5 comments about Display of Power: How FUBU Changed a World of Fashion, Branding and Lifestyle.

1. Have you ever gotten a book and you wanted to like it no matter what? Even during areas you weren't particularly fond of, you just kept on pushing along? Well, that's what I tried to do with this book. Before I read it, I was the biggest cheerleader of FUBU you ever wanted to see: I had outfits, boots, and I've bought more than a few FUBU gifts for Christmas gifts. But after reading this book, chances are I will never buy this product again. I'm so utterly disappointed right now.
   
   Cons: The creator seemed so deadset on pushing as many stereotypes in one book as he possibly could. If there's one thing that annoys me, it's when someone goes waaaay out of their way to prove that they are from the streets. People who are REALLY of and from the streets don't feel the need to brag about it so much; it's apparent as soon as they walk into a room and their mannerisms. But this guy just kept on talking about how "street" he was and kept trying to provide examples that say "Look! I'm street! Look at me!" I didn't find his anecdote about stealing childrens' flashlights and clothes funny, especially since he was a counselor. I didn't think it was cute when he denied being a drug dealer but admitted to selling weed. It annoyed me that his mother had to take on three jobs just because he chose to fail a test out of pure laziness. It blew my mind that he gave the Jewish guys who wanted to give him a chance the runaround just because they kept their options open, even though he would've been bankrupt in four months had he not accepted their offer. I thought it was absolutely dumb of him to accept such a massive amount of orders when he knew he didn't have the body power to get these clothes to the customers. Who in the world burns clothes, and continuously runs from the police and fire trucks? And why would you burn clothes long enough to get a tan? Some of the stuff in this book was just absolutely outlandish, and I couldn't get the sneer off my lips. But I still read on, in hopes of admiring these four brothas who promoted clothes "for us, by us." (By the way, the writer never did clarify what B.U.F.U. meant, which is important in a nonfiction piece.) Then I got to page 120 when one of the founders said that they started making coats with pockets for weed. Seriously though, was that really necessary? After that, I gave up on the book. I couldn't believe out of 120 pages, not once did the writer give a head nod to the other three brothas, besides mentioning that they were on some "street" picture that made them look "hard." I wish I could've read this book from the other three guys' perspective and hope that they wouldn't make such ignorant jokes. I won't even get into how goofy I think it is to talk about how proud he is of being a black-owned company but in 120 pages, I never heard about ONE black employee of their team (Jewish money partners, Latina seamstresses). I'm all about employing anyone who needs a job, but nothing about this book tells me that they were really trying to make clothes for black people; it just seems like it was all about money. There was even a scenario in this book about how smart the writer thought it was for Red Lobster to cheat people out of shrimp to save millions of dollars. And just as I expected, the writer went into several stories of his own as to how to cheat the customers and make money for himself. I hate to say it, but I no longer respect this clothing line. I'll stick to wearing Baby Phat, Apple Bottom, and Rocafella. Hopefully the founders of these lines won't write a book full of jokes that feed stereotypes. It's very disappointing when you read about a clothing line that's trying to cater to an audience and uplift them, but the book tells of cheating them, feeding into stereotypes, and not even being loyal. Wow.



2. I read this book in two sittings, which in it's self should say, this is a good book. I also read the first ladies' "Mr. Stereotype" review and I had to retort.
   This book to me seems to me like an account in Mr. John's life up to a couple years ago. He did not come across and a street thug but more as a struggling black man working on making it in America (he worked at Red Lobster) . I think young lady missed the point, and in turn a lot the knowledge that was passed along in the book like about taking chances, running with new ideas and believing in yourself. The story that was told in this book needs to be heard. There are not to many positive words of encouragement addressed to the hip hop nation, and this is one of them. Young enterpuernuers across the world should tip their hat to this gentleman and persons like the young lady whom wrote the first review, should read the book again.



3. I found this book very entertaining, interesting and inspirational.It follows a Brother from NY (Daymond John), who had a dream, through the many obstacles and roadblocks to his position of "power" as CEO of a company that did indeed change the fashion industry. Most importantly, the "power" is not one of a negative nature but rather positive in that he continued to work with the community as well as other individuals, including competitors, to make a change. He also shares how important his family and community was in this climb to the top, as demonstrated by the choice of the name, i.e. FUBU "for us,by us". Importantly, the impact of FUBU has been on all of society and not just the "hip hop" industry.



4. THIS BOOK WAS TO GHETTO FOR ME. THE AUTHOR SPENDS TOO MUCH TIME IN HIS PAST AND NOT ENOUGH TIME IN EXPLAINING SUCCESS.



5. In life the amazing stories are always the people who had an idea first and worked to make their immediate vision come true.
   They aren't sure about all it takes to make that vision come to life, but they work at something every day, blind to any obstacles.
   
   Years later they look back and truly can't believe how they got from where they started, to where the vision isn't just a reality, it's beyond anything they would have imagined.
   
   Daymond John's story is not only authentic, it has a ton of insight into brand building that you would read in any "Brand Think" book on the shelves.
   
   The fact that it comes from someone running a multimillion dollar/international company makes it a lot more real than Joe Marketing Specialist.
   
   Not to tear them down, because those writers do have their place.
   
   I've read the autobiographies of the Haggen Daz founders, Rose and Reuben Mattus; Howard Shultz's Starbucks adventures; Ray Croc grinding it out at McDonalds; just to name a few, and Daymond John's FUBU story is as impressive as their stories.
   
   I have more respect for him now than I did before opening the book.

5 comments about The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison: *God Doesn't Think He's Larry Ellison.

1. This book could have perfect at 100 pages. Instead the book goes on and on about how bad, delusional, self-centered and lying Larry Ellison is. It also belabores how decadent and immoral are Oracle's marketing and sales people.
   
   The book does not really paint a picture of how Oracle became successful. The time line is blurred, instead, we get repetetive stories ripped out of different periods in Oracle's history.
   
   The explanations of database industry and technology sector overall are weak.
   
   Perhaps if the book was shorter, I would not be as negative, but as it stands at 350 pages, I can not recommend it.



2. This book was a great read, and it was a blast reading about the great Larry Ellison. Larry Ellison's personality comes out in this book. He is a fun, flamboyant, in-your-face billionaire who knows how to enjoy the money he makes. Big houses, sharp clothes, fast cars, and hot women! Oh, yeah, he also built up a pretty good business.
   
   Larry, you're the man!!



3. Okay, so who is this guy Larry Ellison? He's the man behind Oracle, one of the world's largest software companies. Not only is he known for his "battles" with Bill Gates of Microsoft, but also for his personal and professional exploits.
   
   Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this biography, I felt it was lacking something. I'm not sure what exactly, but I walked away feeling Ellison to be some sort of a lone egomaniac, using everyone and everything around him to further grow Oracle - and by extension, him - into even greater success.
   
   Not that there is little biographic value, because there is. His childhood is chronicled, how he left behind his humble beginnings and attained greatness. Had it been any other person, they would perhaps have been forever relegated to a life of poverty, misery, etc. But Ellison overcame that and became a billionaire. So if anything, it is a story of triumph, both in his own life - though admittedly filled with tragedies of divorce, etc. - and in Oracle's.
   
   I would suggest that you read it, but don't make it the sole biography. There are at least a couple of others, one even with commentary by Ellison. Check them out! :)



4. It's a very good book in terms of the history of the computing giants that shaped the world. It kept my attention long enough to dedicate 2 days to reading it cover to cover. As an Oracle programmer, it helped me understand some of the thoughts I had of the company since working with their product since the early 90's.
   
   The author tried the address the book as a novel, skipping around in time and making it difficult to follow. You go from 1977 to 1989 to 1991 to 1984 to 1996 to ... (you get what I mean). Confusing.
   
   This is the type of book that needed to be more linear in timeline or overlapping in timeline, but not arranged the way it was. Still, very enjoyable and worth the read for those that enjoy the behind the scenes action that shaped technology as we know it today.



5. I absoultly loved this book. I am currently recieving my MBA, and it gave me a whole new perspective about how busniess can be, how it can suceed, and fail. Also, Ellisons sotry is realy fabulous, and the author does a great job of interviewing many of Ellison's ex-wives, ex-employyes etc. This gives a very realistic viw of Oracle, and how they felt about Ellison. I started ths book this morning, and I simply could not put it down until an hour ago when i finished it. Great Read!

5 comments about Free Gift with Purchase: My Improbable Career in Magazines and Makeup.

1. How nice to find a beauty editor who's managed to retain her sense of humor. There is a very droll wit at work here, and it's perfect for the subject matter. Godfrey-June is intelligent and speaks in a voice all her own--readers of her Lucky column will recognize it immediately. She really is like no other. The amazing thing is that there really is something for everyone even remotely interested in beauty/fashion in here and, unlike Allure's new "Confessions of a Beauty Editor," which takes recycling to a whole new level, this is an original voice with something new and different to say. She never takes herself too seriously, which is part of the charm. It's good, quirky fun. Long may Godfrey-June remain comfortably ensconced "above the fray" at Lucky--they are "lucky" to have her.



2. I fell in love with this book! I rarely get through an entire book but this one was the true exception. Why? Jean Godfrey-June's writing style prevails, foremost, but I found it personally interesting because I have been trying to understand my buyers' habits on eBay. Why would anyone pass up a chance to own a big name brand for a cheap price? Jean knows why. What really works or what really doesn't work is highlighted right throughout this fabulous book. I often found myself reading pages out loud to people because I was so entertain or just shocked. I love her beauty tips and I love her sense of self-contridiction (where and how she lives). I read this before the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" ever came out. If you are interested in fashion journalism or understanding people from a marketing/psychology point of view, I definitely recommend this one to you. This is such a good read for the 30+ gals who are considering using expensive beauty products.



3. While there are some amusing bits in this book, I would not give it more than one star. This lady may be a great beauty editor (I am a subscriber to Lucky mag) but she is hardly a stellar author. So much of this rings false...come on, she wears a designer dress revealing her boobs to a FiFi Awards show and "forgets" she's been nominated and is "shocked" when she wins and has to accept under the lights? Puh-leeze! A lot of the book is the same kind of self-deprecating (but secret look at me) kind of writing. But since I got this at Bath&Body at 90% off the original price, it's not too bad.



4. This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. Jean Godfrey June's humor is wry, self-deprecating and totally spot-on--she made me actually laugh out loud several times while reading it. It reminded me of Diana Vreeland's autobiography, which is really insidery, yet also totally clear-eyed, down-to-earth and witty. Plus, her beauty advice is almost freakishly honest (cellulite creams don't work, all makeup comes from the same four factories, no matter the price), which I appreciate.



5. I almost felt guilty that I had so much fun reading this book. I read it in one day--couldn't put it down. I felt like I was spying on someone (and something) that I wasn't supposed to know about. Highly entertaining.

1 comments about Dark Genius: The Influential Career of Legendary Political Operative and Fox News Founder Roger Ailes.

1. As a Libertarian I have always seen Roger Ailes as being very much a Machiavellian type person, and the author seems to agree, although he also see Forest Gump in the man as well.
   
   Mr. Ailes is no Gump to me. And I was surprised to learn he had been involved with the old Mike Douglas Show which I so loved in the 60's and 70's. Mr. Douglas was such a nice, decent man, and thus my surprised that he would have someone like Mr. Ailes around.
   
   Of no surprise to me was Mr. Ailes connection to conservative Republican types. And I am glad the author writes about how Fox News under Mr. Ailes rule has become the only real biased 'news' channel on television.
   
   As the author notes, Fox says 'we report you decide', so in essence they report what they want, in a biased way and then its up to the viewer to decide what's fact and what isn't.
   
   I will note that Fox News is still a young network and like any new idea, after 15-20 years viewers change and the pendulum swings the other way.
   
   And with those under the age of 40 and/or those who are high tech lovers being drawn to the Internet for their news, or to shows like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have, Fox News will become less of a force.

5 comments about On Money and Markets: A Wall Street Memoir.

1. How many individuals can look back on their careers and survey the influence that they have had on their industry with the intelligence and objectivity of Dr. Kaufman as evidenced in this well written memoir. To be sure, his explanations of the monetary and fiscal environments and the economic consequences over the past 40 years are at times dry. The sections dealing with his experiences and the evolution of the financial services industry are absolutely fascinating. Recommended to anyone interested in macroeconomics and particularly to economic students.This should become required reading in Macro 101 courses.



2. Over the last decade we have seen many self-serving autobiographies and memoirs, but Henry Kaufman's On Money and Markets certainly is not one of them. Kaufman is an investment banker, but he is also a scholar and a gentleman. These memoirs capture the mettle of the man from his start in the banking business, through his years at Salomon Brothers and eventually to his own consulting business. The period covered, from pre-world War II to the end of the 20th century, is the most dynamic time in the history of the financial markets. It is Kaufman's insights into these revolutionary years on Wall Street that make this a gripping tale. We [...] recommend this book to all executives and investors, many of whom would benefit greatly from a refresher course in Wall Street history.



3. I am grateful that Dr. Kaufman took the time to write this book. What makes it particularly worthwhile is the way he gives us enough biography to give us a good context for his views and insights into aspects of the way our economy functions - particularly how Wall Street and Washington D.C. function.

   It isn't a breezy memoir of anecdote and scandal. Instead we get honest consideration, real wit, and prodigious experience. I think it is a book that deserves careful reading and discussion.

   You may not agree with every conclusion he draws, but since it IS Henry Kaufman they certainly deserve careful consideration and re-consideration. Those interested in finance, especially MBA students, will find that his careful telling of how Wall Street has developed from partnerships to corporations and the rise of derivatives and securitization particularly valuable.

   If you are insterested in realities about Wall Street and Washington you will find this book engrossing and valuable. You won't be lead astray with glib talk or silly notions designed simply to sell books to the unwary. This is the real stuff.




4. but with all due respect to the author, whom I hold in the highest esteem, this book is NOT for those looking for insights in to investment strategies. the man is a legend, and has a well deserved stellar reputation. this book is a great overview of the financial markets, but will not help you make money. am I too bottom line focused? perhaps, but be aware of the limitations of this book before purchasing it.



5. Henry Kaufman has written an excellent book that should be read, underlined, and referred to frequently by all persons who make decisions and manage their own pensions and other financial assets. This book and Alan Greenspan's book "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World" should help persons managing pensions and financial assets make informed decisions regarding risk management in our turbulent and changing world ecomomy.
   
   Many investors could have avoided being caught up in the subprime housing bubble if they had read and taken warnings from Kaufman's book when it was originally published in 2000 (hardcover).
   
   Dr. Kaufman's book has literally changed my entire investment strategy and investment risk outlook! My losses have been greatly reduced and preservation of financial assets greatly increased since reading this book.
   The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World

5 comments about The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley.

1. Berlin has performed an amazing amount of detailed research into Noyce's life. She takes us back to the years when the semiconductor industry was born, and shows us how Noyce helped make it flourish in Silicon Valley.
   
   A striking passage describes how Noyce anticipated the observation of negative differential resistance in a tunnel diode. Some 18 months before Leo Esaki in Tokyo discovered it. Esaki would win the Nobel in Physics for his work. In one of these what-ifs, Noyce could easily have taken that for himself.
   
   By the way, the book's explanation of negative resistance is a trifle awkward. The quantum mechanical phenomenon cannot be easily explained to a general audience. (As a grad student, I had the same problem of discussing this about my research, to laymen.) But if it puzzles you, remember that it also eluded a lot of people in the 1950s.
   
   You might already be familiar with the broad outlines of how Noyce, Moore and others worked for Robert Shockley, and then left en masse in disgust at his management style. But Berlin furnishes here far more detail than is commonly known. About how Noyce agonised and reluctantly left Shockley.
   
   Likewise, with the later tale of Fairchild Semiconductor and how Noyce and Moore would in turn leave that. This time to found Intel (with Grove). Berlin gives much more detail on this broad outline, that explains the motivations of Noyce and his associates.
   
   Some readers might be amused to see that the CEO of Fairchild resisted handing out stock options to employees, in the grounds that this was "creeping socialism". Which played no small part in the exodus of its best people.
   
   The book describes a Silicon Valley that has vanished.



2. I've spent 30 plus years in this and related industries. As a partial introduction to IC's and their "market successful" agents, it is OK. As entertainment it is good, just don't forget you are being entertained! As a biography of Noyce it is only partial. That the rest of the story with Jack Kilby, Texas Instuments, and non-Noyce IC industry and players is missing makes it very bad history. That the patent fight history and the rules for patents, mainly that continuous work on ideas must be shown or it's "abandoned", are not covered makes it very much a dis-eduational offering. The big truth, stated deep in the book, that "Credit floats up.", almost makes the reading good, but not quite!



3. The book has a fascinating subject and is well written. It fully captures and holds your attention. The author is very deft in handling arguments or controversies Noyce was involved in, presenting facts without bias. The book is even-handed and intelligent.
   
   From a literary point of view, I think the book raises the bar in terms of biograpical research. I've read a lot of biographies, and I've never seen one as well documented as this. Almost every sentenced can be traced back to its source. In addition, it has original research. I believe the author is responsible for discovering that Noyce's NDR diode was at least coincident with Esaki's Noble-prize winning work. Overall, an excellent read.



4. The author uses a lot of first hand material still available from people close to Bob Noyce. You will eat it fast, because you can get the "life mood" from well synthesized private life and public life smartly chosen events. The story of a guy that did put the moral value driven face of America high, from the cubicle to the world stage. The explanations around the new "silicon valley" management style are also very didactic, and has more value in it than most of expensive seminars. You can get the essence of it.
   ... In some places , it is close to hagiography, probably the beyond the grave aura of Bob Noyce ...and you can get contaminated...



5. Robert Noyce had all of the significant traits of ADD. Any parent devastated by their child's diagnosis should read this to see what one can accomplish when one uses one's strengths. This book shows the positive side of ADD.
   
   The book gets a bit detailed in some spots, and is overly repetitive in others, but overall is an interesting read.

1 comments about Rupert Murdoch's China Adventures: How the Worlds Most Powerful Media Mogul Lost a Fortune and Found a Wife.

1. I'm a bit taken aback to be the first reviewer weighing in on this book, given its prominent placing in the business section of nationwide booksellers. For fans of business journalism, Bruce Dover's effort is well-worth your time.
   
   In the Murdoch oeuvre, William Shawcross' biography Murdoch is surely the master work. Dover refers to it no less than than half a dozen times. But Dover's effort is a sterling companion piece though it can surely be read on its own as well.
   
   We get brilliantly reported fly on the wall stuff by the man who was the chief's Biz Dev guy in China from 1992 - 1999. Not only does Dover report on Murdoch's repeated efforts to break open the China market, he's also giving you a very nuanced and informed take on the machinations of the Chinese Politburo.
   
   The best parts are the passages about Wendi Deng. Dover, it turns out, did the initial introductions of the two, circa June 1997 - 'As an introduction, it was pretty straightforward: "Murdoch, this is Wendi Deng. Wendi is working with us in Business Development in China." Wendi...was tall, attractive, intelligent, vivacious and confident, and immediately had the Chief Executive's full attention.' And how! It gets better from there. Great stuff.
   
   Notably, this is not the tale of an executive scorned. Dover's admiration of Murdoch is evident. Murdoch's strong work ethic (that's an understatement), direct manner, lack of airs and uncanny business sense are all noted here.

1 comments about Billy Durant: Creator of General Motors.

1. This is another good book on my hero Mr. William C. Durant the creator of GM. Mr. Durant defiantly affected the early automobile history more than any other one man ever. He was the worlds largest cart maker back in Flint Mi. & went on to save Buick from certain bankruptcy. Also creating GM with Buick as the cornerstone car & then adding Olds, Cadillac & Oakland (the forerunner to Pontiac) & many others that didn't pan out. He also started Chevrolet with his famous Buick race car driver Louis Chevrolet. Some other good reads are The Dream Maker 1979 by Bernard Weisberger and The Deal Maker by Axel Madsen 1999. Also some other really interesting info is the Durant website. Sincerely Lance Haynes President Durant Motors Automobile Club

5 comments about McIlhenny's Gold: How a Louisiana Family Built the Tabasco Empire.

1. Never again will I be able to pick up that little bottle of Tabasco sauce and sprinkle a few drops on whatever I am eating, something I have done several times a week for a few decades now , without thinking of the amazing set of circumstances that came together to put that distinctive little bottle on my table. Sometimes the little diamond-shaped label on the front of the bottle, the one that still mentions Avery Island as being its home, would catch my eye and make me wonder how such a unique product could have been born in such an isolated place and how it managed to survive long enough to become a product recognized around the world. Jeffrey Rothfeder's new book, McIlhenny's Gold, provides the answers to all of my questions.
   
   Rothfeder tells the story of a remarkable family, one that literally rose from the ashes of the Civil War to create a hugely successful business based on the sale of a single food product, a business that is still well known some 140 years later. In his research of the McIlhenny family, Rothfeder found that much of what has come to be accepted about the family's history and the origin of Tabasco sauce is simply untrue. So many myths surround the family and its product, in fact, that even family members have found it difficult to separate fact from fiction.
   
   When Edmund McIlhenny, fifty years old at the end of the Civil War, and prior to the war a successful New Orleans banker, returned to Louisiana in 1865 he found that the Avery family he had married into was largely destitute. The family's rich sugar cane plantation was no more and the only thing of value still in family hands was Petit Anse, the little island that was later to be renamed Avery Island.
   
   Edmund McIlhenny was a businessman, not a farmer. As a pre-war banker, he learned to market himself personally to such a degree that he became the best known and most sought after financial man in New Orleans. His marketing skills, and his willingness to bend the truth when it made for a better story, have made it difficult to determine exactly when he became aware of the chili pepper from Mexico's Tabasco region and how he decided to make hot sauce the new family business. What is clear, however, is that he made the right decision and that he created a business that has served his family well for four generations.
   
   The McIlhenny product has been a high quality one from the beginning. The three-year chili paste aging process and the inability to use mechanized pickers to gather the delicate chili peppers requires that manufacturing costs, especially labor costs, be controlled as tightly as possible. That concern led to the near recreation of the plantation system on Avery Island, a company town so complete with free shelter, medical care, schools and churches that white employees had little reason to ever leave little Avery Island. McIlhenny Co. workers, almost guaranteed a job for life, became extremely loyal to the company that provided them with everything they needed. This system lasted until a few years ago and was key to the company's success.
   
   McIlhenny Co., still based on the sale of a single product, has become a $250 million per year business but it is facing difficult times because one of its previous strengths has turned into its greatest weakness. The company has always been run by a member of the McIlhenny family and for three generations the family was blessed to have a family member ready to take on the job and to do it adequately, if not always completely well. But, as almost always happens in a closely held family business, future generations do not always see things through the eyes of its founder. McIlhenny Co. is at a historical crossroads and its future will be determined by a generation of McIlhennys who may decide that it is time finally to sell the company to the highest bidder rather than make the effort to keep it the tightly controlled family business that it has been for more than 140 years.
   
   Jeffrey Rothfeder has written a well-researched history, complete with interviews of many McIlhenny family members and key employees, a history that tells the story of a fascinating family and business. McIlhenny Co. may not serve as a blueprint for future businesses, but it is hard to argue with what the company has achieved across parts of three centuries.



2. very interesting book......but leaves me wanting more!
   
   Somewhat repetitive.....not the "full treatment" the McIlhenny Family deserves. There is a really great story surrounding Tabasco and the Family who created it....but this book, however, isn't it!



3. Jeff Rothfeder's McIlhenney's Gold portrays the great American success story, yet with a lot of twists and turns only doing business off a small Louisiana island could produce. He begins at the beginning, with the McIlhenney's first bottle of sauce shortly after the Civil War, and brings the reader up to the present day when, it seems, the family, through its own paranoia and suspicion of outsiders, struggles to keep up with demand while fighting off stiff competition. The book is fairly written, yet with colorful enough characters and details, at times, to feel like you're reading a southern novel. I highly recommend the book, whether or not you drip Tabasco on your scrambled eggs.



4. This is a classic business book, at 223 papes of text and it can be easly read on a coast to coast flight. The format is typical from founder to floundering decendents, in the case of Tobasco sauce the time span is a remarkable 140 years. This is obviously the history of a single product company whos trade marked name has come to define the industry.
   
   There are some tid bits of history here for example the founding of the company. As the official story goes that a Condfederate soldier named Friend Gleason befriended the Avery family with a handful of "Tobasco" seeds that where scattered into the garden before the Union army took over Avery Island during the Civil War and the pepper plants were the only thing that survived the "Yankee" looting and the sauce was developed by brother in law Edmund McLlhenny and a former slave who were considered to lame by the Avery's to do any thing but tend the plantations garden. Or was the concept "stolen" by the Averys and McIlhenny from a pre war sauce made by Maunsel White. The author seems to favor the story that it was Maunsels Whites product that became Tobasco sauce.
   
   The myth vs. truth goes on through the narrative and the author interweaves the business story. Some "facts" Tobasco is very profitable to the family (20-25% net margin, current sales $250 million), The produst heasn't substantially changes until the 1970's when off shore growning and production of the product started taking place. Since then couples with a declining talents of the family Tobasco seems to be at a crossroads.
   
   The options appear clear: 1. Sell the Tobasco trademark to a mega food company for big bucks, 2. Hire outside managers to revive the product or three keep plodding along as them have been for 140 years. The deciding factor is the over 200 decendents of the Avery McIlhennys families who have equal voting rights for the family ownwed stock.
   
   The author has his opinion and I won't give out here, you had to read the book.



5. Growing up 2 miles from Avery Island I never knew how famous the area was. Once I grew older and learned the importance of the area, I became very appreciative of the land, and what is produced at the island. I thought this book was very interesting. I know a lot of things about the island but not the old history of the island, and that's what I found to be so interesting. To learn how Edmund invented the sauce, and learning about the different chairman's of the company. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Avery Island and the famous Tabasco sauce.

5 comments about Fast Company: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Motorcycles in Italy.

1. Different..... a great read. My daughter lived in Bologna for a few years, and I visited the city which made the book more interesting to me. It really helps to have spent time in the culture on this one. After you get over the funny "attempt" to cover up the Ducati name..very wierd...it's just a wild ride through a culture on many different levels.
   Don't read this book to get page after page of mototcycle details. This is a story about people and culture that produce the bikes from the viewpoint of an outsider..who in the end becomes a part of it all. I enjoyed the writing style and content more because it's a true story.



2. Within captivating literary style, Gross's portrayals illuminate an Italian world as it is now, and this is clearly not the world of "Room with a view". Surely the Italian journals and "Corriere della Sera" are well versed with the struggles of Italian boutique businesses trying to meet the challenge of growth to an international level, but to follow the chain of events of Ducati from within and during a major transitional effort is a special gift. To become acquainted with personal and detailed snapshots of corporate design processes and the trials of prima donna designers is equally rewarding, and sheds a fair light on recent Ducati products. From the beach exploits and dreams of characters depicted, one senses the struggles of modern young Italians. Add to this the author's struggle to rationalize infatuation with a young and arrogant love, and one finds another level or dimension of the Italy of today. This love may have equally been heterosexual, it's characteristics in modern day Italy would have been the same. The vignette descriptions ranging from learning to ride a motorcycle, different bikes, and tours reach out to the motorcyclist in all of us, as these motivate us to reach beyond ourselves whether or not a leg is thrown over a bike. This is a book for everyone where one truly gains a view into the beauty, challenge, and flavor of Italy today. On other levels, having been an Italian ex-pat for three years, ridden motorcycles for 30 years, and a Ducatista for 15 years, this book has touched on many levels and reminds of the need to return.



3. The book was a good read on several levels. As a motorcycle
   enthusiast and as a designer.. the stories from Ducati.. the inner
   workings.. design process.. people were fascinating. Having worked
   with all sorts of clients and designers I related easily to the events.
   Bologna was presented in vivid descriptions, with its culture,
   people, society coming to life. I kept having flashbacks to my 2
   years in Milano as well as subsequent visits. I toured most of Italy
   but sadly I only stopped at the train station in Bologna. Hopefully
   on a future trip I can go to Bologna and visit Ducati.
   I thought the sections at the seaside were hilarious.... the descriptions
   were like Fellini on Jolt cola I was more exhausted with those stories than
   the moto giro ones.
   The sections on the MotoGiro were also very compelling for one that rides a
   motorcycle....the good, the bad, the ugly, the danger, the exhilaration were all there.
   Personal life was interesting, full of irony, but in the end none of my business.
   Throughout the book I especially enjoyed kind of a deadpan
   description of the theater of the absurd that is Italy..left me with
   lot's to think about.



4. It is almost as much fun to wonder how David Gross, in a "inside Italian motorcycles" book learns so much, so fast. But he is smart, and he falls in love with Italy in more ways than one. Arriving in Bologna, Italy as "creative director" of the newly financially juggled - hell, can I say that it was "Ducati" now? - motorcycle company, the author adjusts quickly, first seizing upon advertising strategies that center on visualizing Italian grit, and helping to inject a world personality into what the cognoscenti know is the world's most sexy motorcycle.
   We're reminded of the woman - a non-motorcyclist - who once gazed on a 1973 Ducati "Super Sport" 750 cc. twin (upon which the modern dukes evolved), and exclaimed, "This is the most beautiful motorcycle I've ever seen!"
   And so it is. The imagistic makeover is spliced by Gross'es personal introduction to what we had always heard - that Italy is wild, vain - and unlike the United States - more than mildly corrupt.
   `Fast Company' gives hilarious portraits of "crazy genius" motorcycle designers, their temper tantrums, roaming union gangs, and hair-raising motorcycle rides on the cobblestones.
   This is a fast-paced, well-written book, tracking the birth of the single-cylindered dukes (great vintage road racers today!). It deftly changes names and dances away from potential lawsuits in a chase for grace and meaning.
   In the end, you'll not quite understand the Italian mystery, but for sure, you'll get stylish prose from David Gross, say, the antithesis of a Harley book, which will never get beyond its own narcissism. "Fast Company" is for fans of the finest - a literary rocket for the mountain road.



5. "Fast Company," the first book by David M. Gross, is an amazingly rich and detailed account of an American businessman's life in Bologna Italy. Unlike many recent accounts of Italy dripping with overtly idealized romanticism, David instead takes on a much more challenging task. Without the crutches of good vs. evil dichotomies, moralizing, descriptions of fantastical feats or extremes in characterization; David has composed an insightful book that allows his readers to truly observe Italy and its people from a beautifully lyrical yet thoroughly grounded perspective. This feat is only possible due to the author's own depth of experience as both a business man, lover, and passionate motorcyclist.
   
   This account skillfully manages to mix the seemingly disparate worlds of love, business, sport, and culture into an account that as often frustrates as it gives cause for laughter or deep reflection. We learn the difference between language and communication with David as he recalls his often times hilarious encounters with the many eclectic employees of a faltering yet proud motorcycle company. He describes in invigorating detail his love for a young Italian that, like exotic motorbikes, is equally beautiful and dangerous. In sometimes overwhelming detail, he succeeds in describing what becoming and being a motorcyclist means, whether taking a leisurely ride or primally pushing the limits.
   
   The only short coming of this great book is that David's own character often seems to be overshadowed by the many other characters that surround him. He is not overt in giving his opinion, and is quite obviously non-confrontational in demeanor. David is often times a listener, and observer; these very aspects of his character are the keys to what make him his friend's and coworker's confidant and allow the insight so inherent in his writing. His own character may not be overtly painted, but if a reader is observant (a lesson that David artfully teaches) one does become familiar with the author through his experiences.
   
   My recommendation is that you read David's story; yes, you will become intimately acquainted with "life, love, and motorcycles in Italy" but even more so, you will come just a little closer to knowing how you might respond if asked the question, "are you ready to fly without a parachute?"