Synopses & Reviews
Once Upon a Car is the brilliantly reported, inside-the-boardrooms-and-factories story of Detroit's fight for survival, going beyond the headlines to chronicle how the country's Big Three auto companies teetered on the brink of collapse and pulled themselves together under new leadership at Ford and government assistance to General Motors and Chrysler. In this riveting true account of an iconic industry in crisis, Bill Vlasic takes readers from the gleaming corporate skyscrapers, massive auto plants, and union halls to the U.S. Congress and into the Oval Office, introducing a cast of memorable characters, many of whom are speaking out for the first time. Once Upon a Car is a uniquely American tale of success, failure, and redemption, chronicling a vitally important chapter in an astonishing story that is still unfolding—a story no one is more qualified to tell than Bill Vlasic.
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“Even with all the ink spilled on Detroit lately, Vlasics tale is as fresh as a new car… Vlasic says he wanted to write a fast-paced narrative, and hes penned a page-turner in Once Upon a Car” Fortune.com
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“Essential account of the United States auto industry.” New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice
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“With almost anthropological precision, Once Upon a Car is a thorough and compelling account of the collapse of the domestic auto industry” Cleveland Plain Dealer
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“Terrific... better than most novels... truly fascinating.” Free Lance Star Virginia
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“A deeply reported, full-on narrative in the style of Barbarians at the Gate or Game Change.” Chicago Tribune
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“Compelling... a human approach to an industry that couldnt be less human in scale... entertaining.” Wall Street Journal
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“Vlasic enriches his journalistic attention to detail with the drama and pacing of a thriller.” 800ceoRead
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“The book is extraordinary. Vlasic offers what will probably become the definitive retelling of the crisis that nearly felled Americas three carmaking icons.” Financial Times
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“Vlasic delivers a devastating account of auto industry arrogance, ignorance, and tragedy.” Publishers Weekly
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“Once Upon a Car is the best book on the whole shebang that you are ever going to read... a critical history.” Huffington Post
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“Vlasic is a master storyteller whose prowess makes the absorption of many complex facts painless.” strategy-business.com
Synopsis
Once Upon a Car is the fascinating epic story of the rise, fall, and rebirth of the Big Three U.S. automakers, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Written by Bill Vlasic, the Detroit bureau chief for the New York Times and acclaimed author of Taken for a Ride, this eye-opening, richly anecdotal work is more than a riveting and insightful business history. It offers a clear-eyed view of the present day automobile industry and of Detroit, the city that spawned it, going far beyond the corporate and federal maneuverings to explore the impact the car companies failures have had on the overall economy, and more importantly what they have done to peoples lives. Relevant and thought-provoking, Once Upon a Car is an unforgettable journey deep inside this quintessentially American industry.
About the Author
An award-winning business reporter with more than fifteen years of experience specializing in the automotive industry, Bill Vlasic is currently the Detroit bureau chief for the New York Times. The coauthor of Taken for a Ride, Vlasic is a winner of the Gerald Loeb Award for excellence in financial journalism and has been recognized for his reporting and investigative journalism by the Associated Press and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.