Disaster in Dearborn: The Story of the Edsel (Automotive History and Personalities) (Hardcover)

by Thomas Bonsall (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Drawing from Ford Motor Company's Design Center archives and interviews with some of Edsel's design team stylists, Bonsall chronicles the ill-fated car's history, from its first sketches in 1955 to the last 1960 models, "a marketing disaster whose magnitude has made it a household word." Bonsall explains why the Edsel program was begun in the first place and what went wrong, describing the internal politics of the company at the time and where well-entrenched factions vied daily for control; and he offers comprehensive details of the car itself, including the controversial nature of its styling and even the choice of its name. (In 1960 Time magazine called this $250 million flop "a classic case of the wrong car for the wrong market at the wrong time.") This sumptuously illustrated book will be of particular interest to auto enthusiasts, who will also enjoy Russ Banham's history of the Ford Motor Company, The Ford Century, reviewed in this issue on p.553. George Cohen
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Review

“Bonsall has not only found new approaches to the subject, but sheds fresh light on the oft-rehashed reasons for the Edsel’s death. The book is well written, flows nicely, and artfully mixes personalities and corporate policies. It adds a great deal to our understanding of one of the twentieth century’s biggest corporate disasters.”—James A. Ward, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

“Bonsall’s success is in an attention to details of development of the car and the book’s rich illustrations. . . . These provide the best context for the Edsel story and serve to remind us that our largest companies can at times become hopelessly out of step with their customers.”—Library Journal

“Thomas E. Bonsall, a veteran author of automobile histories, revisits the scene of [the] wreck and supplies an interesting thesis . . . .Disaster in Dearborn . . . .is lavishly illustrated, with dozens of pictures of real Edsels and sketches of Edsels that might have been.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Stanford General Books; 1 edition (August 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804746540
• ISBN-13: 978-0804746540
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #241,595 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Definitive History Of A Failure, June 22, 2003

By	W. C HALL (Newport, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been fascinated by Edsels since childhood, and while I've never been able to own one, I've collected lots of literature about the most famous flop in automotive history. Although there was familiar material in Mr. Bonsall's work, (the arrival of a new full-sized car just as the first import craze was beginning was the product of a decade-long lead time to launch the new make), there was also much I've never seen in print anywhere before--such as Robert McNamara's statement that the decision to discontinue the Edsel had been made even before its formal introduction! From the company's internal politics, to the design process, to the challenges of setting up the dealer network, no aspect of the Edsel's history is omitted. This profousely illustrated work is an absolute must for Edsel lovers, and should be worthwhile to anyone interested in the Ford Motor Company or automotive history in general.--William C. Hall

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive yet concise history of the Edsel, January 22, 2003

By	Casual Surveyor (Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews

Bonsall's treatment of the Edsel story is unique in that he first sets the historical stage and market conditions under which the Edsel program was conceived and executed. He does an excellent job of describing the reasons Ford needed the Edsel program, and why the program missed its mark. As Bonsall methodically moves the Edsel story forward, the reader is filled with a sense of impending doom, much like reading about the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Bonsall does an excellent job of drawing together the many disparate influences and elements that together charted the fateful course of the Edsel.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Disaster in Dearborn: The Story of the Edsel, August 28, 2003

By	Scott Bray (Columbus, Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Disaster in Dearborn: The Story of the Edsel by Thomas Bonsall is easily the best piece of automobile journalism I have ever read. If you are interested in the Edsel, or just cars of this era in general, Bonsall will simply have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Not only will you come away with a thorough understanding of the Edsel itself, the author artfully puts the whole Edsel saga into context with what was happening with the rest of the American auto industry during time before, during, and after the Edsel's brief lifespan. I honestly could not put this book down once I started it as Bonsall truly lets you feel the anticipation and excitement surrounding Edsel's conception, design, and launch. Quite simply everything about the Edsel and the people who created it is covered in this book. In closing Bonsall impartially takes you through all the theories on why the Edsel failed and brings the book to a very satisfying and thoughtful conclusion. And although primarily not a picture book, you'll find gathered here a small but exciting group of Edsel prototype photos and sketches I have never seen in print anywhere else before. A terrific book for anyone interested in auto history in general and an absolute must for anyone fascinated with the Edsel.