Rating: 
Summary: A Blockbuster title...with no late fees
Review: This is a lightweight tome about an unusual man.Like him or loathe him, Sumner Redstone is a character and in this book what you read is about Sumner Redstone, a man of steel. There is much to be admired about Mr. Redstone but not his writing skills. This unabashed self-promoting autobiography is not a bad read but it really does not get to the essence of the man and his business dealings. One is reminded of Shakespeare's withering description "but Caesar is an honourable man" which served to cast doubt on the character of Caesar. I am not saying that there is anything bad with Sumner Redstone but the reader is left with the impression of our hero marching into battle at the head of a small, timid, lacking in confidence army. Granted he is a survivor and granted that he has got good business acumen but where, as they say, is the beef? This is a story of Sumner first and foremost, a larger than life character while the other figures he interacts with are merely shadows in comparison. Lest anyone get me wrong I have the utmost respect for this gentleman and believe that you do not get to run one of the biggest media corporations in the world by mere accident. But this book is not a fitting testament to the man. The world does not need the soft focus version of Sumner Redstone. What we do need is a no holds barred, warts and all unauthorised biography of the Viacom titan. This is not the greates business book in the world. You can tell that by the fact that Blockbuster stores were required to sell it alongside their movie rentals before ultimately was taken from the shelves. Unlike a lot of the things you get from Blockbuster there are no late fees attached to this book. Says it all really.
Rating: 
Summary: Self-Serving BORING BIO
Review: Well, I was initially very interested in reading this book, but like most bios of this nature I found it to be very self-serving. Why buy a book whose best picture of reality comes from looking in the mirror? Where is the beef?? The book is more publicity for Redstone than an honest work of journalism. Perhaps Restone should take his title to heart, because as an author I am sure he is winning, but as readers we lose out on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: You will love talking about this book.
Review: Whether you buy this book for self-help or because you want to know how the top people made it in their careers, this book will satisfy you. Well written and focused, you catch a glimpse into the life of Sumner Redstone as he rose from a "poor, Jewish boy" to becoming a media conglomerate who is well respected (and feared) in his arena. Reading about people like this, you can't help but be inspired. Whether you agree with Mr. Redstone's tactics, you will admire and respect his fortitude and resilience. He takes you through a journey of his life, and you see how successful people overcome the obstacles in their lives. I don't want to give away everything in the book, but Sumner faced many "obstacles". What's nice is he also names the names of the people who have infuriated him throughout his career. He has guts! I recommend this book. Honestly, though, it may not be for someone who has already "made it" in life. I think the best person to read this book is a recent high-school or college graduate who has his/her whole life ahead of them. This book will make an excellent gift to someone and will definitely inspire them.
Rating: 
Summary: A Complete Surprise!
Review: Wow! I'm the first to review this book here in over a year!
A Passion to Win was recommended to me by a fellow Viacom employee, though he's at Paramount and I have freelanced at MTV for the past four and a half years. I'm embarrassed to say that I previously knew nothing of Sumner Redstone or his behind-the-scene battles to turn Viacom into the world's top entertainment company. When confronted with the inevitable bureaucracy of performing my job duties, I just envisioned a nameless, faceless corporation that really only cared about the bottom line.
What a treat it was to spend the last day and a half seeing operations from the creator's perspective! I have a newfound respect for Mr. Viacom (or Mr. Redstone) and every other division that has invariably kept him awake at night as he set to reform it from the inside out. Quite an inspiring and optimistic tome from someone who could easily have concentrated on the negatives of his own triumphant journey.
I was surprised with Redstone's candor in recounting his business deals, including the personalities of the players involved. The character "types" he has dealt with paralleled my own encounters with businessmen over the years. It was comforting to know that our dealings were not so dissimilar, only in the scope of what was being negotiatied.
I'm sure Sumner has his share of detractors, but I was really impressed with his story. I found myself cheering (though not audibly) when he closed a significant business deal. The uncomplicated prose actually helped me through most of the legal situations, as that's never been an area of interest for me.
Suffice it to say that I think this book holds up exceedingly well, giving great insight into one of the top business minds currently at play on the American (even global) corporate landscape. A complete recommendation.
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