Review
"Surveys a wide terrain, ranging from the development of Henry Ford's production methods to the impact of globalization on the automobile markets at the end of the century... Throughout, the prose is clear and accessible. Rubenstein has the eye for a telling statistic and the ear for a pithy quotation... If this book were a car, it might be a full-sized sedan. Capacious and comfortable, it covers a lot of ground smoothly. Historians, geographers, and industrial organization specialists in economics will find it appealing... The book is carefully designed and eminently functional. Finally, it is likely to hold its value well and provide a comprehensive, reliable treatment of a pivotal industry for some time to come." -- Enterprise and Society
"The strengths of the work lie in its discussions of the early entrepreneurs and dealerships and of recent market trends. Rubenstein, who is a geographer, presents an excellent examination of regional sales and production trends... [Making and Selling Cars] would serve as a fine text for undergraduate courses on the motor industry." -- Business History Review
"Rubenstein has written a very useful book for those of us interested in the evolution of the American automobile industry... Rubenstein manages to make sense of the evolution of key factors, at the same time as isolating elements that remain central to the success (and occasional failure) of the U.S. automotive industry." -- Virginia Quarterly Review
"The analysis within the book moves understandings of the [automobile] industry in a number of new directions... The length of the perspective taken (over 100 years), the breadth of disciplines that the author draws on, and the attractive writing and visual presentation of the book all combine to provide readers with a valuable source text." -- Prometheus
"This is a comprehensive history of the automobile industry with much data on production and the market... Rubenstein obviously loves cars... The book is fascinating." -- Science, Technology and Society
"A comprehensive and engaging survey of the history of the American automotive industry." -- History
"This is a book written for the person who wants to learn everything there is to know about the history, economics, sociology, engineering practices, marketing strategies, and biographies of leading figures associated with the automobile industry, all contained in a single, easy-to-read story." -- Professional Geographer
"James Rubenstein's new book adds to the voluminous literature on the industry. What makes his book noteworthy is that he has brought together material that is usually the preserve of different types of scholarship, and done so in a straightforward manner impressive in scope." -- Technology and Culture
"It is the best discussion of the evolution of the process of manufacturing cars that I know of." -- Journal of Economic History
"For readers seeking an overview of the industry Rubenstein's book offers a useful profile, especially for the last quarterly century." -- Indiana Magazine of History
"No one has actually performed the service of covering the entire U.S. motor vehicle industry in great detail -- until now." -- Sean P. McAlinden, Ph. D., Associate Research Scientist and Manager of Economic Studies, University of Michigan
From the Back Cover
From the creation of fast food to the design of cities, the automobile has shaped nearly every aspect of modern American life. James M. Rubenstein documents the story of the automotive industry, revealing it as a vigorous shaper of the American economy as well as an industry constantly struggling to redefine itself.
"What makes [Rubenstein's] book noteworthy is that he has brought together material that is usually the preserve of different types of scholarship, and done so in a straightforward manner impressive in scope." -- Technology and Culture
"A comprehensive history of the automobile industry with much data on production and the market... The book is fascinating." -- Science, Technology and Society
"This is a book written for the person who wants to learn everything there is to know about the history, economics, sociology, engineering practices, marketing strategies, and biographies of leading figures associated with the automobile industry, all contained in a single, easy-to-read story." -- Professional Geographer
James M. Rubenstein is a professor of geography at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. His previous publications include The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography, An Introduction to Geography: People, Places, and Environment, and The Changing U.S. Auto Industry: A Geographical Analysis.
