Knoedelseder, William
Fins: Harley Earl, the Rise of General Motors, and the Glory Days of Detroit
- ISBN 13:
- 9780062289087
- author:
- Knoedelseder, William
- format:
- Paperback / softback
- publisher:
- HarperBusiness
- language:
- English
- Publication Year:
- 2019
- Pages:
- 336
- Dimensions:
- 20.3 x 13.5 x 2 centimetres (0.4
- Genre:
- Biography, Business, Nonfiction,
- Condition:
- New
- Availability:
- Item usually sent within 5 working days
Description
Harley Earl, the Rise of General Motors, and the Glory Days of Detroit by William Knoedelseder The story of Harley Earl is a remarkable American saga, spanning generations and industries. Born in the Michigan pine forest after the Civil War, Earl's journey took him across the Great Plains and eventually to the burgeoning film industry of Hollywood, California. There, he applied the skills he learned from his father's carriage shop to design sleek automobile bodies for the silent movie crowd. Earl's impact on the automotive industry was profound. At General Motors, he introduced art into the rigid mechanics of auto-making, redefining the form and function of the country's premier product. Over the next thirty years, he functioned as a kind of visionary leader, shaping the company and the industry. When he retired as GM's VP of Styling in 1958, Detroit was the manufacturing capital of the world, and General Motors was the most successful company in the history of business. Knoedelseder's book tells the story of Earl's life and legacy, weaving together the history of the company, the city of Detroit, and the Earl family. It's a fascinating tale of innovation, creativity, and the impact of the automobile on America's economy, culture, and national psyche.