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Summary: Lessons of History
Review: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George SantayanaSantayana has much to answer for. Heeding his warning not too wisely but too well, the acolytes of the cult of history have combed through the past to find exemplars for the future. Plundering the words and deeds of Patton, Lincoln, even Machiavelli, authors and readers have shaken the Magic 8-Ball of history and received glib prophecies, anticontextual anecdotes accepted as dogma - he did this then, so you should do this now. Sincere though their form of flattery may be, imitators rob themselves of history's true pleasures; when instruction usurps interpretation, students look to the past only for lessons, exercises, and guarantees. H. W. Brands understands. Informative, enlightening, inspiring, Masters of Enterprise never loses sight of a crucial purpose - entertainment. His proposition is simple: give him eight or twelve pages at a time, and he'll give you a birth-to-death biography that is clear, accurate, empathetic, and blessedly free of hero worship. Give him room for twenty-five such accounts, and he'll give you the history of American business. And what an amazing history it is. Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Walton, Claiborne, Gates - this is a tale of monopoly and philanthropy, robber barons and inventors, salesmen and celebrities. The heroes and the scoundrels act side by side on this stage, frequently interchangeably. Brands knows the perils of the Great Man Theory of History, and he never claims that these twenty-five were solely responsible for the successes of American capitalism. But he does leave the reader marveling at the vision, audacity, perseverance, and even luck of business giants past and present. Obsessive autodidacts will want more from Masters of Enterprise - an overarching model of leadership, perhaps, or a prescriptive and distorting conclusion on the Seven Stages of Becoming Ted Turner. Brands sensibly rejects this approach, recognizing that true history doesn't have the answers in the back. Masters of Enterprise is a fascinating book. Those who cannot remember the past should be compelled to reread it.
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Summary: Masters of Enterprise
Review: An excellent historical overview of American business. You won't need an MBA or a stong desire to become a business mogul to appreciate this book. H.W. Brand chooses just the right level of detail while tracing the history of American business and building a comprehensive description of some of the most influential American businessmen/woman. He leaves you with both a historical perspective and examples of breakthroughs in business which describe the evolution of free enterprise. From the days after the American revolution, through the agrarian, industrial, and information revolutions, he paints a clear and accurate picture of how business has evolved to its present form and illustrates the role each "Master of Enterprise" played in this evolution.
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Summary: Rome was not built in a day?
Review: Common beliefs shattered by uncommon men- Henry Kaiser would have taken on the challenge to build Rome in a day! "Rags to riches" is another common adage; but the route to getting there is what distinguishes the daring from the rest. But the most important factor that has made these great achievers who changed and paved the course of business history is the strong desire to excel against all odds. What else can explain the rise of Andrew Carnegie from the drudgery of working in a dirty shop floor to being the master of one of America's greatest steel company. Do not read this book in a hurry. Brands has an excellent command on the English language and his style of narration matches the true values that one can derive from the 25 great persons described in this book. I have recommended this book as the first assignment to my daughter during her summer vacation. Your search for human excellence ends here.
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Summary: Masters of Enterprise
Review: I found this book very informative and well written. The best quality of the book is that each individual is described well enough to give you insight and from there you can decide whether you would like to read his or her biography, or just be pleased with what you have learned. I learned quite a bit of intresting facts about many of the leaders of industry and that, I belive, is the purpose of the book.
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Summary: Pure inspiration
Review: If you are chasing the, "American Dream," of becoming a successful entrepeneur, this book is definitely a must read! H. W. Brands has compiled a collection of highly enterprising and inspirational people in his book. I not only was encouraged by reading about such great American men, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Andrew Carnegie, I was even more impressed with the profiles of such determined business women as Oprah Winfrey and Mary Kay. Their lives and positive, business tactics shed a shining light, leading the way to establishing a successful enterprise.
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Summary: Masters of Enterprise
Review: If you are chasing the, "American Dream," of becoming a successful entrepeneur, this book is definitely a must read! H. W. Brands has compiled a collection of highly enterprising and inspirational people in his book. I not only was encouraged by reading about such great American men, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Andrew Carnegie, I was even more impressed with the profiles of such determined business women as Oprah Winfrey and Mary Kay. Their lives and positive, business tactics shed a shining light, leading the way to establishing a successful enterprise.
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Summary: Why did H.W. Brands write this book?
Review: That is the question I invariably ask myself upon reading. Why would one choose to write a book about people one despises? The only answer I can come up with is that he doesn't consciously realize the underlying premises he holds (obviously neither do any of the reviewers of this book). Nary a good thing is said about any of the extraordinary individuals written about herein. The underlying tone of Brands' writing is that of cynicism and thinly veiled scorn for success. It is a tolerable book when he is merely recounting events without putting any of his own 'wit' into the writing. Don't take my word for it though, read it for yourself while bearing my comments in mind.
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Summary: Sketches of Great American Entrepreneurs
Review: These brief portraits of great American businessmen and women are well written. Brands does a creditable job laying out the basics of each of their lives and presenting it in a highly readable fashion. His purpose is to show the historical development of how Americans have made money in a country where the making of wealth has became almost a divine calling. Brands' selection of business giants could have been better. He seems to have picked his membership more for their diversity as people than for their masterful entrepreneurial skills. Why include Berry Gordy, but not Warren Buffett? Brands' choices obviously skew his presentation of U.S. business history, making it seem more diverse than it really has been.
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Summary: Sketches of Great American Entrepreneurs
Review: These brief portraits of great American businessmen and women are well written. Brands does a creditable job laying out the basics of each of their lives and presenting it in a highly readable fashion. His purpose is to show the historical development of how Americans have made money in a country where the making of wealth has became almost a divine calling. Brands' selection of business giants could have been better. He seems to have picked his membership more for their diversity as people than for their masterful entrepreneurial skills. Why include Berry Gordy, but not Warren Buffett? Brands' choices obviously skew his presentation of U.S. business history, making it seem more diverse than it really has been.
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Summary: Should be required reading
Review: When I got done reading this, I sent an email to the author: I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for an excellent read, Masters of Enterprise. Reading these biographies made me contemplate my own future, and how I can improve the lives of my family and others. I kept thinking to myself, "Gee, I wish that this book was used as a class textbook when I was in high school." If it did gain mass acceptance for that purpose,I believe that it could cause a revolution in America. ______ If you do read this, feel free to email me. I would welcome correspondence with a group of people who have enjoyed this book.
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