Chrysler
The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius
Published on 20. July 2000
Book
Hardback
716 pages
978-0-19-507896-1 (ISBN)
Description
An account of one of the most important men in American automotive history, based on full access to both Chrysler Corporation and Chrysler family historical records. Chrysler emerges as a man who loved machines, an accomplished mechanic who also had highly developed managerial skills derived from half a lifetime on the railroads, a man whose success came from his deep understanding of engineering and his total commitment to the quality of his vehicles. Vincent Curcio traces Chrysler's rise from a locomotive wiper in a Kansas roundhouse to the head of the Buick Division of General Motors, to his rescue of the Maxwell-Chalmers car company, which led to the successful development of the 1924 Chrysler - the world's first modern car - and the formation of Chrysler Corporation in 1925. Chrysler was quite different from the other auto giants - a colourful and expansive man, deeply involved in the design of his cars, a maverick in establishing his headquarters in New York City, in the world's most famous art deco structure, the fabled Chrysler Building, which he built and helped to design.
Reviews / Votes
Provides a hymn of praise to the role of the single entrepreneur and places the Chrysler story firmly within the context of the times both in terms of macro-economic events and the evolution of the wider motor vehicle industry. Lavishly illustrated and produced, the book also sells at a bargain price. Business History An excellent biography of one of the leading entrepreneurs in the early American automotive industry. Written in an easy 'folksy' style and based upon full access to family and buisiness records. Business History As much a history of the auto industry and the wheeler-dealer world of pre-1929 as it is biography. Times 01/07/2000 Mr. Curcio's research deserves respect. His book will be the definitive starting point for anyone who wants to attempt a less hefty biography of the charismatic man behind that beautiful Manhattan spire. The Wall Street Journal This dynamic biography brings a surprisingly neglected giant out of the shadows ... robust, engaging portrait is chock-full of lore from the classic automobile era, as it sets the Chrysler saga against the backdrop of the Roaring 20s, the Depression and the labor unrest of the 1930s. Publishers WeeklyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
70 halftones
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 150 mm
Weight
1182 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-507896-1 (9780195078961)
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Schweitzer Classification