Life of an American Workman (American Biography Series) [Hardcover]

Walter Percy Chrysler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0781280699 | ISBN-13: 978-0781280693 | Publication Date: December 1991

Walter Chrysler established the Chrysler Corporation from the embers of the Maxwell-Chambers Auto Works; then founded the much larger Dodge Brothers Motor Co. In this book he tells his story simply and with many entertaining anecdotes. He talks about his childhood, his work on the railroads, his turn-around of American Locomotive, Buick and then Maxwell-Chambers. Chrysler writes in an easy style, in the book he explains his philosophy that R&D are vital to a company's success. The Chrysler Building was in the planning stage and that is discussed in the book along with his belief that his children must start at the bottom and worth their way up. This easy-to-read autobiography is a delight for anyone but a must-read for automotive enthusiasts.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Reprint Services Corp (December 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781280699
• ISBN-13: 978-0781280693
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,617,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting reading, June 28, 2010

By 

reni - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Life of an American Workman (Hardcover)

This book belongs to every one automobilehistorian's library. A amazing story of a self-made man, a hard worker climbing up to highest levels of automobile industry. Interesting that so many of those were of German origin!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Life of an American Workman, December 12, 2008

By 

Dr. Austin L. Bowman (Charlottetown, PE, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Life of an American Workman by Walter P. Chrysler in Collaboration with Boyden Sparkes. Long out of print, this book is an excellent biography of one of the founders of the North American automobile industry and is in many respects essential to an understanding of the history of the industry itself. In addition to its history of Chrysler Corporation it also provides much insight into General Motors prior to 1920.

5.0 out of 5 stars A lesser-known automaker writes his autobiography, December 8, 1997

By 

John L. Hoh Jr. "Author and Theologian" (Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life of an American Workman (American Biography Series) (Hardcover)

Everyone knows about Henry Ford and his Model T. Many know of William Crapo Durant and his creation, the colossial General Motors Corporation. Romanced today are the stories of the Stanley brothers and their steamer and the Studebakers and their cars. But few know of the man who established the Chrysler Corporation from the ruins of the Maxwell-Chambers Auto Works, then bought out the much larger Dodge Brothers Motor Co. This book is a must-read for automotive enthusiasts. Walter Chrysler writes an anecdotal and easy-reading autobiography. He doesn't waste time defending himself against any rumors that may have persisted about him at the time of its writing. He doesn't needlessly spill ink on accusations of others. He merely tells his story about growing up, working on the railroads, turning around financially strapped American Locomotive, hired by Durant to turn Buick's fortunes around, then hired by the bancruptcy trustees to save Maxwell-Chambers. Soon, the cars this company put out bore Chrysler's own name and the rest is history. Chrysler writes about his belief that Research and Development are the vital elements to the success of any company (a section every corporate officer should read today). He also talks about the plans to build the Chrysler Building and, even, making his children work their way up in the company starting at the bottom--no doubt teaching his children that every job has a function and every individual has dignity and value. The best anecdote that Walter Chrysler tells is how he drove his first car--but I'll let you read that for yourself!