Thank you for this interesting and engaging biography of SamWalton. While the story itself was compelling, the added features like “Sam Stories”, “Retail Detail” and “Our Money” are what kept me turning the pages! They provided fascinating facts, trivia, and a visual overview of the story.
One thing that struck me most about Sam Walton was his ability to keep his private life private. In your opinion, how was he able to pull that off? In most instances of notoriety, there are people who are more thanwilling to “tell all” or there are disgruntled friends or family members who have an ax to grind.
Thank you again for writing this book. I’ve already added it to my school library collection!
Posted by Cheryl Read
Cheryl, I also love the added features! I especially liked "Our Money" because it helped me understand how money was stretched and spent throughout this era.
ReplyDeleteI too wonder how Walton was able to keep his private life private. I read one reviewer (School Library Journal, July 2011) who criticized the content of the book because so much of it is about Wal-Mart and Walton's corporate life and not much is said about his "at home" life. However, based on what we learn about him from the book, his life was Wal-Mart! It seemed his baby was the store, and the family knew, accepted, and participated in the development of the chain.
I appreciate that some of Walton's not-so-glorious moments are captured in this book. It made him seem more human and easier for "real" people to relate to his struggles.
Now that I've finished the book, I have a different perspective when I go into Wal-Mart.
Chrissy Adkins
I too am going to think about the design of display cases and will probably imagine Sam Walton on his hands and knees checking every nook and cranny out in competitor stores.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great book this was to read!
I liked the mentioning of Walmart stock throughout the book. From its inception of 100 shares being bought for $1650 back in 1970 and after it's ninth split now being worth 51,000 shares with a value of $1.5 million in a twenty-year span. The way that Karen Blumenthal explained the general way the stock market works by using Walmart's stock as the example each time it grew, made more sense to me than I've ever understood about the stock market overall.
I do think it a tragedy that Sam Walton literally worshiped the Walmart empire he built 24/7. His father-in-law loaning him the initial money to get started in the retail world back fired in essence for how neglected his daughter, Helen, became. Her motherly instincts to raise four kids basically as a single mother since Sam was always busy with work amazes me. Helen is much more tolerant than I myself would have been.
The mention of offspring was not a huge highlight in the book, but it is unfortunate that son, John, died in a plane crash.
To follow up on daughter,Alice, her Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas is opening in November 2011. She however does reside in Central Texas. I just read that earlier this month she was pulled over for speeding and was arrested and charged for a DWI on her 62nd birthday. Something similar happened to her in 1998 on Arkansas soil.
Sam Walton definitely had a business saavy outlook on life with a competitive edge, never content unless on top.