A 50 Year Adventure In The Advertising Business

Ernie Baker elaborates on his lifelong career in the world of advertising, and provides an insiders perspective on the business. His experiences range from very small local firms to some of the world's largest advertising agencies, where he worked for a multitude of clients.

Danny and Colleen Malone, the fifth generation of the Malone family, live on an 880-acre farm and apple orchard near Rockford, Michigan. Told by Colleen, My Brother Danny follows the siblings and the rest of the Malone family for more than two decades, recounting their triumphs and tragedies. In October 1980, Danny is a high school senior. He is an exceptional athlete, hoping to play for a professional football team after he graduates from college. Danny has the talent and ability to make this a real possibility, but his dream ends after he suffers a serious injury playing football for Michigan State University. His life becomes an intriguing, yet tumultuous adventure after he graduates from MSU and marries the daughter of a wealthy owner of a very successful chain of stores that sell hardware, lumber, and building materials. Colleen, who is just a few days shy of her sixteenth birthday when the story begins, becomes a veterinarian and also enjoys great success as an entrepreneur. My Brother Danny explores the unbreakable bond of love between a brother and sister, and allows you to share in the joys, sorrows, and achievements of the Malone family.

This book is not written as a personal history, but as a business story. I have tried to avoid trivialities and to confine myself to matters of instructive interest. The chief object behind every episode is to offer helpful suggestions to those who will follow me. And to save them some of the midnight groping which I did. One night in Los Angeles I told this story to Ben Hampton, writer, publisher, and advertising man. He listened for hours without interruption, because he saw in this career so much of value to beginners. He never rested until he had my promise to set down the story for publication. He was right. Any man who by a lifetime of excessive application learns more about anything than others owes a statement to successors. The results of research should be recorded. Every pioneer should blaze his trail. That is all I have tried to do. When this autobiography was announced as a serial many letters of protest came to me. Some of them came from the heads of big businesses which I had served. Behind them appeared the fear that I would claim excessive credit to the hurt of others' pride. I rewrote some of the chapters to eliminate every possible cause for such apprehensions.

'The best business book I've ever read.' Bill Gates, Wall Street Journal 'The Michael Lewis of his day.' New York Times What do the $350 million Ford Motor Company disaster known as the Edsel, the fast and incredible rise of Xerox, and the unbelievable scandals at General Electric and Texas Gulf Sulphur have in common? Each is an example of how an iconic company was defined by a particular moment of fame or notoriety. These notable and fascinating accounts are as relevant today to understanding the intricacies of corporate life as they were when the events happened. Stories about Wall Street are infused with drama and adventure and reveal the machinations and volatile nature of the world of finance. John Brooks's insightful reportage is so full of personality and critical detail that whether he is looking at the astounding market crash of 1962, the collapse of a well-known brokerage firm, or the bold attempt by American bankers to save the British pound, one gets the sense that history really does repeat itself. This business classic written by longtime New Yorker contributor John Brooks is an insightful and engaging look into corporate and financial life in America.