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(Picture: Not mine. Silver 45th Edition Ford Mustang and Lee Iacocca)
I did not either until I read his autobiography and I am glad I read the book. Lee Iacocca is the father of 'Mustang' and put a dying Chrysler, one of the 3 automobile giants of America back into business after being fired from Ford as a President where he worked for 32 years.
This is the most delightful autobiography I have read in a while. It is filled with smart witticisms and clever sarcasm that makes the narrative race ahead with lightning speed. There are two main reasons why the book blew me away. One, the guy's personality. He is one of America's biggest corporate heros and most well known faces. He knows he made history, he is arrogant, boastful (well for the kind of things he achieved, he has all the right to be so), honest, humble, witty, and vengeful all rolled into one. I know someone with similar qualities and that made the book even more interesting to me.
Two, this is a completely one sided book. A printed version of a very lively bitching session. Iacocca tells his side of story and cares a damn about the other side. There are people he hates and is very angry with. He very clearly explains why he is angry and at times, if he thinks Henry Ford II is a jerk, he calls him one. Not just Henry Ford, many prominent CEOs, Senators, Presidents of America, no one is spared. I Googled every single one of them just to see if any one is alive and if they gave public responses to what he said about them in his book. His opinions are quite strong and his language is caustic.
There are 4 parts to the book. In the first part he talks about his very hard working parents and the strong bond he shares with his family. Very touching, and something most of us will be able to relate to. The second part is lets-rip-up-the-bastard (Henry Ford) kind of a section. And what a way of ripping up a person's reputation -- slowly, deliberately and completely. The third is the story of how he turned a gigantic company that was heading towards a certain bankruptcy into a giant again. The forth, can be ignored. He talks about his opinions about various things like seat belts and some more stuff that I did not find very interesting to read.
The book also introduced me to the fascinating world of cars and the auto industry. I never thought I would use the word 'fascinating' and cars in the same sentence before I read the book. Full 5 stars, and a must read if you are dreaming to make it big in the corporate world.
A HUGE thanks to my team for gifting this book to me. You could not have picked a better one guys. This is perfect!