A ghost's memoir : the making of Alfred P. Sloan's "My years with General Motors"

Published in 1964, My Years with General Motors was an immediate best-seller and today is considered one of the few classic books on management. The book is the ghostwritten memoir of Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. (1875-1966), whose business and management strategies enabled General Motors to overtake Ford as the dominant American automobile manufacturer in the 1920s and 1930s.What has been largely unknown until now is that My Years with General Motors was almost not published. Although it was written with the permission of General Motors -- and slated for publication in October 1959 -- at the last minute General Motors tried to suppress the book out of fears that some of the material in it could become evidence in an antitrust action against the company. This book, by John McDonald, Sloan's ghostwriter, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the book's writing, its attempted suppression, and the lawsuit that eventually led to its publication. McDonald's narrative is partly the David-and-Goliath story of a lone journalist taking on the world's then-largest corporation and partly a study of strategy in its own right. McDonald's struggle to publish the book led him to navigate a complicated course among the competing interests of General Motors, Fortune magazine (his employer), and Time, Inc. (Fortune's owner). In many ways this "book about the book" parallels the Sloan book as a tale of successful, brilliantly planned strategy. 00000___db959f653da76789491eb1472759c702......Page 1 00001___9a826848bb41e9ccbed2640a53f415af......Page 2 00002___899a1327695bb875698b29fa3c4bd07f......Page 3 00003___27bd809885891bbd694b01872be27b6c......Page 4 00004___d3c25400baf83cef2be62db98520b510......Page 5 00005___8413a1fc3039764b851adf729f962d6a......Page 6 00006___6a0999cbb3d114941dfdd04be8aea4a0......Page 7 00007___678621fde9d2cb89fe63e5334002f4bc......Page 8 00008___df1ea9d7999b034355e3d608ad7bf5f9......Page 9 00009___6ceecfea84ca1f49e7e173f20232eb12......Page 10 00010___2cdb39ebf78c0636b82772b26114d6fb......Page 11 00011___649abb9c8c87afa751feb40d722ec3dd......Page 12 00012___0742fbf00f43559153aefb61a89dc563......Page 13 00013___43b71fefe26ce73d361a5c40c8220756......Page 14 00014___77ddecd0231553894553b46d56d14521......Page 15 00015___21d6ec540ed5393e4b15bb895cf0c5c3......Page 16 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00214___1ca5f44155dba170c5484b66b212375f......Page 215 00215___c5a79d57ceb35f12f5b4aac5b0cdc567......Page 216 00216___d7eb2cccb792d9c715776082a2997bf3......Page 217 00217___47b3a429dedbcf94716763ef602e01a1......Page 218 00218___ac9bb224d5652bc18f52f172d0d35603......Page 219 00219___052f6ecf11e5e5c70f4130dcec4deebf......Page 220 00220___c1c753df9451192297e1d976a9a3d7dc......Page 221 The Ghostwriter Of Alfred Sloan's Best-selling Memoir Tells His Own Story, Including General Motors's Attempts To Block The Book's Publication And The Author's Eventual Triumph Over The Corporation. Published In 1964, My Years With General Motors Was In Immediate Best-seller And Today Is Considered One Of The Few Classic Books On Management. The Book Is The Ghostwritten Memoir Of Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. (1875-1966), Whose Business And Management Strategies Enabled General Motors To Overtake Ford As The Dominant American Automobile Manufacturer In The 1920's And 1930's. What Has Been Largely Unknown Until Now Is The My Years With General Motors Was Almost Not Published. Although It Was Written With The Permission Of General Motors-and Slated For Publication In October 1959-at The Last Minute General Motors Tried To Suppress The Book Out Of Fears That Some Of The Material In It Could Become Evidence In An Antitrust Action Against The Company. This Book, By John Mcdonald, Sloan's Ghostwriter, Tells The Behind-the-scenes Story Of The Book's Writing, Its Attempted Suppression, And The Lawsuit That Eventually Led To Its Publication. Mcdonald's Narrative Is Partly The David-and -goliath Story Of A Lone Journalist Taking On The World's Then-largest Corporation And Partly A Study Of Strategy In Its Own Right. Mcdonald's Struggle To Publish The Book Led Him To Navigate A Complicated Course Among Th Competing Interests Of General Motors, Fortune Magazine (his Employer), And Time, Inc. (fortune's Owner.) In Many Ways This Book About The Book Parallels The Sloan Book As A Tale Of Successful, Brilliantly Planned Strategy. Acknowledgments -- Foreword: Who Was John Mcdonald? -- I. The Making Of My Years With General Motors -- Ii. Suppression -- Iii. Publication -- Epilogue -- Index. John Mcdonald. Includes Index. The story of the ghostwriting of Alfred P. Sloan's best-selling memoir, General Motor's attempts to block the book's publication, and the author's eventual triumph over the corporation.Published in 1964, My Years with General Motors was an immediate best-seller and today is considered one of the few classic books on management. The book is the ghostwritten memoir of Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. (1875-1966), whose business and management strategies enabled General Motors to overtake Ford as the dominant American automobile manufacturer in the 1920s and 1930s.What has been largely unknown until now is that My Years with General Motors was almost not published. Although it was written with the permission of General Motors—and slated for publication in October 1959—at the last minute General Motors tried to suppress the book out of fears that some of the material in it could become evidence in an antitrust action against the company. This book, by John McDonald, Sloan's ghostwriter, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the book's writing, its attempted suppression, and the lawsuit that eventually led to its publication. McDonald's narrative is partly the David-and-Goliath story of a lone journalist taking on the world's then-largest corporation and partly a study of strategy in its own right. McDonald's struggle to publish the book led him to navigate a complicated course among the competing interests of General Motors, Fortune magazine (his employer), and Time, Inc. (Fortune's owner). In many ways this'book about the book'parallels the Sloan book as a tale of successful, brilliantly planned strategy. "Published in 1964, My Years with General Motors was an immediate best-seller and today is considered one of the few classic books on management. The book is the ghostwritten memoir of Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. (1875-1966), whose business and management strategies enabled General Motors to overtake Ford as the dominant American automobile manufacturer in the 1920s and 1930s.". "What has been largely unknown until now is that My Years with General Motors was almost not published. Although it was written with the permission of General Motors - and slated for publication in October 1959 - at the last minute General Motors tried to suppress the book out of fears that some of the material in it could become evidence in an antitrust action against the company. This book, by John McDonald, Sloan's ghostwriter, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the book's writing, its attempted suppression, and the lawsuit that eventually led to its publication. McDonald's narrative is partly the David-and-Goliath story of a lone journalist taking on the world's then-largest corporation and partly a study of strategy in its own right. McDonald's struggle to publish the book led him to navigate a complicated course among the competing interests of General Motors, Fortune magazine (his employer), and Time, Inc. (Fortune's owner). In many ways this book about the book parallels the Sloan book as a tale of successful, brilliantly planned strategy."--BOOK JACKET.