Rivethead:Tales From the Assembly Line

Rating:
Summary: A must read for any manager
Review: This book applies to life on the assembly line or in any company in which the work is repetitive. How often do we read books to be better managers or to motivate our people in new and different ways? What do they think of our pitiful efforts? Look at Howie Makem and the other stories in this book and learn a powerful lesson. Only then can you really understand what you are up against. Then you can be a manager.

Rating:
Summary: Ben Harper Please Write More!
Review: This is a must read for anyone who is curious what a day in the life of a factory worker is like. Ben Harper takes you on journey through the massive bowels of the General Motors Truck and Bus factory; and lets you in on the daily hijinks, scams and booze habits of he and his linemates to help ease the passage of time and the mind numbing by-product of their job. Harper's gonzoesque sytle is fresh, gritty, real and hilarious; and his take on General Motor's bureaucratic hierarchy of authority is as funny as it is frustrating. He let's us in on everything to GM's quality mascot cat "howie makum" to the flashing slogan banner in front of his work station announcing "riveting is fun". Ben Harper makes you want to come to work with him; but stay only for a day.

Rating:
Summary: Engaging, entertaining, enlightening, & depressing, too!
Review: This is a must-read if you're a white collar, blue-blood, fancy suburb-living, Subaru Outback-driving, Liberal Arts educated American. Or even if you're not--. Its honesty will rattle those who presume to "understand" the American blue collar work force--especially middle managers sitting in some cushy office with fake plants in the corner and hot coffee in a favorite mug. It's a great companion read to "Forming the Future: Lessons from the Saturn Corporation" -- written by Jack O'Toole, the labor representative on the team to create the 80's upstart GM division. The fact that Michael Moore writes the preface to Rivethead should give you an indication that this is raw, off the beaten literary track, good reading. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting read
Review: This is certainly a tale of life at GM. I wonder how many people had similar experiences. I also wonder how much of the problem was with the author. There is no question in my mind that much if not all of what he says took place. I have worked in environments where the normal rules do not apply - still do sometimes. I can also see why so many businesses are drug free workplaces today at least in theory. The stories he tells about how managers are selected rings especially true to me. I work in the defense industry and seldom see anybody capable promoted. There is a current reaction against that phenomenon going on right now with a rash of people starting their own companies.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting read
Review: This is certainly a tale of life at GM. I wonder how many people had similar experiences. I also wonder how much of the problem was with the author. There is no question in my mind that much if not all of what he says took place. I have worked in environments where the normal rules do not apply - still do sometimes. I can also see why so many businesses are drug free workplaces today at least in theory. The stories he tells about how managers are selected rings especially true to me. I work in the defense industry and seldom see anybody capable promoted. There is a current reaction against that phenomenon going on right now with a rash of people starting their own companies.

Rating:
Summary: I be
Review: Unlike the songs of Bruce Springsteen that focus upon the working class of America, Hamper provides one with a glimpse into the life of an American factory worker. This book shows the lived experiences of people that have now become transperent voices in mainstream society. What Hamper does is provide a forum for these voices to be articulated. This book should be a mandatory reading in college classrooms. Specifically, english majors, sociology majors, and communication majors would benefit from the insight and rhetoric displayed through the harsh but real voice of Hamper. More books like this should be read by members of our society both in and out of the academic forums. In sum, I would recommend this book to the masses.