David Halberstam's Acclaimed Work, "The Reckoning"

Daryl Coffey: This was a great very factual history of the international auto industry . This is a wall written book . I will read his other books .

United States on Aug 05, 2023

Amazon Customer: Incredible overview of the
Auto industry from Ford to the
Japanese gaining an important
Position in the industry
The story places such rich
Characters interfacing with
Each other inside and outside
Their respective corporate empires

United States on May 04, 2023

Phyllis Antebi Ph.D: By the time I reached page 543, I had had my fill of the overwhelming details augmenting the beginning of the bludgeoning automotive dynasty. I personally enjoyed much of Halberstam’s narrative in the first half of this study, but felt overwhelmed by details and decided to start my review, perhaps a bit prematurely. Anyone who is familiar with Halberstam’s phenomenal writings, knows that he is an author’s oracle of story telling. He doesn’t fail to fascinate when the drama requires nuance, depth and singularity of vision. “The Reckoning” is a Pulitzer Prize winner for very sound reasons. That being said, the book is over 700 pages of quite in depth storytelling of a very significant period in the industrialization of the automobile. Halberstam gives us fascinating insights into the character and politics of both the American and the competitive Japanese automotive dynasties of Toyota, and particularly, Nissan. The oil embargo was a wake up call to not just the West, but, to the world, that the Middle East was going to assert its economic power to its own benefit. Down with the old gas guzzling autos and the rise of the super compact, fuel efficient, more reliable small...

United States on Feb 25, 2023

M Bishop: I drive a Toyota truck, my wife drives A Ford SUV. The story goes on and is still relevant. Hooray for David Halberstam, you are also still relevant.
Halberstam still intrigues me with his mountains of research and detail, “ The Reckoning “ is the best explanation of what happened to our industrial might as a nation that I have read. Something we can all understand, cars. Big read but worth the time, in my opinion.

United States on Dec 17, 2022

Warren prince: Great read

Canada on Apr 05, 2022

Atropos: A very insightful account of a large company. Too much of this account was true. I worked in larger companies run by accountants and financiers who despised the engineers, workers and sales personnel who actually designed, made and sold their products.

Canada on Nov 01, 2021

Rarkm: The epilogue, which Halberstam didn't live to write, is that America's auto companies are now mostly subsidiaries or partners of Asian and/or European automakers. When they had a world monopoly on auto production in the 1940s-1960 they squandered time by starving development and innovation, preferring to milk existing factories, produce large, profitable and shoddy cars and banked the profits. The automakers were willing to give the unions above market wages to buy labor peace.

Japan, on the other hand built an entire industry from scratch, with both labor and management willing to sacrifice in the present to assure the future. They also sought lessons from American experts (ignored by American management) on quality and production.
How difficult the job was is explained in detail in the book, it makes fascinating and saddening reading.

I grew up in the '50s and '60s. I remember when Volkswagen burst on the scene with the Beetle, an inexpensive and well built small car. In contrast to the American offerings (huge boats on wheels with a ride like sitting on a couch), the new foreign cars were fun to drive and most importantly, mostly well built. That was the last...

United States on Jul 21, 2017

MovingStuff: If you have an interest in the histroical development of modern manufacturing techniques, then you will likely enjoy this book. It is a hefty read, covering the early days of Henry Ford's development of a simple car and an effective manufacturing process. Henry Ford's personal life and stubbornness led to the the decline of the company, while almost simultaneously Japanese manufacturers were re-discovering, changing and reviewing his ideas, combined with new thinking about quality of production. There are many facts and figures which make the book useful for teachers and educators.
The book is written in a journalistic style, which makes for an easy and engrossing read. The story is told as the personal experience of many of the key figures of the time, giving the book the feel of a novel.

United Kingdom on Sep 21, 2016

Mark Twain: Ordered in November for a Christmas present. I was sent a book entitled The Reckoning, but it certainly wasn't by David Halberstam. Some trashy sci fi novel was sent instead. One less Christmas present under the tree. Contacted the sellers and they have agreed to replace it with the right novel (real good of them) but to date it still hasn't materialised. Asked them to get it here for Christmas. They have sent it by the slowest method they possibly could. Don't buy from this company.

United Kingdom on Dec 31, 2013

Martin: I read this when it first came out.

It is a big read but it is a very big subject.
Full of many personalities.
It is American-centric of course. Europe gets a passing mention

You need a passing interest in cars to understand some of the issues.

But it is a riveting story. Especially if you lived through the 70s.

But the story of complacency and its consequences still apply today.

United Kingdom on May 04, 2012