Neil Dahlstrom

While my main concern going into this book was that it would only provide superficial detail, that's not the problem here; there is no shortage of detail. The real problem is that there is a lack of an organizing theme, over and above a one-damn-thing after another accounting of events. Which is another way of saying that Dahlstrom didn't appear to have a thesis he wanted to test, or some kind of organizing theory, and it shows in regards to how the work just attenuates out. Considering how much Henry Ford is a player in this book, more attention probably should have been spent on the issues that made the "Fordson" tractor a flash in the pan, such as high-maintenance costs, safety issues, and Henry Ford's congenital lack of market adaptability.… (altro)

This biography follows one person's goal of working for himself and using his blacksmith skill to eventually build the best quality plow and do so at an affordable price.

The author covers both John Deere's life as well as most of his son's. His son had a great influence on improving his fathers plow manufacturing business through incorporating his own skills into the operation. The father-son team complimented each other well and their business grew, due to the dedication and combined skills.

The entire story of these two people preceded the tractor.

The authors do a good job following the lives of these people and their little company, from the start to the death of the father. By that time, the John Deere company was well known and seems to really have the best plows, and a reputation to repair them and provide replacement parts when needed.

There are few photos in the book but that does not matter much.
The reader learns a lot about the plows used in the Illinois area and in the prairie country, as farmers came west and first broke the surface of the land with unsuitable plows. The authors describe John Deere's idea of greatly improving plows to handle the new prairie soil, allowing a farmer to plow more acres per day.
As the book progresses the authors follow the father-son team through overcoming obstacles such as intermittent supply problems, advertising or getting the word out, copycat manufacturers, and bringing in key skilled people to handle what the two of them could not do well.
This book is a good read of times long ago, of the trials of being your own boss, and of establishing a reputation, especially in the age before telephone or radio.… (altro)