Rating: 
Summary: Peterman vs Seinfeld re defamation of character
Review: An inspiring account of an entrepreneur living the
American dream. I am suprised that John did not recognize the damage that Seinfeld's characterization of him as a pompus, self centered fool and jackass did not ring alarm bells and cause a suit against the continuation of his character assassination. Perhaps the fact that the actor portraying him was tall and handsome obscured the fact that John was portrayed as a sexist, racist, colonialist fool. The real John was a hard working innnovative businessman dedicated to selling unusual, sometimes rare items of clothing and accessories that represented value for a price. John is an innovative merchant who I believe will be successful again. This book is a must for any budding entrepreneur to read and heed, both the right and wrong way to start and manage an enterprise.
Rating: 
Summary: A Natural Entrepreneur's Entertaining Memoir
Review: I read the book because I suspected there's a whole lot more to John Peterman than his fabulous-but-now-defunct catalog ("Owner's Manual") and the fabulous-but-now-defunct Seinfeld character (Elaine's "Mr. Peterman"). This book proved my suspicion. (The chapters are called: "Banana Boats, Cavalry Charges and Cowboys", "Dreaming and Doing", "Cheese Downstairs and Dusters Upstairs", "Peterman, You Must Be Crazy", "The Catalog That Started a Cult", "The Education of John Peterman", "Seinfeld and Me", "Why Generals Have Their Own Tents", "My Voyage on the Titanic", "Come at Once, We Have Struck a Berg" and "Climbing Back on the Horse". The mercurial Peterman writes in a quick, witty style that seems a little too light for a business book until you realize that he's actually teaching you something useful. His anecdotes add up to a very credible case study in personnel management -- not to mention, of course, merchandising, marketing, and finance. Example: See p. 112, where he writes that "True corporate culture runs deeper than dispensing free latte and letting employees go barefoot. And true motivation is more than a generous stock option." That segues into an incident that led an employee of the catalog company to notice that their mail list was out of whack -- it had a lot of addresses going to cities where there were federal prisons. He ends the section by writing "We were grateful for her discovery; it stopped a small problem from possibly becoming a costly one. More important, we were grateful for the show of initiative. We made a point of publicly congratulating her for what she'd done, giving her a well-deserved lift and energizing the rest of us, too. People talked about it in the halls, started looking for trends themselves, and frankly, I was motivated to finally bring our MIS out of the Stone Age." There's also some celebrity trivia (Ethan Hawke?!), sports trivia (Peterman once played second base for the Pittsburgh Pirates) and photos of him on his world travels.
Rating:
Summary: True Adventurous Spirit.
Review: I remember getting the J. Peterman Owner's Manual in the late 80's early 90's. A different approach, a different kind of company (sounds like the Saturn line). I think this book should be required reading for all CEOs. Perhaps if Ken Lay had read this book, he would know the difference between honor and greed.This country needs more people like Peterman. A true entrepreneur, enlightened individual. When I first got the book in the mail, I read it cover - to - cover. An incredible read, brings back some fond memories of my childhood, and has a good nostalgic feel to it. I would recommend this book to anyone who is, or wants to be a leader and free spirit.
Rating:
Summary: The Triumphs & Failures of the Iconic J. Peterman Company.
Review: If you're among the 40 million Americans who discovered an oddly shaped "Owner's Manual" in your mailbox between 1988 and 1999, you'll recognize John Peterman as the man behind the J. Peterman Company, whose often-imitated mail order catalog changed direct marketing forever. If you're not, John Peterman built a mail order apparel business on an archaically styled cowboy duster coat and a catalog that featured drawings, not photographs, of the items for sale, one item to a page, accompanied by long, poetic descriptions, that marketed mood more than specifics. "Peterman Rides Again" is John Peterman's story of the J. Peterman Company, the culture it created for its customers, and the life it created for himself. His account traces the company from its infancy selling dusters in magazine ads, through the beginnings of the mail order catalog that millions of Americans would read like a novel, to the J. Peterman Company's eventual decline in the mid-nineties and it's bankruptcy in 1999. John Peterman's prose is only moderately eloquent, but it's very readable. I found his discussion of various things the J. Peterman Company did right and the marketing, financial, and organizational decisions that were definitely wrong to be the most interesting aspect of the book. That and the details of upstarting a mail order business might interest any budding entrepreneur. For those of us who miss the early years of the J. Peterman "Owner's Manual", Peterman's account shows us the circumstances behind the bad decisions that I think most customers recognized and lamented at the time. "Peterman Rides Again" is an enlightening read for Mr. Peterman's former customers and anyone in the direct marketing business.
Rating:
Summary: The Triumphs & Failures of the Iconic J. Peterman Company.
Review: If you're among the 40 million Americans who discovered an oddly shaped "Owner's Manual" in your mailbox between 1988 and 1999, you'll recognize John Peterman as the man behind the J. Peterman Company, whose often-imitated mail order catalog changed direct marketing forever. If you're not, John Peterman built a mail order apparel business on an archaically styled cowboy duster coat and a catalog that featured drawings, not photographs, of the items for sale, one item to a page, accompanied by long, poetic descriptions, that marketed mood more than specifics. "Peterman Rides Again" is John Peterman's story of the J. Peterman Company, the culture it created for its customers, and the life it created for himself. His account traces the company from its infancy selling dusters in magazine ads, through the beginnings of the mail order catalog that millions of Americans would read like a novel, to the J. Peterman Company's eventual decline in the mid-nineties and it's bankruptcy in 1999. John Peterman's prose is only moderately eloquent, but it's very readable. I found his discussion of various things the J. Peterman Company did right and the marketing, financial, and organizational decisions that were definitely wrong to be the most interesting aspect of the book. That and the details of upstarting a mail order business might interest any budding entrepreneur. For those of us who miss the early years of the J. Peterman "Owner's Manual", Peterman's account shows us the circumstances behind the bad decisions that I think most customers recognized and lamented at the time. "Peterman Rides Again" is an enlightening read for Mr. Peterman's former customers and anyone in the direct marketing business.
Rating:
Summary: Like sitting at the feet of a guru
Review: John Peterman became a legend in his own time. The creative entrepreneur is best known for establishing and growing The J. Peterman Company, a unique catalog company. Through his innovative work, his name became a household word for 40 million Americans. He is less well-known for playing second base for the Pittsburgh Pirates, though baseball has been an important part of his life for many years. J. Peterman opened in 1987 with a $500 investment and grew to become a $75 million company before hitting a cash flow crisis and being sold under the dark cloud of Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1999. It was a wild ride that set new standards and broke new ground in the catalog industry. Reading this book is like sitting at the feet of a giant of a man who took risks, challenged tradition, and changed the way an entire industry did business. Peterman was a maverick. People like this always have fascinating stories to tell, and Peterman is no exception. In page after page, he weaves the exciting account of how he built his company. Woven throughout are baseball metaphors as he connects his sports life with his business life . . . and his personal life. It's almost like listening to Uncle John spin the tales. As you might expect, the guru has lots of wisdom to share. His down-to-earth advice is disarmingly simple, but valuable. It appears almost without warning as the text flows. Consider these examples: "Once you realize that most people are keeping up appearances and putting on a show, their approval becomes much less important." Subscribe to the 'Economist' and the "Utne Reader' as well as 'Time' and 'Newsweek.' Try Ethiopian food. Strike up a conversation with a truck driver. It's a big world." "I might have a bad day, you might have a bad day, but that's OK; I'll come through for you on your bad day, and you'll come through for me on mine." "Most people related to the catalog in a very personal way," Peterman explains, "almost as if it were a letter written by a good friend who can take you out of yourself, out of your routine-or remind you of who you really are." The watercolor illustrations and caring prose attracted a loyal following of readers-some who never bought anything but still did not want to be removed from the mailing list. Did Peterman learn from his experience? As the book comes close to closing, he reveals a truth that should be heeded by all entrepreneurs. "Entrepreneurs genuinely need to take on many roles in their understaffed companies, at first, from chief cook to bottlewasher. It can be exhausting, but feeling indispensable is habit-forming. Insidious, really. I never consciously pulled the tricks some founders do to feed the habit, like setting managers against one another in order to play Solomon. Still, I tended to be more involved in too many tasks, too much detail. Overinvolvement sapped me of my energy, perspective, and judgment at precisely the moments where they were needed the most." Great advice . . . and the book is full of such statements. Interesting informal book with more learnings that you expect.
Rating:
Summary: Arrows in the back -- and loving it!
Review: John Peterman is a true pioneer, the kind of person who doesn't take 'no' for an answer and keeps riding even when they tell him it can't be done. He's a lone wolf, an outlaw, a mystic, an adventurer, freedom fighter, and role model. Seems like we already know him, and here we get to know him that much better. The business wisdom comes straight from the horse's mouth: dare to screw up, and treat people well from day one. The stories will make you laugh, and cry, and want to invest in retail. After reading this book, you yourself are a bit older, a lot wiser, and ready to ride again.
Rating:
Summary: RIDING HIGH IN THE SADDLE
Review: Peterman rides again...and he is riding high in the saddle. If you don't believe in reincarnation, you will after reading Mr. Peterman's book. He has more lives then the average house cat, having continually re-invented himself: baseball player, businessman, entrepreneur, world traveller, television icon, farmer and now, author. Mr. Peterman's writing is witty and intelligent, juxtaposing past and present, business and pleasure, triumph and failure. It would be a difficult task to categorize "Peterman Rides Again". Just where do you put this marvellous book in the bookstore? It is part biography, part travelogue, part sports history, part business management, part inspiration, part motivation, part entertainment journal. Wherever they put it, head straight for that section. There is much to learn about the real J Peterman...and there is much to learn from him. Congratulations John Peterman. I look forward to the next ride.
Rating:
Summary: Confucius, Aesop, and Ben Franklin Ride Again
Review: Peterman's Last Stand is a helpful reminder of the joys that dreams can give us - and the pain they sometimes cause. Through a series of anecdotes, flashbacks and parables, the author takes us through the rise and fall of his delightful company, candidly sharing the pitfalls of his naivete, the vagaries of the marketplace, and the brutal truths of the financial community. Sometimes witty, often wistful, the story offers an honest portrayal of the serendipity - and the reality - that go along with building a company out of a dream. This is a treatise on honesty and hope: we are constantly reminded of the value of honesty - to ourselves, our peers, and especially to our ideals. The casual and folksy style makes this an easy read and a refreshing way to garner some valuable lessons about business while picking up some pointers for enriching our personal lives. John Peterman comes through as an individual we would like to get to know and with whom we would all like to share a beer and some yarns.
Rating:
Summary: how to succeed and fail and get up again
Review: solid business story with the details of the failures and successes. a good american business read about a product everyone who lived thru the 90's in the US remembers
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