Rating: 
Summary: The Incomplete Jack Welch
Review: This book is laid out as an autobiography and as such, we should come away from it understanding what philosophies and ideals made Jack aspire to his position. Unfortunately I don't see that. We do find out he likes power and golf. Two issues of personal responsibility on which the book is silent are his obligations to his country and his obligations to his family, particularly his first wife. Jack Welch finished college in the early 1960s, and most young men of that era either had to serve in the Armed Forces or come up with a very good reason why they shouldn't. An autobiography that doesn't mention the issue, let alone explain how he resolved it, is flawed. Second, after over 20 years of marriage Jack and his wife divorced, and subsequently both remarried. Not surprising, except for Jack's later assertion that he considers himself a good Catholic. Again there may be good reasons why he can reconcile his actions with Catholic teaching, but silence raises questions. Did his wife just fall into the bottom ten percent that Jack the CEO was so fond of dispatching? As a GE stockholder I appreciate Jack. If I had worked for GE I think I would have sought another job.
Rating: 
Summary: All fluff - no substance!
Review: Who should read this book? If you have nothing better to do than to read about a man who's high on himself, then go for it. And if you are a GE History afficianado, the hundreds of pages intricately detailing meetings, when and where they were held, the top brass who attended it, what they ate, how they play golf, and how shrewd/funny/competetive they all were will be of great value to you. But to me, it felt like Jack wrote a lot of irrelevant material just to fill pages and give his book some thickness. Who should NOT read this book? Anyone who values their time. When you read this book, you have to remember, all you get is a one sided story about GE, since Jack isn't going to write anything that will put his beloved company in a bad light. So be prepared to vomit from his high one sided appraisal of his company and mostly himself. Did you know he was responsible for Matt Lauer's success on NBC or for that matter, Seinfeld's. I didn't, but he certainly seems to think so. It's an easy read and the pages fly by, but then again, I found myself just glazing through many pages of fluff and self-aggrandizement.
Rating: 
Summary: If you want to know business, you want to read Welch's book
Review: The greates CEO of the century, managing the most admired company of the world. In this book, he explains in a very easy way to read how did he managed to did what he did, his success as well as his failures are well explained in this autobiography.
Rating: 
Summary: Quickie on Jack Welch & GE
Review: First half of the book is about childhood-to-retirement. Second half is dedicated to a few popular topics: Globalization, Six Sigma, eBusiness, Honeywell, etc. How can you summarize a guy's life in just a few pages... especially Jack Welch. I did enjoy the overall inspiring story, but it lacked substance. It'fs more a biography rather than a business 'gtool'h book. For instance, Jack'fs first limelight was an obscure unit in the plastics division. It obviously propelled his career and got him out from under 'gthe pile'h. But, all the story says is that the people diligently developed a robust plastic (after many months) and suddenly $100+ million unit was born'c well'c. I'fm sure there'fs a lot more to the business challenge than that. Jack writes about what he remembers and naturally that tends to have holes. Those holes lead one to believe that business was much simpler than it really was. The other criticism is that specific people within and outside of GE are named in stories, which sound unobjective. One must look at these characterizations with somewhat of a challenging eye. As expected, Jack isn'ft going to criticize Henry Kissinger and Larry Bossidy, but one would hope that he would put more beef into Gary Wendt'fs firing. Rather, Jack saves most of his critical commentary for the EU Commission, more specifically Mr. Gonzales-Diaz. A light hearted reader can take this book for what it is: a fun and entertaining biography, but not a serious business book.
Rating:
Summary: The Lucky Star
Review: I loved the book very much. Jack is a very smart man. He used plain language without boasting of himself told one of the greatest business story ever. "Oh, how come it was all so easy? He did nothing by himself!" and so on are questions that might pop up after reading the book. Just remember, everybody knows eating less and workout more will reduce fat, but look at how many people are fat. Jack has the power of execution! He envisioned something, and could achieve it. He was not the smartest, but he was the toughest; it's personality not intelligence that counts. It's hard to see these things from this book, because it's an autobiography, and it's not likely for one person to analyze himself so completely with the conclusion been that he is better than all others. Anyway, dwell into the book a bit more; you will learn and admire.
Rating:
Summary: Kick ass book
Review: Listen to the man. He is not one of thouse writers who fantasize about something and then all of a sudden right a book "How to ..." Jack ran GE monster for 20 years - and he knows what he is talking about. Buy it and listen to it once a month - very inspirational material
Rating:
Summary: Hollow Man
Review: Jack Welch is no secret he was in the right place at the right time. His business success has nothing to do with good management. There are a thousand Jack Welch's in this world and most of the end up no where. Jack gambled and he won. But to my main point, this guy is soulless. He cares nothing for what is important in life. Greed and power are his middle name. People and humanity be dammed. It makes me sad to think that people aspire to be this man. Here is a poem that in my mind sums up Jack Welch's life. T.S. Elliot 's Hollow Men
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us--if at all--not as lost Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.
Rating:
Summary: Very Interesting
Review: It was great reading about how one person rocketted a mammoth company like GE into the halls of fame... For those that are interested in business, this book is great to find out more about wheeling and dealing and coporate cultures. I found the first half of the book fascinating, but it sometimes gets a little too 'list-like'- chronicling every small deal that they worked out; but for sure all the major ones and the issues they faced. The book is full of interesting anecdotes and gives you a bit of an insight into how Jack worked. While he was portrayed as a great 'cheerleader', I am sure that he has a ruthless, fearful side to him, but you only get a small glimpse of that. It would be interesting to hear more of that! Worth the money but maybe not in hardcover.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant businessman, failure in personal life
Review: Jack Welch's deep thought and subsequent action about GE were brilliant. The detail in this book, although often too much, underscores his complete dedication, intensity, and hard hard work. We see him working around the clock at this job, thinking about everything in it, never leaving it behind. We see how he developed his ideas, discarding tradition, and put them into action. As a stimulus to thought of how to analyze a business situation and then proceed, this book is invaluable.
However, if you are looking for insights into how to combine business and personal life, you won't find them in this book.
Welch did not put any of this intense energy, integrity, or thought into his personal life. All of his friends seemed to be from business. He says that he had a great family life, as evidenced by two family vacations per year. We never hear about his children except for their college pedigrees. From the narrative, non-stop meetings, phone calls, and travel it is clear he was hardly ever home. He clearly paid no attention to his valiant wife who raised their four children and then appears to have been dumped, or so alienated that she left when the last child left for college. Most thinking men and women will be disgusted that he disposed of that 28 year marriage in one page.
So.. a brilliant businessman, but that's it. Clearly not an all around role model.
Rating:
Summary: ENTERTAINING
Review: Ok so the book isn't written by Hemingway.(...)The mans life is amazing. Starting from a middle class family and becoming one of the most powerful men in the world. Hey, works for me. After reading it you are filled with confidence that you too can be successful with a lot of hard work. So if you are looking for a story to inspire you, read Jack.
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