In WHEELS FOR THE WORLD, Douglas Brinkley traces the history of Ford Motor Company from its inception under Henry Ford to the modern company; he addresses such issue as Ford's anti-semitism and his labor relations.
Douglas Brinkley was given access to the Ford Motor Co. archives, and he seems bent on including everything he found there. This book is 764 pages long and it took me three weeks to read. Yet, I can't say it was a wasted effort.
Henry Ford is the undisputed star. Brinkley spends pages trying to decide whether old Henry was a genius or just a excellent judge of character. He finally arrives at a compromise of sorts: Ford would not have succeeded without James Couzens, his business manager; Charles Sorenson, production manager, or C. Harold Wills, his chief designer. But it was Henry Ford's vision and will power that held everything together. He was also a genius at promotion (sometimes self promotion).
Brinkley does not shirk in his criticism of Ford's warts. Much of the book is devoted to Ford's anti-Semitism. On the other hand, he's quick to tell us of Ford's devotion to African American workers and his financing of Ford Hospital and social programs for his immigrant workers.
Although he's ambivalent about Henry Ford, Brinkley loves Edsel and Henry II. Brinkley's Edsel is an urbane and sophisticated man whom the author gives credit for the development of the Lincoln Continental and other styling at Ford. He also debunks the notion that Henry Ford contributed to Edsel's early death. Henry II is shown as an empathetic man who worked hand-in-hand with Walter Reuther's UAW to improve employee/employer relations.
Up until reading this book, I couldn't tell a Ford Taurus from a Ford Tempo, but I have to say that lately I've been paying more attention and, yes, the Tempo does look rather like a jellybean.
Dave Schwinghammer's published novel, SOLDIER'S GAP, is available at Amazon.com, new and used. Click here to post or read comments.
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