The amazing story of one of Colorado s most intriguing and successful characters has never been told in its entirety . . . until now. On the pages of Speck the Life and Times of Spencer Penrose, author and artist Robert C. Olson uses words like brush strokes and captures the larger-than-life personality of Speck Penrose and the brilliant color and flavor of a time when giants rose from the mountains of America s West. During his seventy-four years on Earth, Speck went from a rich and shiftless son of the privileged class to a self-made prince of industry, society, and philanthropy. He made millions in real estate and mining during the boom days of Cripple Creek; literally moved mountains as the person most responsible for Utah s gigantic Bingham copper mine; and drew the world s well-heeled to Colorado with the creation of The Broadmoor, the premier resort still located on the side of Cheyenne Mountain just south of Colorado Springs. Readers will find that Speck not only features the life and times of a Colorado giant, but provides detailed glimpses into the lives of his many prominent associates.
| |||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Author Robert (Bob) Olson was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, served briefly in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a meteorologist, and continued his education at Northwestern University and the American Academy of Art, both in Chicago. From the 1950s through the 1980s, Bob experienced success after success in advertising and public relations, eventually selling his firm, Darcy Communications, in the late 80s and devoting his time to writing and art. Surprisingly, during this time, Bob learned that no one had written the life story of one of Colorado s famous entrepreneurs, Spencer Penrose, so he set out to fill the void. The more he learned about Penrose, the more intrigued he became, with the result being this enlightening book. Bob and his wife Sandy now live in the town of Bow Mar, a suburb of Denver, close to their two daughters and grandchildren.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
colorado history,
By
This review is from: Speck -- The Life and Times of Spencer Penrose (Hardcover)
spec is a wonderful book. had trouble with all the name dropping, was constantly refering to previous pages for the names. spec knew too many people i guess. short, to the point, a must have for colorado history buffs. cripple creek, colorado springs, the broadmoor, and many other cities in the area are covered in this book. i wanted a brick by brick recount of the broadmoor's construction but it was not there.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spence,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Speck - The Life and Times of Spencer Penrose (Paperback)
Fabulous book. Reads more like a novel, than an historical account.A captivating read for those (like myself) who have held a special place in their heart for the BroAdmoor and Colorado Springs as a magical place of beauty, beginning with family trips during chldhood and continuing through adulthood. Revealed within ithe well-written pages of "Speck" is the spell-binding account of one man's dream for a city and a world-class resort in the European manner, unduplicated here or abroad. Spence has all the key ingredients of a Marchant and Ivory film, as it describes lavish interiors and exteriors, classic carriages, trains, ocean liners, "rough and tumble" Colorado gold mining days, and the tall and handsome Spencer Penrose, blue-blood from Philadelphia, Harvard educated, who headed to Colorado's Cripple Creek for gold and copper prospecting, carousing, brawling, and eventually falls in love and marries a beautiful young socialite widow from Detroit. Together they enteertained royalty, lived lavishly, yet civic minded above all else, generously poured their fortunes into charitable causes as well as the making of a city and the BroAdmoor legend. Starring Colin Firth, as Spencer Penrose.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read on Local History in Colorado Springs,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Speck - The Life and Times of Spencer Penrose (Paperback)
I bought this book because our local paper was printing one chapter a week and I didn't want to wait until December to finish this book.The book was purchased at a great price and is brand new. It is one I will keep in my library. Shirley
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
