Jean Davidson's Harley-Davidson Family Album (Hardcover)

by Jean Davidson (Author)
Key Phrases: Jean Davidson, Walter Davidson, Sarah Harley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
In this, the 100th anniversary year of the founding of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company, the granddaughter of one of the four founders shares the history, legends, and many personal photos of the marque that simply defines motorcycle for most people. Page after eye-catching and attention-arresting page takes readers down memory lane as the author discusses such topics as Harley-Davidson's first venture into motorcycle racing, the family life of the men who were the founders, women workers at H-D factories, and H-D during wartimes. As fun as the book is for motorcycle enthusiasts, it also is important in terms of filling a niche in the overall history of the American vehicle business. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description
Harley-Davidson fans and motorcycle buffs are eager for inside family stories and photos of this all-American company. As the 100th anniversary of Harley-Davidson is celebrated in 2003-2004, this interest is sure to continue, and this book is the most attractively priced keepsake on the market about the family and the company.

In "Jean Davidson's Harley-Davidson Family Album", the granddaughter of one of the company founders shares personal Harley-Davidson history and lore and never-before seen photos of the Harley and Davidson families, the vaunted factory, and all those great motorcycles. It also includes photos and reminiscences from Sarah and Mary Harley, granddaughters of William S. Harley.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Voyageur Press; illustrated edition edition (April 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896586294
• ISBN-13: 978-0896586291
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #345,691 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #43 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Motorcycles > History

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Harleys and The Davidsons Behind Harley-Davidson, December 15, 2003

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

Jean Davidson's Harley-Davidson Family Album is a great gift for anyone who wants to know more about Harley-Davidsons. While most books about these wonderful motorcycles focus on the bikes and their impact on the culture, the Family Album describes the effect of the motorcycle on the founders and their families . . . and vice versa. It's a dimension of Harley-Davidson that I knew nothing about . . . and found to be fascinating.

Jean Davidson is the granddaughter of Walter Davidson, the first president of the company, and her father was Gordon Davidson, a company vice president. She is a former dealer. She teams up with Sara Ann Harley-O'Hearn to add comments about both families. About half of the photographs were new to me, and the captions were priceless.

The book opens with family trees of Davidsons and Harleys who are in the book so you can keep track of who's who.

Then the book turns to how the families emigrated from Europe to Wisconsin in the late 1800s. Within five pages of photographs, you begin to see motorcycle images. The first classic is of Arthur Davidson with a friend holding up the fish they caught while sitting on a motorcycle and in a sidecar. The original idea behind the motorcycle was to help make it easier to go fishing. Go figure!

The text is also interesting . . . including an explanation of why the company is called Harley-Davidson rather than Davidson-Harley.

The family connections are interesting. The model called "Silent Grey Fellow" in 1914 employed the nickname for William Sylvester Harley. There's also a nice page on the first motorcycle and what happened to it through 1912.

It wasn't all easy. In 1904 a household maid raided the company's cash jar, and left the company broke. The Davidson brothers' uncle, James McLay, came to the rescue. His photograph is included.

Interspaced with the family materials are examples of motorcycles, advertisements and motion picture stills featuring motorcycles.

One of my favorite family photographs shows the chauffeur who was used to drive the founder's wives around in a sidecar. Even though the family was prospering, they preferred their bikes!

There are also photographs of the male founders working on bikes and even testing them.

The book also describes the company's attitude toward having women work at the company (single women only in the early days).

Just after I finished this book, I happened to see an advertisement for S.C. Johnson where the fourth generation and fifth generation members talked about how the company is the family and vice versa. I couldn't help but think that this observation is equally true of Harley-Davidson after enjoying this fine album.

Photography fans should be warned, however, that like most family albums, these images are often not professional grade. They are often just like the snaps that your grandparents and parents took when they were young. To me, that aspect just added to the charm of the book.

I was encouraged to take out our family album after looking at this one. I hope you will do the same.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Harley Davidson Family Album by Jean Davidson, August 22, 2003

By	Joseph S. Maresca "Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,... (Bronxville, New York USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is a wonderful scrapbook of the history of the Harley
Davidson Company on its 100th birthday. It is written by the
grand daughter of Walter Davidson.There are a series of action
pictures depicting the family in the early 1900s including
a 1918 outing. The book explains the dynamics of testing
each motorcycle directly from the assembly line. This rendition
would make a perfect gift for a motorcycle enthusiast.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't know about your family?, October 21, 2004

By	Harley Head - See all my reviews

But mine was very connected to motorcycles. I want to thank the authors of this book for having shared their very personal family information and pictures. This book and especially these families have had a profound effect on our ever shrinking planet and it's peoples. If you read for fun you will find great pleasure in this book and "THE SECOND COMING OF AGE" by: Vedrine; a must for every Harley Davidson enthusiast.