Item #8096 Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius. Vincent Curcio.

Chrysler: The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius

Publisher: Oxford University Press, July 20, 2000.
Book Condition: New
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN: 0195078969 / 9780195078961

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 a must-read for all car enthusiasts and for everyone interested in the story of a giant of industry.

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 through the ranks through hard work 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 challenge, whether 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 anecdotes seem irrelevant and some design chronicles are long-winded, the book is 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.

From Booklist

The lives of auto magnates William C. Durant, founder of General Motors, and Henry Ford have been well chronicled, but the remaining founding partner of the Big Three automaking triumvirate is generally known only by name and by the skyscraper he built in New York. Aside from his own brief memoir, Life of an American Workman (1937), no full-length biography of Chrysler has been written. In honor of Chrysler Corporation's seventy-fifth anniversary, Curcio offers this tribute to William Percy Chrysler. Curcio's previous biographical effort was Suicide Blonde (1989), a portrait of actress Gloria Grahame. With full access to Chrysler company records and family archives, he meticulously details Chrysler's life as a skillful railroad mechanic, automobile designer and manufacturer, and tycoon. David Rouse
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"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"A definitive full-length biography of an exceptional leader who helped raise the American standard of living"-- Kirkus (starred review)"Walter P. Chrysler is the subject of a splendid new biography by Curcio...the book has been rigorously researched and reads well. Highly recommended for larger public libraries" --Library Journal"Curcio's 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 20's, the Depression and the labor unrest of the 1930s" --Publishers Weekly"The lives of auto magnates William C. Durant, founder of General Motors, and Henry Ford have been well chronicled, but the remaining founding partner of the Big Three automaking triumvirate is generally known only by name and by the skyscraper he built in New York.... With full access to Chrysler company records and family archives, [Curcio] meticulously details the events in Chrysler's life as a skillful railroad mechanic, automobile designer and manufacturer, and tycoon."--Booklist

About the Author

Vincent Curcio, a veteran theatrical manager-producer, is the author of Suicide Blonde, a biography of Gloria Grahame. A long-time car enthusiast, he lives in Union City, New Jersey.

Item #8096

Price: $39.97

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