices of tomorrow.

Slater's incisive and illuminating firsthand account takes you behind the scenes from the boom to the bust through to the recovery of a company that has earned its place in the history books asone of America's greatest.

Reviews (1)

Informative but not tough enough
As the author readily admits, his book was rewritten when his subject, Cisco CEO John Chambers, was suddenly presiding over a shrinking, rather than expanding, company. The rewrite shows in the final product.

Robert Slater explains Cisco's fabulous rise well. The key players granted him interviews and seemed happy to discuss the company's glory days in length. The company's subsequent decline beginning in 2000 is not treated as well. I didn't learn nearly as much about Cisco's fall as the book's title would suggest I should have.

After covering business icons such as Jack Welch and George Soros, I wonder if the author was really prepared to take the critical approach necessary to cover the decline of Cisco that John Chambers oversaw.

And as if he felt the need to justify the subject matter, Slater repeatedly mentioned the fact that Cisco was the most valuable company in the world, if only for a second. The reference got annoying.

Overall, anyone who wants insight into the roots and management team at one of the world's most important tech bellwethers should read this book. There are some fascinating revelations here such as how close Cisco came to acquiring hub maker SynOptics Communications in 1993. At the same time, I was disappointed he completely omitted information about Cisco's close M&A relationship with Silicon Valley venture capital firm Sequoia Capital in the late 1990s.

While Slater's ninth chapter about Cisco's dealmaking techniques comes to the conclusion that most of its deals had little or no effect on the company, true M&A junkies might be better off reading Ed Paulson's adulatory book, Inside Cisco, to learn more about the communications equipment maker's aggressive corporate development program. ... Read more

Book Description

Construction of infrastructure, a pre-requisite for sustained socioeconomic growth, often requires acquisition of land and, therefore, physical relocation and economic displacement of people. If such impacts, collectively characterized as involuntary resettlement, are not identified and adequately mitigated, some already vulnerable populations are likely to be further impoverished, thereby undermining development objectives.

Involuntary Resettlement Sourcebook clarifies many policy and technical issues that confront resettlement policymakers and practitioners. It provides guidance on resettlement design, implementation, and monitoring, and it discusses resettlement issues particular to development projects in different sectors.

The Sourcebook will be useful to a wide range of stakeholders. Its primary audience is resettlement practitioners, who have a role in the actual design, implementation, and evaluation of resettlement programs. The sourcebook will also be of interest to policymakers and project decision-makers. ... Read more

Book Description

"Excellent."

--Business Week

"Interesting . . .Hogan makes a convincing case for White Castle's influence."

--Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post

"A fascinating story . . . Hogan tells a truly American success story-luck andhard work working behind one man to create an industry so pervasive that today it's an integral part of American pop culture."

--Publishers Weekly

"A scholar's lively account of how White Castle, now a largely overlooked but still profitable also-ran in the domestic restaurant trade, made the once-scorned hamburger a U.S. institution and launched the fast-food industry . . .Informed and engaging perspectives on an often ignored aspect of cultural and commercial Americana."

--Kirkus Reviews

"Full of fascinating details, not only for devotees of the ubiquitous 'slider,' but also for pop-culturists interested in American fast food and how it all got started."

--Minneapolis Star Tribune

... Read more

Reviews (8)

I think I¿ll wolf down a dozen
SELLING 'EM BY THE SACK can be perceived and read for any one or more of several reasons. As an informal textbook on business management, or maybe marketing. As a social commentary on the rise of fast food, or possibly what defines America to the rest of the world. Or, as just a history of the hamburger from a culinary standpoint.

The author, David Hogan, effectively makes the case that White Castle and its founders, Billy Ingram and Walt Anderson (especially the former), were the originators of the fast food "carryout" concept, and that they established the humble hamburger as the distinctive ethnic cuisine of the USA. The evolutionary history of White Castle from the early part of the 20th century to the present is described, from its founding in Wichita in 1921, through the Depression and two wars (W.W.II and Korea), to the era of the big chains (like McDonald's and Burger King), which, miraculously, have not brought about its demise. Along the way, Billy Ingram and his successors have successfully coped with an endless series of challenges, the first of which was to make the hamburger perceived as a sanitary and healthy food at all. Then came standardization of the product, national expansion, gaining credibility with and acceptance from the middle class, coping with war rationing, the hiring of women, surviving the rise of the superchains, adapting to suburbanization of the cities, defending against rising urban crime, facing increasing government regulations, and answering the health-conscious critics' attacks on the fast food lifestyle.

Today, White Castle survives as a barely medium-sized chain in the north-central and northeast regions of the United States. It has kept alive the guiding principles of its founders, has acquired a fanatical following, and remains profitable at a time when even larger chains, like Burger Chef and White Tower, have since disappeared from the American landscape.

SELLING 'EM BY THE SACK is not a "thriller", offers no high drama, is written with no humor whatsoever, and is actually a little dry. Had it been about a brand of toothpaste or bread, I wouldn't have bothered. But, it's about hamburgers. (Oddly enough, cheeseburgers are never mentioned in any context.) So, I read it, was entertained, and learned a lot.

I've never eaten a White Castle. Where I live, in Southern California, the brand is represented only by its frozen burgers that one can buy in the supermarkets. I've seen them in packages of a dozen. They seem ridiculously small when compared with McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Jack-In-the-Box, Carl's, or In-'n'-Out. I think I'll buy a "sack".

Hamburger History
Before there was the fast food hamburger shops of today, there was White Castle. And before White Castle, the lowely hamburger was not a respected food. Selling 'Em By the Sack describes the history of the hamburger in American culture and why White Castle started in Wichita, KS. Not only a history lesson about White Castle but a social history of American eating habits in the 20th century. So forget about those other hamburger joints and read where it all got started.

A must-have!
This is a great book. It very nicely documents the rise of the hamburger and White Castle in 1920's America. Hogan follows White Castle through the early times, when a man could work there and make enough to support a family, through the depression, the rough war years, and more recent competition with the fast food giants. I'm not sure why he waited until the last two pages to tell readers what makes White Castle special and has enabled it to persist for so long....but this is a minor complaint. Excellent!

So where can I find a White Castle?
This book is very well researched, informative, and an interesting read. I loved reading how White Castle evolved over the years. A lot of hard work went into this book and it's well worth your time. Read it, and hopefully there will be a White Castle nearby for when you start craving a sackful.

"yeah, give me 3 cheese, 1 bacon cheese, 2 castles,..."
While not the best historical type book I have read, it was enjoyable for myself a Castle lover out here in San Diego. It made me crave getting in my car and heading towards the nearest drive thru. I know, I know, they sell em at any grocery store, but it just isn't the same man, it just isn't the same! The book is a MUST-READ for any who constantly has THE CRAVE! ... Read more

Book Description

Growth Company is the story of a century of industrial drama told by an insider who has been associated with the firm and its top managers since 1953.Written in celebration of the firm's 100th anniversary, it traces the rise of an archetypical growth company from its unlikely beginnings in a dying lumber town in the backwoods of central Michigan.Later a Wall Street favorite, it made many of its early investors wealthy; it has not missed or decreased a dividend since 1911. ... Read more

Book Description

The first comprehensive history of the Chrysler Corporation, this book is intended for readers interested in the history of automobiles and of American business, and for fans and critics of Chrysler's products. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

a major contribution to business and technological history
In many ways the most interesting of the "Big Three" automobile manufacturers, the Chrysler Corporation has seen as many ups and downs as the evocative title of this volume suggests. Charles Hyde, a professor of history at Wayne State University, has produced a thorough, scholarly, yet highly readable book on a company that was the second largest producer of automobiles in North America at several points in its long history and was nearly out of business at others. The main thread of this fascinating story begins with the formation of a new automobile company by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925 and ends shortly after the merger of Chrysler and Daimler-Benz in 1998. However, Hyde has also given us detailed coverage of the developments that led up to the formation.

This is primarily a business history with a focus on corporate management and the marketing of automobiles. It is also a study of Chrysler products and the technology that created them. Hyde is both an economic historian and an industrial archaeologist. His understanding of assembly line production and the architecture of automobile plants is second to none. He says in his preface that "The origins of this book go back to late 1980, when I took on the monumental task of documenting the sprawling Dodge Main factory complex in Hamtramck, Michigan, before its demolition."

Hyde has filled an important need by writing the definitive history of the Chrysler Corporation. This is much more than a synthesis of existing scholarship. Most of his
interpretation is based on original archival research. Among the many significant historical contributions is his coverage of Dodge Brothers, which became a key part of Chrysler in 1928. Also very impressive is Hyde's discussion of the Chrysler Airflow (1934-1937), a major advance in engineering but a failure in style and sales. He even devotes an entire chapter to Chrysler's amazingly effective shift to military production for World War II.

The fascinating characters in this book give it a vitality lacking in most business histories. Hyde provides a new look at Walter P. Chrysler, one that sometimes differs from the image that this dynamic captain of industry tried to project in his autobiography. Those who need another fix of Lee Iacocca stories will not be disappointed. We also learn a great deal about such important but often overlooked figures as Carl Breer and Virgil Exner, who had so much to do
with the form and function of Chrysler products.

Riding the Roller Coaster should be required reading for anyone with an interest in the automobile industry. Serious scholars will welcome the new information and insights that Hyde delivers in every chapter. Those who simply love cars or want to understand the business strategies that produce them will also be pleased by this fine book.

Entire Chrysler story: Dodge/Plymouth/Exner/NASCAR/Up/Down..
I really like old Chrysler and especially old Dodge cars and trucks and until I read this book I hadn't read the entire company story in one book before. There are other books about Walter Chrysler and the Dodge Bros. and Lee Iacocca and their cars but not everything told together in one big story before. This book starts at the very beginning of Walter Chrysler's career when he worked sweeping the floors at the Chicago & Great Western Railroad and how he was one of the early pioneers that saw the potential of the automobile. Eventually he went to work for Buick and learned the business so well he bought his own car company.

This book also tells the curious history of the Dodge Bros. and how they worked with Henry Ford but then decided to build their own Dodge Bros. cars which Chrysler later bought out. The book covers the Great Depression and how the company managed to get through it when so many other companies failed. The author also tells how Chrysler contributed to WWII by building military equipment. I especially liked the chapters on the '50's and 60's which tells about how Chrysler needed to build dealerships in the suburbs and sun belt states to survive--I hadn't ever read that before--and how they got Virgil Exner to design their cars. I really liked the parts on Carl Kiekhaefer and NASCAR in the mid-'50s.

I kind of get tired of reading about Lee Iacocca so I mostly skipped over that part and I'm not much interested in the later Chryslers except the Viper but I thought this was a really good book about the company. It's got some statistical tables and lots of illustrations. I met the author at my library where he spoke about his book and he was very friendly and signed my book.

Nothing new
This book is fine for someone who has no previous knowledge of the subject. However, for anyone who has read other materials on this topic, this book had nothing new to say, even though there was much that could be said, particularly of the post-Iacocca and post-DC merger eras.

For my money, Moritz' and Seaman's "Going For Broke" remains the best book on the history of the old Chrysler Corp., even though that book is now 23 years old.

Well Done History of an Important American Company
Books on the history of companies have never interested me much. When my friend told me he had finished writing his book on Chrysler, I cringed because I knew Charlie would expect me to read it. Poring through a boring company history was not something I looked forward to. But I figured I would bite the bullet and at least skim through it. My father and brother worked for Chrysler and my daughter is working there this summer as an interne. With the pathetic exception of a Ford Pinto, all the cars I have ever owned were Chryslers. So maybe by reading this book I would learn a something interesting about the company my family is associated with as laborers and the cars that I owned.

Much to my surprise I found this history of Chrysler to be very interesting and entertaining. Riding the Roller Coaster brings to life the history of Chrysler by focusing on the key people who contributed to the company's development, including Walter P. Chrysler and Lee Iacocca. Charlie covers labor issues, gives enough details of technological developments for a novice to follow along, and discusses all the important points of Chrysler's complex history even including the Redstone missile that my father first worked on when he joined the company. Charlie's analysis of the key people at Chrysler is balanced but he does not shy away from making critical observations. In his chapter discussing the "merger" between Chrysler and Daimler, Charlie does not hold his punches.

The roller coaster analogy is perfect. Reading through the ups and downs of Chrysler I reflected on how these changes affected my family and realized that we too, like other families of Chrysler workers, were riding this same roller coaster. This book helped put my experiences as a child of a Chrysler employee into perspective. I recall the times my dad was laid off or on strike and when my dad briefly moved us down to Louisiana so he could work at the Michaud plant where the Redstone missile production was transferred. Now I better understand these shifts in the fortunes of my family.

I also enjoyed reading about the introduction of the various car models, the story to their creation, their special features, problems some of them faced, technological achievements incorporated in others, their marketing success or failure, etc. It was fun to reflect on all the Chrysler products my family has owned over the years. The two-toned black and pink 1956 Plymouth Belvedere with the awesome tailfins that was totaled in an accident soon after my dad bought it. This is the first car I can remember. This was one of Chrysler's "Forward Look" models. The last car my dad owned was a K-car Plymouth Reliant that seemed like it would last forever and played such an important role in Chrysler's recent history. As the owner of four Minivans, reading about their development, introduction, and modification was informative.

But of all the Chrysler cars I can recall, the one I remember most particularly is the 1957 Dodge Coronet my dad owned with push button automatic transmission. Now I know that this was the Powerflite automatic transmission with pushbuttons on the dashboard introduced in 1956. I distinctly recall this car because when I was four or five I sat in my dad's car, innocently parked in our drive way, and continuously pushed the buttons until I succeeded in jamming them. My father had to call a tow truck, he was not pleased! Apparently the Chrysler engineers had not taken into account how fascinating the buttons were to a kid.

All in all Riding the Roller Coaster does a very good job reviewing the history of Chrysler and I would recommend it to anyone interested in this company. Charlie is a good writer and he makes it a pleasure to turn the pages. Reading this book was a pleasant walk through my family's association with Chrysler as both workers and consumers. If you can find a better book on Chrysler--buy it. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the story of how one company created and codified a new science "on the run," away from the confines of the laboratory. By construing its service as scientific, Schlumberger was able to get the edge on the competition and construct an enviable niche for itself in a fast-growing industry. In this engaging account, Geoffrey Bowker reveals how Schlumberger devised a method of testing potential oil fields, produced a rhetoric, and secured a position that allowed it to manipulate the definition of what a technology is. Bowker calls the heart of the story "The Two Measurements That Worked," and he renders it in the style of a myth. In so doing, he shows seamlessly how society becomes embedded even in that most basic and seemingly value-independent of scientific concepts: the measurement. Bowker describes the origins and peregrinations of Schlumberger, details the ways in which the science developed in the field was translated into a form that could be defended in a patent court, and analyzes the company's strategies within the broader context of industrial science. Inside Technology series ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Better title: Boeing Aircraft
The book is a good look at Boeing's aircraft, from 1916 to present --- you see the 707 for the first time 43 percent through the book. Lots of color photos. Photos of older aircraft are mostly recent photos of restored planes.

I recommend it if you're into climb rates, engine model numbers, service ceilings, and other minutiae. If you're interested in the company and the people in it, its struggles and triumphs, you'll get very little of that here.

If It Aint Boeing, I Aint Going!
As a former US Air Force weather officer, the above quote was one I heard Boeing B-52 bomber crews often say half-jokingly when flying combat missions in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. They flew through all sorts of high-level and low-level turbulence, sandstorms, dust, active thunderstorms, low level wind shear, anti-aircraft flak, and guided surface-to-air missiles in their trusty 32 year old Boeing heavy bombers and swore allegiance to them like they had been hearing the sounds of Orpheus. The same rabid fidelity is heard from Boeing airliner pilots often and, we all have heard of the legendary Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress' rugged durability in battle during World War II. Aircraft made by Boeing have had and continue to have a remarkable mystique about them. This book does a great job explaining that mystique and is just plain fun to look at and read!

The book totals 192 pages and is oddly sized on 10½ by 10½ inch paper. The whole story of Boeing from it's early days during World War I up through 1998 are told in very readable text. A generous amount of high quality pictures are used to illustrate each development. Chapters cover the floatplanes and fighters of the early days, pre-WWII development of airliners, the Boeing bomber heritage, the classic early jetliners, medium range airliners, the 747, the 757 and 767, and next generation aircraft including the 777. A useful appendix is included listing each Boeing "Model number" with the type of aircraft it is better known as, how many were built, and when they were produced.

This is a very enjoyable coffee-table book for all people both young and old interested in aircraft. Kids will love looking at the pictures, average adults will greatly enjoy the clearly explained history and development, and even Boeing veterans will probably learn a few things! I feel safe to say that this is a book you will have in use on your bookshelf for a long, long time. It should be best for kids as they will likely grow in understanding of airplanes as time goes on and interest in the field continues beyond just pictures. It's a great buy for anyone! Go for it!

If a toddler could write
Being an aviation buff, I did buy this book for me, but intending to show it sometimes to my 2yr'old kid. As it turned out, the kid got absolutely fascinated by it, much more than by his other board books, and much more than by other adult aviation books. Don't know what it has to be so special to him, but I know of no other book that has been enjoyed so much.

Well produced, informative overview of Boeing's history.
Heavy, gloss paper, large full plate colour photos. This nice-to-behold book covers the history of Boeing, dedicating about 50% to pre-war military and commercial models - the remainder to post-war commercial jets.

For example: the Boeing 707/720 chapter is covered in 18 pages - with scope ranging from the prototype Dash 80, through to US Air Force CFM re-engined KC-135 tankers. Nearly all pages contain at least one bright glossy photo to accompany the text.

A good balance between technical & political issues, commercial and military types - even if you must only have 1 high-quality Boeing book for your coffee table, then this one is it!

"Boeing", the book.
First the mistakes: -There is no tables with the especifications of the aircraft and, i think, that could be interesting. -I would like to see a photograph with a Boeing wearing the colours of Iberia (That's not really a mistake). The history of Boeing is really good driven by the authors, and the history of each plane is very detailed and easy to read. The curiositys are very interesting. And, what do you say about the pictures?. Only a word: fantastic. I'm really amazing with this book and i recommend it for all aviation enthusiastic. ... Read more

Book Description

Includes almost every aspect of the opportunities and challenges facing American Industry since 1945 and of its inadequacies, as well as the institutional arrangements within which smaller industrial enterprises had to operate. ... Read more

Book Description

Supplying lessons from today's most celebrated and successful business thinkers, DK's Business Masterminds series is perfect for people hoping to advance their corporate careers, make their own businesses grow and prosper, or achieve personal goals. In addition to providing overviews of each mastermind's most influential writings and speeches, each title is packed with full-color charts, diagrams, and photographs that graphically illustrate complex concepts. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

If you can't beat them join them
As a member of the proletariot, I have found after years of immense slumber that value investing is the way to go. True kapitalism is not perfect, but communism seems far worse. So in conclusion Komrads, value investing is the best way for the proletariot to enter the bougerousie.

good reading for business minds
I would strongly recommend the book for all MBAs, serious investors.

It provides valuable insights into the art of investing and conducting business. The practical aspects of what is not taught in B schools are covered in the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Seventy-six revealing histories of the people behind America's most recognized brand name products, including:

Anheuser Busch
• Buster Brown
• Kellogg's
• Campbell's
• Dr. Pepper
• Gillette
• Heinz
• Mcdonald's
• Wrigley •
and many, many more ... Read more

Reviews (2)

All you want to know about the most recognizable brands
John Gove did an excelent job in making short biographies of the most important brand creators. But, most of all, I enjoyed his afterword reflexion where he enhances the necesity to recognice the importance of brands in the construction of a nation.

Another average reference book.
A very handy little reference book which gives the stories behind the big brand names in US business. It also give a short biography of the key players in business. Nothing spectacular but good to have on your reference shelf together with your dictionary if you want an anecdote or two in presentations! The references at the end are a useful bibliography. ... Read more

Book Description

This book tells the Boeing story from its beginnings in a Lake Union boathouse, to its present status as the premier builder of commercial aircraft in the world.Trace the development from the first Boeing mailplanes to the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Superfortress of WWII to the first jetliner, the 707, to today's mammoth 777.Also examines Boeing's manufacture of helicopters, hydrofoils, and aerospace technology.Includes 100 color and 250 b/w photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good, Comprehensive History of Boeing
I found this book provided a well written history of the Boeing corporation, from its roots with a short airplane ride for Bill Boeing to becoming the largest producer of commercial jets in the world, and the second largest defense contractor in the United Sates. The achievements of ths company are truly amazing, as well as the aircraft they have built, from the B-17 Flying Fortress to the 747-400 Jumbo Jet.If you've ever flown in a commercial jet before, it was probably built by Boeing. Read this book if you want to learn more about the company that has had perhaps the greatest effect on transportation in our time.

EXELENT
Exelent book with wonderful pictures and tons info on Boeing. It talks about Boeing from the begining of the company, and up to the recent Boeing 777 and merger with McDonnel Douglas in 1996. This book is very informative on Boeing's history and I really like it.

Nice book about Boeing
I especially like airliners, and I am not so much into military planes. Therefore the large sections on the B17, B29, B47 etc downgraded my rate to a 4 star. But I must admit, the (military GA-2) section was very funny. My copy is an old one from 1983. So the chapter 'A new era' shows the prototypes of the 757 and 767 and a model of a 7-7 (certainly not a 777). Check out what the new era is now. All aircraft are covered including the lesser known beautiful 307 Stratoliner and the classic model 247. Lots of colorfull pictures, and a informative text. A real nice to have book if you are interested in that other company from Seattle ... Read more

Book Description

Levi's jeans are the consummate American icon. For nearly 150 years, Levi's jeans have been woven into the very fabric of American history and culture.

America's love affair with jeans is movingly documented, and the wonderfully original Levi's advertising campaigns brilliantly reproduced.

From the gold fields of California to the oil fields of Oklahoma, from wheat fields of Kansas to cattle drives in Texas - from Woodstock to Haight Ashbury to Rodeo Drive - Levi's jeans is the way to go. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wish levi's would make cool pants again
Well put together informative history of an American icon. Levi's was hailed by musicians, writers, and painters. From Warhol, to James Dean, this book covers it all. In the end it leaves one wanting for the good ol' days when Levi's made good looking clothes that fit right and catered to the more sensible segments of the populations instead of all the kids that enjoy justin timberlake, listen to the strokes, or want to wear their pants so baggy that their underpants hangs out the back. ... Read more

Book Description

Relive the golden age of Milwaukee motorcycling with this unique book that goes beyond the rest. Read intimate accounts from company officials, dealers, and riders of classic Harley Davidson motorcyles of the 1930s. Hundreds of period photographs from private collections and massive text trace the development of the H-D Big Twin from the sidevalve VL to the '61 and '74 models, and the legendary Knucklehead. Experience the Milwaukee motorcycle scene from the men and women who lived it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Knucklehead History
A historical tale (from the factory workmans' point of view) explaining the deco-design of the first 61 cu.in. Knucklehead motor. In my opinion, Mr. Wagners best work. If you own an original; or you're building a V-Twin (Tedd Cycle,Inc.) Replica Knuckle, you will need this book for stoke. A chronicle of club-life in Wisconsin, before the 2nd World War, there are family names repeated in this text (i.e; Kokesh; Knuth; Deckert; Ulicki; Beguhl; and Matheus) connected with Harley-Davidson, that you still hear about today. An insight as to the working conditions at the factory (in the best of times) can be read in this excerpt: "The founders had divided their responsibilities early and stuck with them. They demanded top quality work and usually got it. They desired to build things correctly-they only accepted what they knew was right. For that reason there weren't many surprises around Harley-Davidson. The atmosphere was predictable, calm, and relaxed. So many guys had worked there all of their lives, that some referred to the company as the "Old Soldiers' Home". It was the last place you'd expect a crisis.-
If you were known around the factory, like Frank Matheus was, they didn't care much where you went or what you saw. That's how Frank saw the prototype Sixty-one Overhead two years before the rest of the world".
As this book illustrates, Wisconsin had their own scene. They didn't need California. This is a darn-good read and once you start building a machine, a re-reader. Those people lived a life back then. The pictures prove it.© Kirk Perry 2001

A review of H-D 1930-1941
The book gives a refreshing view of incredible machines and what they were truly designed for. The author describes, in depth, how the machines were used for everything from the sublime to the rediculous on a daily basis. He walks the reader into a time that is long gone, dwells there with him (or her) in the legendary Visitors' Room, then races the reader onward to the swamps and backlands that earned the cycles' reputation. He illudes to a peaceful, contented feeling that can only be shared, alone, on a quiet hidden roadway that only the rider knows exists. He shows just how a cycle was meant to be ridden by the men who refined the machine, not the men who designed it. I can't say enough about this book. NOTE: If you believe that a motorcycle is a work of art and should be kept spotless and under glass, don't purchase this book. You'll be sorely disappointed.

JB#52

Olden ways in olden days
Historical account of the men and machines of yesteryear. This book is not layed out as a technical or motorcycle repair manual. It's straight forward and addresses the evolution of the Harley Davidson flathead design from it's inception to the end of production. Chronologically laid out it glides you through the changes in attitude and design. A must read for the true enthisiust. A fine job by the author of keeping the subject readable and understandable.

great human perspective.
This books first hand accounts of this pivotal era of harley davidson history make it a must read for any harley nostagia buff. The photos alone are worth the purchase price. Mr Wagner has done a fine job of bringing a bygone era to life.I have enjoyed this volume many times. ... Read more

Book Description

A Machine to Make a Future represents a remarkably original look at the present and possible future of biotechnology research in the wake of the mapping of the human genome. The central tenet of Celera Diagnostics--the California biotech company whose formative work during 2003 is the focus of the book--is that the emergent knowledge about the genome, with its profound implications for human health, can now be turned into a powerful diagnostic apparatus--one that will yield breakthrough diagnostic and therapeutic products (and, potentially, profit). Celera's efforts--assuming they succeed--may fundamentally reshape the fabric of how health and health care are understood, practiced, and managed.

Presenting a series of interviews with all of the key players in Celera Diagnostics, Paul Rabinow and Talia Dan-Cohen open a fascinating window on the complexity of corporate scientific innovation. This marks a radical departure from other books on the biotech industry by chronicling the vicissitudes of a project during a finite time period, in the words of the actors themselves.

Ultimately, the authors conclude, Celera Diagnostics is engaged in a future characterized not by geniuses and their celebrated discoveries but by a largely anonymous and widely distributed profusion of data and results--a "machine to make a future."