2 comments about The Making of a Drum Company : The Autobiography of William E. Ludwig II.

1. I really enjoyed this charming account of Bill Ludwig's life. I have to say that I'm glad I'm not on his bad side, because he spares none of his enemies!

   Still, it is a sentimental and lovely book, betraying a golden hearted yet savvy businessman. A must for any drum collectors.




2. I loved this book, I could not put it down.It was fascinating
   to read the story of arguably the most famous name in drums.
   His honesty about mistakes made as well as his relationship with his competitors and his father was really interesting.This is a must read.

1 comments about Jacob H. Schiff: A Study in American Jewish Leadership (Brandeis Series in American Jewish History, Culture, and Life).

1. A window on an aspect of American Jewish history not as familiar as the mass immigration from eastern Europe, Cohen's book is also an unexpected window on an even less frequently explored topic: the use of great wealth to do good in the world. Schiff did not establish a foundation, screen grants, or hire professional advisors to guide his good works - he simply used his money to right wrongs where he saw them. Like giving half a million dollars to Barnard College as a reward for it's refusal to countenance discrimination against Jews. Or arranging mega-buck loans for the Japanese government during the Russo-Japanese War as a way of sticking it to the anti-Semitic Russians (who lost that war.) Not all of his ideas worked out, but you have to admire a man who had the courage of his convictions, and the character to put his money where his mouth was.

No comments about George Westinghouse: Gentle Genius.

No comments about Better Places, Better Lives: A Biography of James Rouse.

5 comments about A Lifetime of Riches: The Biography of Napoleon Hill.

1. Hill's "Think & Grow Rich" may be the best self-help book ever written. So many of his readers will be glad to have any biography about him, even though this first one came 25 years after his death. I commend the authors for not whitewashing Hill, but there is so much missing. A major reason T&GR has become a classic is its underlying spiritual outlook. When Hill was a young man New Thought was blooming in America and he must have been influenced by such books as "In Tune With the Infinite." There is virtually no mention of Hill's spiritual development in the book. Hill commented constantly on how Andrew Carnegie gave him a 20-year commission to study and interview successful people, that Carnegie would provide letters of introduction to Hill and pay his travel expenses. If this is so, there must be at least one letter of introduction filed away somewhere. The authors quote none. Suppose Hill made that up. I don't think it cancels the value of his great book but it sure belongs in a biography. Finally, there is so little readily available about Hill, why not provide a bibliography of the magazines, newspapers and books where the best interviews and comments on Hill's work exist. Still, I recommend this book as valuable and interesting because there is nothing else.



2. Having been a student of Napoleon Hill for many years I find Hill's own writing both brilliant, and inspirational.

   Through this book I have come to learn Hill is human too, he had to learn some of his lessons the hard way. While the book lacks the brilliant motivational style of Hills own writing, we must remember that it is a biography. I question that Napoleon Hill could have been quite as honest about his life and some of its tragedies if he had written the book himself.

   A Lifetime Of Riches provides good insight to the life of the man who has been such an inspiration to so many people, myself included. It offers a chronological view of the life of Hill. Granted, some of the detail of Hill's actual formulation of the success philosophy is missing. Still, the book reminds us that we strive for progress not perfection. If we fall down we must get back up.

   My thanks to Mr Ritt, Mr Landers, and The Napoleon Hill Foundation for giving me the opportunity to have a greater understanding of Napoleon Hill.




3. When I first saw this book on the shelf I didn't hesitate to purchase it. I was an avid reader of Napoleon Hill's books and was always curious about his life. That curiousity has been somewhat satisfied by reading this biography of him written the executive director of the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

   A Lifetime of Riches chronicles the roller coaster life of one of the pioneers of success programs. Born of modest circumstances Napoleon Hill rose to become one of the greatest promoters of personal and material success. His rise to fame didn't come easy. In fact he would fail many times but would get right up again for another try.

   His tenaciousness, vision and audacity to try new ideas are the hallmarks of a personality that wouldn't accept defeat. Authors Michael Ritt and Kirk Landers provide the reader with a view of a man who had both his faults and weaknesses. Hill is obsessed with his mission for success and unfortunately placed everything else (including his wife and children) as third or fourth place. He paid for that mistake but still was able to bounce back in his later life.

   I certainly enjoyed this book for its realistic portrayal of Hill (he was both saint and sinner) in both his good times and bad times. From his life the reader can learn it is never to late to start over regardless of age ( this was true of Hill and his father), financial setbacks or other impediments. Hill's life sets the standard for success even if it appears to allude you in time it will come.

   A Lifetime of Riches is a good book to get some idea of Hill's life but it is not very detailed. Much of its information comes from Hill's unpublished "autobiography". Absent are any interviews or insight from those who worked with him. Very little is mentioned about his estrangement with his father and brothers or his importance in history as part of the motivational industry that is now a thriving industry. Perhaps someday more details will be given but for now enjoy this work of one of life's greatest motivators.




4. I couldn't put the book down. Mr. Hill sure had a "roller coaster" of life, like so many of us experience. Think and Grow Rich is a classic and very well may of helped more people to financial success than any other book ever written. I have read and apllied it to my life. His persistence and focus on achieving his goals will have a major impact on the reader. The author did a wonderful job of sharing a lot of knowledge about Mr. Hill's life that completely blew me away.



5. A Lifetime of Riches, a biography of Napoleon Hill, is a book that I had a natural bias to like, being a believer in the basic principles of Think and Grow Rich.
   
   I was however greatly disappointed in the telling of the story of Napoleon Hill's life. One would have thought that the creator of probably the most successful self-help book of all time would have had an interesting path to be able to create such a historical book.
   
   The author, while stating that he had an extensive working relationship with Mr. Hill, never seems to really capture the essence of the man.
   
   There are extensive gaps in Mr. Hill's biography that are neither addressed due to a lack of knowledge or research. Fairly bold statements made by Mr. Hill are never vetted in the book. Finally the concept of Think and Grow Rich was a study of many successful individuals to determine the patterns and practices in their lives which caused them to manifest success in their lives. Nowhere in the book does it seem to address this integral research in other than barely a mention here and there.
   
   That all being said, if you are a true student of the works Napoleon Hill, I grudgingly recommend that you read the this book absent any other biography of his life in that it will place into context some aspects of the life of this interesting and somewhat flawed creator.

5 comments about Starting From Scratch: Secrets from 21 Ordinary People Who Made the Entrepreneurial Leap.

1. I bought this book out of curiousity as a fellow Tarheel, Atlantan and Apprentice fan. I am an avid reader, and this book was by far one of my favorites on the subject of starting your own business. Instead of reading about people like Warren Buffet and Donald Trump, you can read about regular people with the entrepreneurial "bug" that made it happen for themselves. I loved that Wes did not write about how he became successful, rather took the time to seek out others that share the desire to get out of corporate world and fulfill their dreams of owning a business.



2. This book was very helpful to me. It allowed me to see the different scenarios that could go wrong or right with starting a business and that ANYONE can start a business. You just have to believe in your idea and work hard to make it happen. I was totally inspired by a couple of women mentioned in the book, who continued despite the outside worlds negative remarks. I will definitely read it again and I recommend it to anyone who can't decide on whether to start, stop or continue. Continue!



3. This book works well as a daily reader and will have you saying, "If she, he, or they can do it, maybe I can too!" It's a great book for modeling others who have already done what you'd like to do: stop working for others and strike out on your own.
   
   As the book says, 21 examples of people from various walks of life are profiled under four main sections as they engage in the H.U.N.T., or . . .
   
   1. HARNESSING their inherent strengths, likes, etc.
   2. UNDERESTIMATING obstacles (i.e., overcoming them)
   3. NOTICING their network (tapping into their people power)
   4. TAKING their first steps.
   
   Personal interviews and exchanges led to the current retelling or highlighting of each person's story, some of whom made millions of dollars from very small beginnings, others who simply built ongoing businesses from interests and personal longings. Whether the business is an online daily advertisement/newsletter, a new line of upscale purses, a shoe franchise, a fast-food franchise, a bed and breakfast, or more, the stories are all very interesting and well-written.
   
   To get picky for just a moment: I never warmed up to the phrase "Underestimating your obstacles" -- the idea was that obstacles never stopped any of these people, they overcame them and turned them into opportunities. But that's what happens when you start with HUNT as a guiding acronym (in itself, a nice memory aid). No big deal.
   
   Also, I'm not sure just how "average and ordinary" these people really are. I did not do a count, but quite a few of these people were young and had marketing in their college background. Are these a requirement for success? Surely not, but I would like to have seen a bit more variety with people of all ages with little or no college who turned their lives around.
   
   One danger of the book: it might make starting on your own look too easy. Sometimes you can get the impression that the majority of these people just broke away, worked hard, and were successful with not very much planning or risk assessment. Surely, that is not the intent, but it is easy to feel that way.
   
   This is not a detailed "how to" book, but a general book of encouragement and modeling. As such, it is great. All the people highlighted are to be commended and also thanked for their example and willingness to be profiled.
   
   To Wes Moss I have this encouragement: when you do volume two, pick even more ordinary people from a larger variety of backgrounds and ages. (Just don't take this as a criticism.)



4. I enjoyed reading about all the success stories and how they overcame their various challenges. Made me feel like I could easily start my own business tomorrow. However, this book is not a step-by-step of how to start from scratch.



5. This book is full of very inspirational stories. These 21 individuals all started from scratch and are now doing what they love to do. They are no longer working at a job that they can lose.
   
   The first story deals with a woman who worked in coorporations. After she lost one coorporate job, she decided not to go back. She didn't want to have a job that could be taken away from her so easily. So she started her own business: selling hard-to-find shoes from Italy. She used her home as her place of business, then finally found a place closer to town.
   
   I especially like the author's HUNT method. Here's what HUNT means:
   
   Harness what you have.
   Underestimate your obstacles.
   Notice your network.
   Take the first step.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone who is sick of their job and want to do what they love.
   
   Brandon Simpson

5 comments about Wheeling the Deal: The Outrageous Legend of Gordon Zahler, Hollywood's Flashiest Quadriplegic.

1. "Wheeling the Deal" is a wonderful and cavorting tale about Gordon Zahler, the most unlikely of Hollywood players. His boyhood foreshadowed the rip-roaring life this soon-to-be quadriplegic would live. Every stop sign said "go." Every warning sign signaled an opportunity for a fresh surge of adrenaline. Then a gymnastics accident broke his neck at age 14.
   
   The prognosis was death. But Zahler was both too stubborn to die and too stubborn to let the wheelchair that would become his life-long attachment keep him from living with the fullness he considered his birthright.
   
   Cut off from the sense and pleasure of the rest of his body, Gordon Zahler lived entirely within the confines of his head. With little to do but think, wheelchair-bound Zahler rolled into Hollywood on the strength of his father's considerable collection of musical compositions. After several fits and starts, he eventually broke into Tinseltown in earnest, parlaying his father's musical collection into business relationships with the likes of horror-movie director Ed Wood.
   
   Intoxicated by his success, Zahler wanted more influence, riches and notoriety. In time he built the most active post-production movie and TV house in Hollywood. He and wife Judy's traveled the world and hosted cocktail parties attended by the A-list likes of Sidney Sheldon, Jerry Lewis and Nat King Cole.
   
   He also dreamed up many harebrained schemes that belly-flopped or never got off the ground.
   
   Not all of these recollections are endearing. Zahler was a skinflint, paying his people miserly wages even as his own fortunes piled up. His parsimony ultimately drove away devoted longtime employees. Even those who handled Zahler's most basic human functions were subjected to his volcanic temper. That included his demanding and acidic treatment of his care-giving mother.
   
   "Wheeling the Deal" also deals with family bonds, broken loyalties, cold-blooded murders and lost fortunes, right up to its heartbreaking finish.
   
   Author Chip Jacobs, Gordon Zahler's nephew, bares his insecurities regarding his own membership in a chromosomal lineage that gave rise to his eccentric uncle and a retarded brother - even writing of his own accidental entry into the world.
   
   This is the book Jacobs vowed he was never going to write, despite his mother's exhortations. Uncle Gordon's dying days were a freak show to the young Jacobs, making him about the most unsavory character he could imagine chronicling. Then the 1993 fire that swept the Altadena hills above Los Angeles turned a key Zahler family heirloom to ashes. Three years later, Jacobs covered the Malibu Canyon fire for the Daily News of Los Angeles and had an epiphany in its aftermath. A confluence of timing and events set his own imagination ablaze with the recognition of just how improbable and amazing a life his Uncle Gordon had led. The family lore was captured in newspaper clipping, oral histories, police records and legal documents that attested to the stamp Gordon Zahler put on Hollywood and the people around him.
   
   First-time author Chip Jacobs tends to over-throttle the language in the first 25 pages, but the book quickly settles into solid storytelling with remarkable and engaging scenes, punctuated with endless bursts of energetic and artistic wordplay.
   
   I'm already looking forward to this author's next book, which will tackle the history of smog.
   
   There is a hot new pistol in the publishing industry, and its name is Chip Jacobs.



2. The thing that struck me most about
   Chip Jacobs' fascinating biography of his
   "Hollywood Player" uncle was just how
   un-Hollywood it felt. Certainly there is the
   human interest aspect, involving the tragic,
   early childhood injury that left Gordon
   Zahler bound to a wheelchair for life. Yet
   Mr. Jacobs wisely avoids going overly maudlin
   upon his audience, choosing instead to offer
   up the portrait of a man, so driven by the
   desire to succeed, that a mere physical
   disability could not stand in his way.
   Throughout the course of reading this book, I
   never saw Gordon Zahler as an object of pity;
   there were in fact times when I found him an
   entirely unsympathetic character. But he
   always came across as a human being, with all
   the debilitating flaws, and ennobling traits
   that characterize our species. And that to me
   is what makes a great biography. I look
   forward to Mr. Jacobs' next work.



3. It's one of the most inspirational things one can see in the world - a man who is paralyzed from the neck down deciding that invalidism isn't for him and making something of themselves. "Wheeling the Deal: The Outrageous Legend of Gordan Zahler, Hollywood's Flashiest Quadriplegic" is the story of Gordon Zahler, a man who turned himself into one of Hollywood's fast talking and successful idea men who traveled the world, married, and so much more, disregarding his condition and living life to the fullest he possibly could. "Wheeling the Deal: The Outrageous Legend of Gordon Zahler, Hollywood's Flashiest Quadriplegic" is a brilliant and uplifting true story and is highly recommended for anyone in a similar position or has a relative there - to open their eyes to the possibilities.



4. A Remarkable Tale!
   
   Wheeling the Deal is a tale of "paraplegic conquers adversity." At first blush this seems like a cliché. After all, we live in an ADA, blue-parking-space, curb-cut world where public policy offsets such handicaps with a cornucopia of government programs and grants. But, wait! This was in the 1940s, when people in that condition didn't even survive, let alone strive. Gordon Zahler should be dead, not the subject of a biography a half century later. And yet, against all odds, he clung to life after his sports field accident, and after a black period of depression and self-pity contrived a plan for economic survival which turned him into an entertainment industry icon. It really is a story worth the telling, and his story is told by a gifted Southern California journalist and kinsman, Chip Jacobs. Jacobs tells the story poignantly and eloquently in a book well worth a night stand berth.
   
   
   
   
   
   



5. This is one of those books that will take you a good week or so to read through (if you are an avid reader - if not, maybe a little longer). It's a big book, in more ways than one. You will want to sink your teeth into this one, savor it, roll it around in your head. I have so much I want to say about this book, but I don't want to give too much away, so I'll do the best I can...
   
   There are so many sides to Gordon in this book, to the free-living child with mischief on his mind, to the depressed man with little to no time to live, to the man who wants to live life to the fullest, and there and back again and every shade in between. I'm not sure I really liked any of the Gordons presented in this book. It wasn't about me liking him or not, it was more about who he was and a feeling of "wow, he really did all that" and "wow, he was supposed to be dead a couple of decades ago". Heh, reminds me of what we used to say about certain family members - "too mean to die". I usually have a hard time reading a book when I honestly don't like the main character, but the writing of this really made a big difference for me.
   
   I never could reconcile Judy for myself. The author speaks very low of her when she is introduced, but I found myself feeling sorry for her at times. Yes, I know, she didn't always have the best intentions, I'm sure, but I dunno... something about her still bugs me and I can't figure out what it is.
   
   I think I felt the worst for Muriel. I know, everything turns out like it should, but I felt like she was so... pushed aside. In some ways, perhaps the author felt the same way with his brother. It just seemed like Muriel's life got derailed more than it should have. Then again, this WAS the 1940s, so... it was what it was, right?
   
   I also wish there were more splashes of the author's side of the story in here. I felt like I was cheated a little bit because the common lines were very subtle. Probably on purpose, but I still wanted more of what was going on.
   
   Having said that... this author is one to watch. The writing is beautiful and grabbed me from the very start. But more than that, it felt honest. When he's at the fire with his family members, I was there with him. I felt that heat.
   
   Good book. Grab it, toss it on your bedside table and savor it.

5 comments about The Accidental Zillionaire: Demystifying Paul Allen.

1. It's hard not to envy Paul Allen. A son of Oklahomans who moved to Seattle, he went to a private school, met Bill Gates, helped start Microsoft and has had billions of dollars to play with almost ever since. OK, so when Microsoft first went public, he only had a hundred million or so to play with. He's been sued for sexual harassment, owns a big chunk of a hot movie studio and is still an ordinary slob. Allen and his family refused to cooperate with the author, so nothing is straight from the horse's mouth - at least not that horse. The author shows admirable self restraint for the first several chapters, but really pulls the lid off later in the book. Allen comes off looking like a junior level IT nerd who won the lottery, a weirdly fascinating, odd guy. The book is easy enough to read, though it relies mainly on secondary sources and press reports, and is repetitious, disjointed and inclined to skip important information, such as dates. But, if you want the gossipy side of the Microsoft story, We suggest this as your vacation reading.



2. A fast read. However, this book is more akin to a compendium of previously published magazine articles. Consequently, that makes this oeuvre a $27.95 term paper. After reading the book Paul Allen is not demystified in any way as the title purports. I would recommend that you do a net search on Mr. Allen. You will reach the same level of enlightenment while saving yourself a bundle. This book should not have been published as it is repetitive and uninformative.



3. This seems to be an objective look at Paul Allen. In this book I found out that if it was not for Mr. Allan, Bill Gates would have moved Microsoft to somewhere south of the Golden Gate Bridge. Paul Allan gave Seattle a good deal on the whole. By the Space Needle he demonstrated the power of money. Great wealth can make some dreams come true. To balance this out Seattle got Microsoft, just on the other side of Lake Washington (not the Bay Area). Let's keep our fingers crossed that Paul Allen does prove he did not just stumble across the idea/vision that created Microsoft and comes up with another big idea. We could all benefit from it.
   I subtract one star, because all this information collected in one place in this book invades the privacy Mr. Allen seeks. More privacy could make the diffrence. After all he got his first big idea when the spot light was not on him yet.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   p



4. I picked up this book at a garage sale recently. Although it is an unauthorized biography it gave me a good glimpse of Paul Allen's life. Fascinating just doesn't describe it. A worthy read into the journey of a man who has affected our existence.



5. I think that Mr. Allen is one of the most mysterious men in the world. This somewhat explains. Wasn't great, wasn't horrible. I got thru it without a problem.

4 comments about Branson.

1. This is one of the most shocking books I have ever read. Shocking not only in its content, but also in absoutely trashing my formerly favorable opinion of Branson-not just once, but over and over, practically beating my mind to a pulp.

   I picked up this book on a recent trip to London. I'd always had a favorable impression of Richard Branson, so I decided to buy one of his biographies. I noticed several different ones for sale. I chose this one for two reasons. The other biographies were AUTHORIZED and VETTED by Branson. This one claims to be objective, but unauthorized, and explains why this is so, very thoroughly. The book is written by an investigative historian and journalist, and is METICULOULY researched, with pages of sources sited. The book has been gone through with a fine-toothed comb by the publisher's lawyers, who have already vetted the book. Every single thing reported in this book can be completely and thoroughly substantiated.

   So what does this shocking book say? Branson's high school teacher predicted he'd either end up very rich, or in jail. He very nearly did end up in jail in his early career. He basically takes advantage of everyone, hiding behind his supposedly altruistic motives, while his real motives are to rip off everyone he can, having built an empire equivalent to a house of cards. Before I read this book, I would have liked to meet him. Now I feel he's absolute poison, and he completely revolts me. He apparently jumps into bed with every possible girl, but doesn't even have the decency to pay their cab fair home. After enticing star-struck girls into bed, he apparently tells his friends that he wakes up in the morning and says, "Who the f*** is this in my bed?" (direct quote from the book). Just as former empires around the world were built on the back of slave labor, so he treats his employees. He gives the public image of "fun" while absolutely breaking his poor employees' backs-and he has gotten a lot worse with his employees' treatment as the years went on. Furthermore, his is an empire built on sand, that could continually collapse at any moment. He knows little about running business, and doesn't like detail. Most of his businesses lose money, but he has a couple that bring in the cash to keep the others afloat, with a team of accountants who continually shuffle the money around. Surprisingly, this book does admit that he has some strengths. These include hiring good people around him to take care of all the details and run his businesses (since he can't, and isn't interested). But in the end, because he doesn't pay these people well or treat them well, they leave him, and he can only attract mediocre talent-one cause of the Virgin brand not being of good quality. His real strengths are in deal-making and self-promotion. His balloon trips are all "stunts" to attract publicity to himself and the Virgin brand, in a way that is far less expensive than advertising would be (he basically doesn't advertise, and considers it a big waste of money). He keeps expenses down, skims off the cash, and keeps it offshore to avoid British taxes. And he lies, lies, lies, all the time. According to this book, he's a poison pirate. I was reminded continually while reading this book of the old quotation, "It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven." I have nothing at all against rich people, but in the case of Richard Branson, this quote seems very appropriate.

   This book is not a quick read. I could only absorb about 20 pages at a time. If you are interested in Richard Branson, you should definitely read this book.




2. This is the second book on Richard Branson that I've read. The first one was 'Losing My Virginity'. The former paints a rosy picture while this paints an overtly dark picture about the subject.

   Both books have to be read in order to ascertain the facts from the chaff. Entertaining read, all in all.




3. I read this book back to back with "Losing My Virginity" which is Branson's autobiography - wow, to say they differ somewhat would be a slight understatement - The timelines match, and the 'events' match, but reading the reason Branson cites for a particular event or business move then reading Bower's interpretation is like comparing "The Bible" to an "Asterix and Obelix" comic book!
   In fact Bower's book makes Branson seem like such a criminal that one can't help feel he almost has a personal vendetta against him... it's just that bad!

   Definitely worth reading however, at least for the contrast. The truth, I'm sure, is somewhere in the middle of the two...




4. This book is for all the people out there who regard Sir Richard Brandson as a clever "can do" businessman... All based on facts, this book is as close as you will get to the real man, unless you start working for his empire...

1 comments about Can't Take It With You: The Art of Making and Giving Money.

1. What an incredible story! What an incredible life! What an incredible contribution to society! What an incredible man! Certainly, Mr. Cullman can say he has "lived" his life and it's not over yet. This book is a must read for the up and coming entreprenuer, the social philanthropist and those sitting on thousands, millions and even billions they, nor their families or generations to come could ever spend. I salute Mr. Cullman for creating the path and not following a trail in his generosity, philosophy and business acumen.