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Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius

Description:

Here is a richly detailed 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 colorful 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. Because of his emphasis on quality at popular prices, the company weathered the Great Depression with flying colors--losing money only in the rock-bottom year of 1932--and despite the market fiasco of the Chrysler Airflow (which was years ahead of its time), the company grew and remained profitable right up to Chrysler's death in 1940.
The definitive portrait, Walter P. Chrysler is must reading for all car enthusiasts and for everyone interested in the story of a giant of industry.
Read more

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It takes a while to get used to Vincent Curcio's highly colored prose, but his old-fashioned narrative technique suits his subject, the Kansas railroad mechanic who rose to become head of America's most dynamic car company. Born in 1875, Walter P. Chrysler came late to the automobile business, joining Buick in 1912, when the early companies were firmly established. Chrysler made his mark by being a great leader who thoroughly understood engineering and production, and who valued the contributions of his employees and directed them to produce high-quality, popularly priced cars. He made it his business to ignore conventional wisdom: he headquartered his company in New York instead of Detroit, commissioned a fabulous art deco skyscraper to house it, and introduced the first mass-produced, streamlined, aerodynamic car in 1934. The Airflow was a financial disaster but hugely influential on future design, and the well-managed Chrysler Corporation made money even during the Great Depression. Chrysler himself became enormously wealthy and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle during the decade before his death in 1940. Curcio's detailed, wide-ranging text offers an instructive history of the automobile industry as well as a full-bodied portrait of a classic American individual, praised by his peers as "one of the world's greatest manufacturers and one of the world's best men." --Wendy Smith

From Library Journal

Walter P. Chrysler (1875-1940) is the subject of this splendid new biography by Curcio (Suicide Blonde). Although he established the mighty Chrysler Corporation (now DaimlerChrysler), there was much more to Chrysler's life. From hardscrabble beginnings as a railroad machinist, he rose with hard work through the ranks to head a locomotive factory. When Chrysler was introduced to his first automobile, it was love at first sight, and he soon found his way to Detroit and the fledgling automobile industry. He personally supervised the design of the first Chrysler automobile in 1924, and its quick success led, in part, to the founding of the Chrysler Corporation the following year. Chrysler loved a challengeDwhether it was designing a new car, saving a company from bankruptcy, or creating a new building that would change the New York skyline. There were personal setbacks, especially during the Great Depression, but he persevered. While some of the anecdotes here seem irrelevant and a few of the design chronicles are at times longwinded, the book has been rigorously researched and reads well. Highly recommended for larger public libraries and transportation collections.DRichard Drezen, Washington Post News Research
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read so far......

B. · March 31, 2014

To be honest I am only half way through it but am enjoying it and not even a car person but the history is great and to learn how much went into developing the cars and all the background involved. It is well worth the time to read. Don't let the size of the book detour you from reading it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great biography

A. · January 20, 2024

Walter Chrysler should be a success. Story that every young person in America knows about. This man was not only a great business person. He understood people he understood processes. He understood what it took to be successful no matter the conditions unlike many of the supposed successful businessman today, Walter Chrysler started by learning with his hands, his heart and his head, and then took what he learned and continuously improved on it. This book really captures the man and his success.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!

p. · October 16, 2020

- great level of detail- book is written in a very engaging way

4.0 out of 5 stars The other great one

L.B.A. · December 24, 2001

Having read extensively in the past about both Ford Motor Company and General Motors, I was very interested in getting to know the other member of the "Big Three" (sadly, today we can only talk about the remaining two after Chrysler's incompetent Bob Eaton surrendered the company to Daimler Benz).Although the book is centered in Walter P. Chrysler the author finds it hard not to get carried away by much more imposing personalities in the early automotive business, mainly Henry Ford and William C. Durant (founder of GM). They are mentioned 52 and 53 times respectively.Both Ford and Durant are much more interesting personalities than Chrysler himself and if not for anything else, the book is worth the read just to get to know Mr. Durant. The reason he is much less known today than his other two competitors is that he resisted the temptation to change General Motors name to Durant Motors (he could have done it but decided the GM trademark was too valuable), later in his life he did found a company called Durant Motors but it didn't survive long. If there is an epic to be told about the automotive industry in the USA it is Durant's: he founded General Motors, was ousted from the company, founded Chevrolet, bought his way back to GM control, was ousted again, founded Durant Motors, lost everything after the crash of 1929 and if not for the monetary help his friends (including Walter Chrysler) gave him at the end of his life he would have lived his last days in abject poverty.Walter Chrysler actually made his reputation and original fortune working for William Durant at General Motors' Buick division and after he quit the corporation eventually assembled the Chrysler Corporation (mainly from Maxwell Motors and the Dodge Brothers enterprises). It was a great accomplishment in itself as he started very late (too late thought many) to matter much, and yet he climbed to the third place in sales and eventually to the second place (outranking Ford Motor from 1936 to 1951). Sure, GM (through Alfred Sloan leadership) outclassed both of them and by such a wide margin that (until very recent times) there was absolutely no comparison between the leader and the other two.An interesting fact mentioned in the book is that the Chrysler Building at New York was NOT built by the Chrysler Corporation, but by Walter Chrysler himself so he could give it to his children. At the time it was completed, it was the tallest building in the world.The scope of Curcio's book is very wide and you end learning many things from the first years of automotive history. In other words, it is much more than Walter Chrysler's biography. I fully recommend it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed

A.c. · January 5, 2015

This book is very detailed. Besides discussing the history of Chrysler the man, it also discusses Chrysler's relatives, the history of Ellis, Kansas (Chrysler's boyhood home), the history of other car companies and their founders, and the Great Depression. Anyone who reads this book will feel as if he or she knew Chrysler personally upon completing the book!

5.0 out of 5 stars Seminal work on a great Historic figure.

D.E. · July 3, 2013

Seminal work on Walter Chrysler that is extensive in it's scope and meticulous in its honest straight forward presentation of the research It is a large book appropriate to the subject coupled with an interesting read that the author, Vincent Curcio, provided

5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleased with the book and the seller.

A.C. · August 4, 2020

Superb book, exactly as described, and very quickly delivered to me.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book. So many interesting facts about the railroad ...

A.C. · September 23, 2016

Great book. So many interesting facts about the railroad and automobile industry as well as about Chrysler! Lots of details. The story never gets boring!

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Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius

Product ID: U0195078969
Condition: New

4.8

AED27049

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Type: Hardcover
Availability: In Stock

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Visit the Oxford University Press Store

Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius

Product ID: U0195078969
Condition: New

4.8

Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius-0
Type: Hardcover

AED27049

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

This item qualifies for free delivery

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United States

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

Description:

Here is a richly detailed 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 colorful 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. Because of his emphasis on quality at popular prices, the company weathered the Great Depression with flying colors--losing money only in the rock-bottom year of 1932--and despite the market fiasco of the Chrysler Airflow (which was years ahead of its time), the company grew and remained profitable right up to Chrysler's death in 1940.
The definitive portrait, Walter P. Chrysler is must reading for all car enthusiasts and for everyone interested in the story of a giant of industry.
Read more

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It takes a while to get used to Vincent Curcio's highly colored prose, but his old-fashioned narrative technique suits his subject, the Kansas railroad mechanic who rose to become head of America's most dynamic car company. Born in 1875, Walter P. Chrysler came late to the automobile business, joining Buick in 1912, when the early companies were firmly established. Chrysler made his mark by being a great leader who thoroughly understood engineering and production, and who valued the contributions of his employees and directed them to produce high-quality, popularly priced cars. He made it his business to ignore conventional wisdom: he headquartered his company in New York instead of Detroit, commissioned a fabulous art deco skyscraper to house it, and introduced the first mass-produced, streamlined, aerodynamic car in 1934. The Airflow was a financial disaster but hugely influential on future design, and the well-managed Chrysler Corporation made money even during the Great Depression. Chrysler himself became enormously wealthy and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle during the decade before his death in 1940. Curcio's detailed, wide-ranging text offers an instructive history of the automobile industry as well as a full-bodied portrait of a classic American individual, praised by his peers as "one of the world's greatest manufacturers and one of the world's best men." --Wendy Smith

From Library Journal

Walter P. Chrysler (1875-1940) is the subject of this splendid new biography by Curcio (Suicide Blonde). Although he established the mighty Chrysler Corporation (now DaimlerChrysler), there was much more to Chrysler's life. From hardscrabble beginnings as a railroad machinist, he rose with hard work through the ranks to head a locomotive factory. When Chrysler was introduced to his first automobile, it was love at first sight, and he soon found his way to Detroit and the fledgling automobile industry. He personally supervised the design of the first Chrysler automobile in 1924, and its quick success led, in part, to the founding of the Chrysler Corporation the following year. Chrysler loved a challengeDwhether it was designing a new car, saving a company from bankruptcy, or creating a new building that would change the New York skyline. There were personal setbacks, especially during the Great Depression, but he persevered. While some of the anecdotes here seem irrelevant and a few of the design chronicles are at times longwinded, the book has been rigorously researched and reads well. Highly recommended for larger public libraries and transportation collections.DRichard Drezen, Washington Post News Research
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read so far......

B. · March 31, 2014

To be honest I am only half way through it but am enjoying it and not even a car person but the history is great and to learn how much went into developing the cars and all the background involved. It is well worth the time to read. Don't let the size of the book detour you from reading it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great biography

A. · January 20, 2024

Walter Chrysler should be a success. Story that every young person in America knows about. This man was not only a great business person. He understood people he understood processes. He understood what it took to be successful no matter the conditions unlike many of the supposed successful businessman today, Walter Chrysler started by learning with his hands, his heart and his head, and then took what he learned and continuously improved on it. This book really captures the man and his success.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!

p. · October 16, 2020

- great level of detail- book is written in a very engaging way

4.0 out of 5 stars The other great one

L.B.A. · December 24, 2001

Having read extensively in the past about both Ford Motor Company and General Motors, I was very interested in getting to know the other member of the "Big Three" (sadly, today we can only talk about the remaining two after Chrysler's incompetent Bob Eaton surrendered the company to Daimler Benz).Although the book is centered in Walter P. Chrysler the author finds it hard not to get carried away by much more imposing personalities in the early automotive business, mainly Henry Ford and William C. Durant (founder of GM). They are mentioned 52 and 53 times respectively.Both Ford and Durant are much more interesting personalities than Chrysler himself and if not for anything else, the book is worth the read just to get to know Mr. Durant. The reason he is much less known today than his other two competitors is that he resisted the temptation to change General Motors name to Durant Motors (he could have done it but decided the GM trademark was too valuable), later in his life he did found a company called Durant Motors but it didn't survive long. If there is an epic to be told about the automotive industry in the USA it is Durant's: he founded General Motors, was ousted from the company, founded Chevrolet, bought his way back to GM control, was ousted again, founded Durant Motors, lost everything after the crash of 1929 and if not for the monetary help his friends (including Walter Chrysler) gave him at the end of his life he would have lived his last days in abject poverty.Walter Chrysler actually made his reputation and original fortune working for William Durant at General Motors' Buick division and after he quit the corporation eventually assembled the Chrysler Corporation (mainly from Maxwell Motors and the Dodge Brothers enterprises). It was a great accomplishment in itself as he started very late (too late thought many) to matter much, and yet he climbed to the third place in sales and eventually to the second place (outranking Ford Motor from 1936 to 1951). Sure, GM (through Alfred Sloan leadership) outclassed both of them and by such a wide margin that (until very recent times) there was absolutely no comparison between the leader and the other two.An interesting fact mentioned in the book is that the Chrysler Building at New York was NOT built by the Chrysler Corporation, but by Walter Chrysler himself so he could give it to his children. At the time it was completed, it was the tallest building in the world.The scope of Curcio's book is very wide and you end learning many things from the first years of automotive history. In other words, it is much more than Walter Chrysler's biography. I fully recommend it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed

A.c. · January 5, 2015

This book is very detailed. Besides discussing the history of Chrysler the man, it also discusses Chrysler's relatives, the history of Ellis, Kansas (Chrysler's boyhood home), the history of other car companies and their founders, and the Great Depression. Anyone who reads this book will feel as if he or she knew Chrysler personally upon completing the book!

5.0 out of 5 stars Seminal work on a great Historic figure.

D.E. · July 3, 2013

Seminal work on Walter Chrysler that is extensive in it's scope and meticulous in its honest straight forward presentation of the research It is a large book appropriate to the subject coupled with an interesting read that the author, Vincent Curcio, provided

5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleased with the book and the seller.

A.C. · August 4, 2020

Superb book, exactly as described, and very quickly delivered to me.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book. So many interesting facts about the railroad ...

A.C. · September 23, 2016

Great book. So many interesting facts about the railroad and automobile industry as well as about Chrysler! Lots of details. The story never gets boring!

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More from this brand

Similar items from “Business & Industry”

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Or share with link

https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0195078969