Adventures of a Bystander (Hardcover)

~ Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management (Author) "I had not been back for almost twenty years when I visited Vienna in 1955 to give one or two lectures..." (more)
Key Phrases: genius foreign minister, stupid old woman, university entrance examination, New York, United States, Uncle Henry (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For almost 60 years, Peter Drucker has been writing about everything from management and economics to philosophy and politics with an unorthodox perspective on business and society that continues to attract followers. But in the autobiographical classic Adventures of a Bystander--considered the best of his 29 books by both readers and Drucker himself--the spotlight is turned around to illuminate those he met along the way, who best embody his envisioned ideals of pluralism and diversity. Among them: Sigmund Freud, Henry Luce, Buckminster Fuller, Marshall McLuhan, and Fritz Kraemer, "the man who invented Kissinger." --Howard Rothman

Review

"Drucker's autobiography is a joy to read because of the mix of intriguing characters, momentous events and sharp insights we've come to expect from one of the most original management theorists."-Upside magazine

The title of this book, Adventures of a Bystander, is too modest. Far from being a bystander, Peter Drucker has actively participated in much of what he writes about, crossing paths with many of the 20th century's intellectual elite. The book opens in 1923, with the 13-year-old Drucker carrying the red banner at the head of the Viennese Socialists' annual Republic Day march, spans the rise of fascism in Germany, and finishes with what Drucker accomplished after arriving in the U.S. in 1937. Drucker's autobiography is a joy to read because of the mix of intriguing characters, momentous events and sharp insights we've come to expect from one of the most original management theorists. -- Upside, Eric Nee

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (February 4, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471247391
• ISBN-13: 978-0471247395
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,406 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A RING-SIDE SEAT WITH LEADING MINDS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, February 3, 1999

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

I did not know about this book until I read Jack Beatty's THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PETER DRUCKER. I thought that the excerpts from ADVENTURES OF A BYSTANDER were the best part of Beatty's book. Thus, encouraged, I ordered a copy on Amazon.com and sat down to read. What a great surprise! I felt I knew a lot of Peter Drucker stories, from having met him many times. It looked like I had missed most of the best ones. I was also impressed to learn the places where he first learned many of his most important observations, such as the power of asking the right questions and following through (from his fourth grade teacher, Miss Sophie). There are several chapters in the book that are worth the price of the book, such as the chapters about Sigmund Freud, General Motors, Henry Luce, and the rise of Nazism in Austria and Germany. As a history major, I felt I knew a lot about the people and places he talks about, but I was wrong. I had been sold a bill of goods by people who were not there, as Professor Drucker was. I finished the book wishing he would write a longer autobiography that would capture more of Professor Drucker's remarkable life. He apparently turned down more good jobs before he was 30 than most people would ever have offered to them in 100 lifetimes. This book also helps explain why Professor Drucker has been a seminal thinker for three generations of Americans. His first bestseller in English came out when he was only 30, and only a few years away from his native Austria. What an amazing life Professor Drucker has lived! Until you read this book, you will not know how amazing, and you will have missed a wonderful book -- probably his most intriguing and interesting. Get this book now! If you have not read much of Professor Drucker's work, I suggest you read THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PETER DRUCKER next. It is an invaluable guide to all of Professor Drucker's writing.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meeting the people Drucker met, January 29, 2001

By	Danny Hillis (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Instead of the usual self-focused auto-biography, Drucker introduces us to the people that have shaped him. Some are famous (Bucky Fuller, Marshal Mcluhan) some are not (his elementary school teacher). Some are good, some evil, but they are are worth meeting, especially through Drucker's eyes. A good read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "As a child I liked puddles; I still do" - P.D., April 16, 2006

By	Frank E. Miller (South Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Adventures of a Bystander (Paperback)

Drucker clearly explains how rampant inflation in post WW I Germany influenced the rise of the Nazi party and Hitler. This discussion should be required reading for every 14 year old child! I particularly liked his stories of Willem Paarboom, a sort of Dutch hedge-fund/investment manager who appeared to be a cross between a man and a raven. In his day, Herr Drucker was exposed to some truly elegant and unorthodox thinkers. He adds his own illuminating interpretations and is not afraid to engage in contrary thinking. (Especially when to do so is out of vogue) Read about Dr. Mordecai Johnson and his views on the "American Negro Problem" and you will never contemplate African slavery the same way again. I consider Drucker to be one of the brightest minds of the 20th century, and his genius is on full display here. Certainly, this is one of the most provocative and influential books that I have ever read!

(Drucker particularly liked the "sqwoosh, sqwoosh" sound when jumping in puddles.)