The People's Tycoon

Henry Ford and the American Century

By: Steven Watts

Narrated by: John H. Mayer

How a Michigan farm boy became the richest man in America is a classic, almost mythic tale, but never before has Henry Ford’s outsized genius been brought to life so vividly as it is in this engaging and superbly researched biography. The real Henry Ford was a tangle of contradictions. He set off the consumer revolution by producing a car affordable to the masses, all the while lamenting the moral toll exacted by consumerism. He believed in giving his workers a living wage, though he was entirely opposed to union labor. He had a warm and loving relationship with his wife, but sired a son with another woman. A rabid anti-Semite, he nonetheless embraced African American workers in the era of Jim Crow. Uncovering the man behind the myth, situating his achievements and their attendant controversies firmly within the context of early twentieth-century America, Watts has given us a comprehensive, illuminating, and fascinating biography of one of America’s first mass-culture celebrities.©2006 Steven Watts; (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

“The implicit claim of Watts’s admirable book is almost inarguable–that it’s impossible to understand 20th-century America without knowing the story of Henry Ford.” –The New York Times“Ford has had many biographers. . . . None, however, comes close to Steven Watts. . . . He brilliantly reveals the nature of Ford’s genius.” –Chicago Tribune“Steven Watts attempts the most integrated understanding to date of Ford’s enormous influence and varied appeal. . . . The fascinating result may change the way Henry Ford is remembered.” –San Francisco Chronicle

Great listen!

Not sure why some left poor reviews on this. I found it to be a great look into Henry Ford and his life. The story was a little hard to follow at times but overall a great listen.

Great and consistent use of different voices for different characters.

Author, though obviously liberal, tried hard to be balanced, both praising and bashing the protagonist.

An authoritative portrait of an intricate man

Steven Watts does an excellent job of revealing the numerous intricacies of this fascinating individual. Ford was an amazing force at the beginning of the last century that brought America and the world into the consumer age. He was far from perfect and had many failings. He was definitely human! A man whose life and times worthy of examination. A very worthwhile read!

Subjective and repetitive

As others have mentioned the author repeats or restates the same content for no apparent reason.

I was also surprised how often the author gave his interpretation of events and the use of what seem liked hearsay as fact.

I did enjoy the history of Ford overall but would probably steer clear of future works by this author.

Well Done Gentlemen!!

The information was painstakingly researched and written.. The reading was fantastic!! Captivating!! Well worth the time!!