Excellent production of a mostly historical account of one company ...
919534
Excellent production of a mostly historical account of one company of men during the worst battles of WWII.  This originally aired during September of 2001 and more pressing matters kept me from watching all the episodes.  Now that I have retired, and the fact that it is free with Amazon Prime, I was able to watch the complete 10 episodes.  I would highly recommend the series, but be warned it is about war and can sometimes be depressing.
72258
A truly magnificent documentation of one company of airborne soldiers during World War Two. While such productions risk elevating a small group over the millions who served, this production is not to be missed by anyone who enjoys good acting, directing and production. As a  Pennsylvanian I take particular pride that many of the main characters hailed from my home state. Unfortunately, all have since answered the last call to assemble.
Simply put, don't miss this one.
1939712
This two hour DVD leads off with an excellent 25 minute documentary about the forming of ALCO from a scattering of smaller locomotive companies, the companies growth, decline, merger, and demise. I love the segment with an actual ALCO AUTOMOBILE, one of only a handful of survivors. There are even words from the mechanic. This detailed documentary takes us into the plant for WWII army tank construction, then we see the transition to diesels. There is a roughly one hour collection of ALCO diesels on large and small railroads in the US and Canada, finishing with a "star" steam locomotive or two. Bonus features alone are worth the special amazon price. There are plenty of ALCO steam DVDs, I was glad to learn more about the company and its other products. Famous photographer, author Jim Shaughnessy is interviewed as icing on the cake.
3057005
An excellent review of the evolution of hard news and the three wo,en involved in the beginning. It read as a more scholarly account of the period vs the gossipy version of that period. My only disappointment was one had to wait for pictures til the very end, at least in the Kendle version. I very much enjoyed the book.
4288350
This book does an excellent job of telling the little-known story of a semi-urban Confederate company out of east Texas. These soldiers took part in some of the most fierce battles in the trans-Mississippi theater of the American Civil War.
1886224
Awesome book that covers a lot of history on tons of great company's that made lots of different products and machinery
786094
This is an exhaustive, yet highly entertaining look at the birth and growth of the home computer industry.  A lot of tech history is discussed, with plenty of fascinating behind-the-scenes stories.  As expected, the giants of the computer industry are interviewed (Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc..), but plenty of lesser-known people are featured too.  Overall a great series.
757751
I had never heard this story and enjoyed this production of it. It's more like a documentary than a dramatization, but done well with high production value. It seems historically accurate and uses letters from the characters as documentation.
4461331
William Knoedelseder's well-researched and fascinating tale of power, greed and hubris inside the Anheuser-Busch dynasty sheds much light on what went wrong with a seemingly invincible corporate giant.  Of course, this was no ordinary corporate giant; this was a family business that simply got too big for its own good; run by an incompetent head-honcho, chosen simply because he happened to be in the family.

What makes this a particularly compelling story for those living in the St Louis area (or originally from there) is how the Busch family empire has been such a major part of the local culture, especially after Gussie Busch decided to buy the St Louis Cardinals National League Ballclub in the early '50s as a way to peddle more beer.  Of course, that strategy was hugely successful for decades as the King of Beers and the baseball Cardinals thrived in a unique partnership that became internationally reknowned.

In the end, it seems that having too much money and power can be a fatal recipe for business disaster; especially when those in charge of an entire corporation have no interest in actually running the business; unless running it into the ground is the desired strategy.

This is a great book; a fascinating story of a dysfunctional family running a deteriorating family business until something had to give - new ownership.
742998
This is the story of the giants of the post-civil war industrial revolution:  Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Mogan and Henry Ford.  Collectively, these men served as the catalysts or the U.S. economy to shift into the 20th century.  This documentary tells the good, the bad & the ugly about all of the industrial titans.

As is always the case, 1 star is deducted from my review score due to the inclusion of Donald J. Trump and Carly Fiorinia as narration contributors. The series would've been well served to omit the commentary of those 2 fakers.  Other than that, the CEO types that he documentary invokes are basically credible.

Watching the stories of these business giants reminded me why I'm a liberal.  Did they play a huge role in transforming the industry & banking practices of the United States?  Absolutely.  Did they propel the U.S. economy into the 20th century?  Without question.  Did they help bring about dramatic changes, such as the advent of electricity and the automobile?  Without question.  All of that said, these men should not be granted a "free pass" for downright reprehensible behavior.  Of all the tycoons studied, only Henry Ford bequeathed to his workers a safe working environment and fair wages.  These 3 DVDs underscore why Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite President: he was the 1st one to stand up to their abuse of capitalism.  To be clear:  I have no problem with the tycoons making a lot of $$. What I do take issue with is how they hoarded their profits.

It was not until the tail end of their lives that Rockefeller and Carnegie used their enormous wealth for the interests of philanthropy.  A great many workers for each never benefited from their late change-of-heart.  My all-time favorite photograph is of the 1927 Solvay conference.  It has, I would argue, the most intellectual firepower ever captured in a single photograph.  The nice thing about being a fan of the scientists pictured is that they made their progress in science without having to shaft anyone.  They were driven by a curiosity about how the universe works rather than a desire for ever greater profits.  I can be a fan of the attendees of the 1927 Solvay conference minus any distaste in my mouth.

The same cannot be said for  the life stories that the present DVD set delves into.  Were the tycoons great men?  Depending on how you define your terms, the answer may be "yes."  Were they worthy of our admiration?  For the most part, I would say "no."  Does recalling their life & times carry with it a lot of unsavory baggage?  Absolutely.  That's just the way it goes.
1277184
King of Capital provides anyone interested in the Private Equity space with a unique and informative insight into one of the industry's truly successful companies. While this book will not give you a technical insight into how Blackstone researches, structures and managed its deals, it does provide a fascinating history of the company and its founder. The book generally has a neutral tone towards Schwarzman and the Private Equity industry in general. Arguably a bit more insight into the deals would have been valuable, but knowing how cagey PE companies are on sharing that type of information it is not surprising that the book only provides limited deal information. If you're really interested in the industry the book is worth a read, but if you are looking for a single generalist book on Private Equity, "Barbarians at the Gate" remains the classic.
1842715
Excellent production values, an honest attempt at period vehicles (some of the fake German vehicles are "not quite right," but a good try.)  Based on the historical events and people and very well done.  As close to the truth as you can get on film, I think.
2726238
The authors have done a nice job at summarizing the history of George Hurst and his company.  They cover the signficant product histories and growth of the company throughout the years.  While it would be desireable to have more details on any subject, this book is a nice compendium of this innovative company.  I recommend it to all that want to know some more about Hurst.
2282531
This film shines a light on the mostly forgotten story of the Reno family of Southern Indiana and their criminal exploits. Several of the Reno brothers stood at the center of an outlaw gang that was reported to at one time number nearly one hundred. Stories of robberies, murders, and other illegal activities terrorized the citizens of Indiana and the surrounding region throughout the mid-1800s.
The Legend of the Reno Brothers features expert interviews and impressive historical reenactments in between period photos, periodicals, and music.
I was especially impressed with the actors chosen to portray the Reno brothers. Their resemblance to the originals made the transitions from actual photographs to dramatization seamless. When you consider the historical significance of this story it is incredible that it has not garnered more attention until now.
I learned a lot from this film and would recommend it.
4329608
The Extra 2% boasts a few mangement gems that deliver on the subtitular "how..." story, but this book is really a very thorough history of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise, complete with MLB politics, the story behind the team's name and logo change, and comprehensive background on the who, how and why of draft picks and free agent acquisitions.

Like many of the business biography books that I have read, this one suffers a bit from a one-sided perspective: the team's founders were jerks and fools and the current crop of guys are savvy, fun and seem always to "get it." Its hard to argue with the results these last few years, but the bias is definitely ingrained in the narrative.

I am surprised how little "Wall Street" there actually was in the book...getting "value" for player acquisitions is not exactly rocket science; and, the Rays are not the first team to realize that in some towns a ball club has to spend money to make money - indeed, minor leagues have done it for decades. The reason I was so surprised is that I wouldn't think anything "Wall Street" necessarily sells these days, and I'm not sure a lot of people are beating down the door to learn their "strategies."

In any case, as a business book, I think the value here is in short supply...like five-tool players deep in the draft.
2371000
It too me forever to plough through lengthy work, but it is an excellent book that tells the interesting story of the evolution of the global oil industry.  From Colonel Drake and the early oil barons, to the series of nationalizations that put this resource back in the hands of its rightful owners, the book read very well.
4801489
Pretty good book for a glimpse into one of America's most respected companies.  I find it funny when they say they don't want to grow their business, but overall this has been a great read.