Once Upon a Car - by Bill Vlasic (Paperback)

About the Book

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 people's lives. Relevant and thought-provoking, Once Upon a Car is an unforgettable journey deep inside this quintessentially American industry.

Book Synopsis

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 Caris 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.

From the Back Cover

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.

Review Quotes

"A lively and emotive look at how America very nearly lost its auto industry and the miraculous recovery engineered by determined businessmen, corporate employees, and the U.S. government." - Library Journal
"Essential account of the United States auto industry." - New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice
"Vlasic enriches his journalistic attention to detail with the drama and pacing of a thriller." - 800ceoRead
"The book is extraordinary. Vlasic offers what will probably become the definitive retelling of the crisis that nearly felled America's three carmaking icons." - Financial Times
"Vlasic delivers a devastating account of auto industry arrogance, ignorance, and tragedy." - Publishers Weekly
"Vlasic is a master storyteller whose prowess makes the absorption of many complex facts painless." - strategy-business.com
"Terrific... better than most novels... truly fascinating." - Free Lance Star Virginia
"A deeply reported, full-on narrative in the style of Barbarians at the Gate or Game Change." - Chicago Tribune
"Compelling... a human approach to an industry that couldn't be less human in scale... entertaining." - Wall Street Journal
"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
"Once Upon a Car is the best book on the whole shebang that you are ever going to read... a critical history." - Huffington Post
"A deeply reported, full-on narrative in the style of Barbarians at the Gate or Game Change." - Chicago Tribune
"Even with all the ink spilled on Detroit lately, Vlasic's tale is as fresh as a new car... Vlasic says he wanted to write a fast-paced narrative, and he's penned a page-turner in Once Upon a Car" - Fortune.com
"In a first-rate blend of journalism and history, New York Times Detroit bureau chief Vlasic rides the perfect storm that only yesterday threatened to undo America's auto industry... Vlasic's tale unfolds urgently, even suspensefully, and it shows why heads had to roll in order to make the 'clean and pristine' new companies of today." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)