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Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams
Extensively researched and vividly written by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Michael D’Antonio, Hershey is the fascinating story of the unique American visionary Milton S. Hershey.The name Hershey evokes many chocolate bars, the company town in Pennsylvania, one of America’s most recognizable brands. But who was the man behind the name? In this compelling biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael D’Antonio gives us the real-life rags-to-riches story of Milton S. Hershey, a largely uneducated businessman whose idealistic sense of purpose created an immense financial empire, a town, and a legacy that lasts to this day. Hershey, the son of a minister’s daughter and an irresponsible father who deserted the family, began his career inauspiciously when the two candy shops he opened both went bankrupt. Undeterred, he started the Lancaster Caramel Company, which brought him success at last. Eventually he sold his caramel operation and went on to perfect the production process of chocolate to create a stable, consistent bar with a long shelf life...and an American icon was born. Hershey was more than a successful businessman—he was a progressive thinker who believed in capitalism as a means to higher goals. He built the world’s largest chocolate factory and a utopian village for his workers on a large tract of land in rural Pennsylvania, and used his own fortune to keep his workers employed during the Great Depression. In addition, he secretly willed his fortune to a boys’ school and orphanage, both of which now control a vast endowment.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
125 people are currently reading
1867 people want to read
About the author
Michael D'Antonio
37 books93 followersA Pulitzer Prize winning writer of books, articles, and original stories for film, Michael D’Antonio has published more than a dozen books, including Never Enough, a 2015 biography of presidential candidate and billionaire businessman Donald Trump. Described variously as “luminous,” “captivating,” “momentous” and “meticulous” Michael’s work is renowned for its clarity, balance, and thoroughness.
His works a have been noted as “best books of the year” or “editors’ picks” by The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Businessweek, The Chicago Tribune and Publisher’s Weekly. He has appeared on Sixty Minutes, Today, Good Morning, The Morning Show, America, Larry King Live, Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Diane Rehm, Coast-to-Coast, and many other programs.
Before becoming a fulltime author, Michael worked as a journalist in New York, Washington, and Maine. He has written for Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, The Times of London Magazine, Discover, Sports Illustrated, The Los Angeles Times Magazine and many others. He has received numerous awards including the 1984 Pulitzer Prize, shared with a team at Newsday that explored the medical, legal, and ethical issues surrounding the Baby Jane Doe case.
In 2016, Michael has became a regular contributor for CNN, both on-air and on their website. His pieces can be read here: http://www.cnn.com/profiles/michael-d...
D’Antonio has been the recipient of the Alicia Patterson Fellowship, the First Amendment Award, and the Humanitas Award for his Showtime film, Crown Heights. Born and raised in New Hampshire, Michael now lives on Long Island with his wife, Toni Raiten-D’Antonio who is a psychotherapist, professor, and author of three acclaimed books.
His works a have been noted as “best books of the year” or “editors’ picks” by The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, Businessweek, The Chicago Tribune and Publisher’s Weekly. He has appeared on Sixty Minutes, Today, Good Morning, The Morning Show, America, Larry King Live, Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Diane Rehm, Coast-to-Coast, and many other programs.
Before becoming a fulltime author, Michael worked as a journalist in New York, Washington, and Maine. He has written for Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, The Times of London Magazine, Discover, Sports Illustrated, The Los Angeles Times Magazine and many others. He has received numerous awards including the 1984 Pulitzer Prize, shared with a team at Newsday that explored the medical, legal, and ethical issues surrounding the Baby Jane Doe case.
In 2016, Michael has became a regular contributor for CNN, both on-air and on their website. His pieces can be read here: http://www.cnn.com/profiles/michael-d...
D’Antonio has been the recipient of the Alicia Patterson Fellowship, the First Amendment Award, and the Humanitas Award for his Showtime film, Crown Heights. Born and raised in New Hampshire, Michael now lives on Long Island with his wife, Toni Raiten-D’Antonio who is a psychotherapist, professor, and author of three acclaimed books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
February 26, 2023
A fascinating read about the rise of an icon that came to prominence during the latter part of the Gilded Age. Milton Hershey was the industrious child of a serious and devoted mother and a father who was a bit of a flim-flam artist. In this regard Milton's upbringing was similar to John Rockefeller except that Milton was not so pious and his mother's family had some money to invest in Milton's enterprises of which several ended in bankruptcy.
Hershey, without a college education, goes on to build one of the world's biggest chocolate empires. The story of how he did it is explained in the book and is compelling. His success was largely the result of hard work and knowledge that he gained as he relocated to many cities across the country, refining the confectionary craft and honing his business skills. After the success of his Lancaster Caramel company made him a millionaire, Milton was able to expand into the chocolate business and after the turn of the century, in a utopian vision, built an entire company town in remote Pennsylvania that he named Hershey. He then set his mind to increasing profits further by evading the sugar trust that wielded so much power in the United States. Eventually he bought sugar plants in Cuba to directly supply his factories with one of the key raw ingredients for his chocolate. Taking place in his later years, there were strikes for better wages in the 1930's that resulted in violence. Those responsible for the violence were anti-union factions supported by Hershey. After press coverage of the horrible events, concessions were made on the part of Hershey's for better wages and benefits. This occurred after Milton relinquished daily operations to those much younger than the octogenarian.
Milton Hershey was an imperfect man as he had a gambling habit and went to great lengths to hide his lavish lifestyle by choosing to take frequent trips to Europe and Cuba to avoid the scrutiny of bad press. But he was hardly considered ruthless in comparison to the other Gilded Age billionaires. Since his rise to fortune came later, he likely learned more than a few lessons from the press coverage of Ford and Rockefeller.
Hershey also had a warm side as evidenced by when he opened up an orphanage in Hershey. He eventually left his fortune to the orphanage in a trust after his death. The trust has since grown to an endowment worth more than $12 billion dollars.
The last several chapters in the book are about the trust that lived on after Milton's death. The threats of selling Hershey's to Wrigley, the court battles and the effects on the town's people and employees of a company that are so heavily intertwined all made for an interesting read.
Although a biography, this book is an excellent historical read that fills a knowledge gap with a vivid story of how a giant modern company was founded and prospered in the first half of the 20th century.
I rated the book 4.5 stars and rounded up because the story is unique, engaging and involves nary a politician, military hero, entertainment icon or sports star.
Hershey, without a college education, goes on to build one of the world's biggest chocolate empires. The story of how he did it is explained in the book and is compelling. His success was largely the result of hard work and knowledge that he gained as he relocated to many cities across the country, refining the confectionary craft and honing his business skills. After the success of his Lancaster Caramel company made him a millionaire, Milton was able to expand into the chocolate business and after the turn of the century, in a utopian vision, built an entire company town in remote Pennsylvania that he named Hershey. He then set his mind to increasing profits further by evading the sugar trust that wielded so much power in the United States. Eventually he bought sugar plants in Cuba to directly supply his factories with one of the key raw ingredients for his chocolate. Taking place in his later years, there were strikes for better wages in the 1930's that resulted in violence. Those responsible for the violence were anti-union factions supported by Hershey. After press coverage of the horrible events, concessions were made on the part of Hershey's for better wages and benefits. This occurred after Milton relinquished daily operations to those much younger than the octogenarian.
Milton Hershey was an imperfect man as he had a gambling habit and went to great lengths to hide his lavish lifestyle by choosing to take frequent trips to Europe and Cuba to avoid the scrutiny of bad press. But he was hardly considered ruthless in comparison to the other Gilded Age billionaires. Since his rise to fortune came later, he likely learned more than a few lessons from the press coverage of Ford and Rockefeller.
Hershey also had a warm side as evidenced by when he opened up an orphanage in Hershey. He eventually left his fortune to the orphanage in a trust after his death. The trust has since grown to an endowment worth more than $12 billion dollars.
The last several chapters in the book are about the trust that lived on after Milton's death. The threats of selling Hershey's to Wrigley, the court battles and the effects on the town's people and employees of a company that are so heavily intertwined all made for an interesting read.
Although a biography, this book is an excellent historical read that fills a knowledge gap with a vivid story of how a giant modern company was founded and prospered in the first half of the 20th century.
I rated the book 4.5 stars and rounded up because the story is unique, engaging and involves nary a politician, military hero, entertainment icon or sports star.
April 14, 2020
3.5 stars
After reading Secretariat, I wanted to learn more about the families that made their fortunes in what Mark Twain coined "The Gilded Age" and became investors in the Thoroughbred industry. Milton Snavely Hershey, definitely a gambling man though not a race horse owner (he was a frequenter of casinos around the world and bet heavily on races), was one of those men.
The age in which he became a titan was simply fascinating. This is the age of the Gold Rush, the Civil War, the Panics which led to mass deficits at banks, of corporate mergers (like the National Biscuit Company - Nabisco), of the concept of "middle management" and "management science", of company bonuses and profit sharing, and all the way up through America's takeover of Cuba from Spain, World War I, the roaring 20s, and the Wall Street Stock Market Crash in October 1929. Hershey, across his 88 years, lived through some of the most tumultuous times in American history and rose to captain one of America's most successful companies, preserving its wealth and its charitable works against all odds. But before he met with incredible success, he failed time and time again, from his first candy shop at age 19 and all the way through his 20s with ventures from Colorado to Philadelphia. The fact that he continued to persist, to experiment, and to reinvent his product is astonishing; the fact that he borrowed heavily from his mother's wealthy, Lancaster, PA-based family is a luxury that most his age didn't have. Interestingly enough, it was only when the Snavelys refused to continue to bankroll M.S., after nearly a decade of failures, did he succeed in creating the brand of chocolate still on the shelves today in its signature brown-and-silver wrapper.
Some of the other American companies which gained in wealth, influence and market share during this time includes Kelloggs, Heinz, Wrigley, Coca-Cola, Mars and Nabisco (many of whom were Hershey's customers, acquiring cocoa and other products from his vertically-integrated business). Overseas, Hershey rose in parallel to Cadbury and Nestle, but interestingly never attempted to establish the Hershey brand in foreign markets (unlike Coca-Cola, which rode their U.S. Army contract into the establishment of bottling factories everywhere soldiers were based).
Interesting to note: one of the things which really stands out in "Hershey" versus today's businessmen (think Steve Jobs, Elon Musk) is the concept that shy, wholesome, charity-minded men were the ideal heads of corporations because, at the end of the day, "People preferred to buy candy from a nice man", one who was a benevolent figurehead who remained in the background of all of the press surrounding his brand.
While not the most exciting book (McCullough's John Adams absolutely broke the mold), the amount of research that has gone into this book, and the well-written and easy style employed by D'Antonio, means that this type of non-fiction book will never go below 3 stars for me. An enjoyable slice of American history and an interesting look into the business practices that built America's fearsome corporations.
After reading Secretariat, I wanted to learn more about the families that made their fortunes in what Mark Twain coined "The Gilded Age" and became investors in the Thoroughbred industry. Milton Snavely Hershey, definitely a gambling man though not a race horse owner (he was a frequenter of casinos around the world and bet heavily on races), was one of those men.
The age in which he became a titan was simply fascinating. This is the age of the Gold Rush, the Civil War, the Panics which led to mass deficits at banks, of corporate mergers (like the National Biscuit Company - Nabisco), of the concept of "middle management" and "management science", of company bonuses and profit sharing, and all the way up through America's takeover of Cuba from Spain, World War I, the roaring 20s, and the Wall Street Stock Market Crash in October 1929. Hershey, across his 88 years, lived through some of the most tumultuous times in American history and rose to captain one of America's most successful companies, preserving its wealth and its charitable works against all odds. But before he met with incredible success, he failed time and time again, from his first candy shop at age 19 and all the way through his 20s with ventures from Colorado to Philadelphia. The fact that he continued to persist, to experiment, and to reinvent his product is astonishing; the fact that he borrowed heavily from his mother's wealthy, Lancaster, PA-based family is a luxury that most his age didn't have. Interestingly enough, it was only when the Snavelys refused to continue to bankroll M.S., after nearly a decade of failures, did he succeed in creating the brand of chocolate still on the shelves today in its signature brown-and-silver wrapper.
Some of the other American companies which gained in wealth, influence and market share during this time includes Kelloggs, Heinz, Wrigley, Coca-Cola, Mars and Nabisco (many of whom were Hershey's customers, acquiring cocoa and other products from his vertically-integrated business). Overseas, Hershey rose in parallel to Cadbury and Nestle, but interestingly never attempted to establish the Hershey brand in foreign markets (unlike Coca-Cola, which rode their U.S. Army contract into the establishment of bottling factories everywhere soldiers were based).
Interesting to note: one of the things which really stands out in "Hershey" versus today's businessmen (think Steve Jobs, Elon Musk) is the concept that shy, wholesome, charity-minded men were the ideal heads of corporations because, at the end of the day, "People preferred to buy candy from a nice man", one who was a benevolent figurehead who remained in the background of all of the press surrounding his brand.
While not the most exciting book (McCullough's John Adams absolutely broke the mold), the amount of research that has gone into this book, and the well-written and easy style employed by D'Antonio, means that this type of non-fiction book will never go below 3 stars for me. An enjoyable slice of American history and an interesting look into the business practices that built America's fearsome corporations.
January 17, 2024
The best lesson to learn from Milton S Hershey’s life was that he was initially good at failing. With his family tired of giving him money, or broke, to run his candy stores, he kept at it one way or another. He finally did make a respectable living making confections, but he thought it was a fad and dreamed big —for something that was really difficult to make at the time, especially inexpensively — Chocolate.
Well obvious how that turned out. Hershey bars dominated the market for decades. In the late 1800s if you made it to tycoon status, you usually wanted to spend your money on mankind, one way or another, be it libraries, colleges or parks. Some wanted to help people more directly by creating utopias. MS Hershey probably came the closest to spending his money wisely in this manner , making an entire, workable, town for his employees, and what became a famous children’s school and orphanage.
The ups and downs of Hershey, Pennsylvania make a fascinating story. Showing no matter what you do for folks, there’s improvements that could be made, and some people are not going to be satisfied no matter what.
A sweet read !
Well obvious how that turned out. Hershey bars dominated the market for decades. In the late 1800s if you made it to tycoon status, you usually wanted to spend your money on mankind, one way or another, be it libraries, colleges or parks. Some wanted to help people more directly by creating utopias. MS Hershey probably came the closest to spending his money wisely in this manner , making an entire, workable, town for his employees, and what became a famous children’s school and orphanage.
The ups and downs of Hershey, Pennsylvania make a fascinating story. Showing no matter what you do for folks, there’s improvements that could be made, and some people are not going to be satisfied no matter what.
A sweet read !
March 26, 2015
Outstanding book about Milton Hershey and the company and Utopia he created. Being from about 50 miles away from Hershey, PA made this book even more fascinating. Lots of facts about the man, the company, the school and town he created. Author got information from non-Hershey sources which helped flesh out the true story about MS Hershey.
Very readable book and more importantly it is the correct length. Many other biographies tend to be long, boring and scholarly in tone and are an effort to read, but this book is eminently readable and very well done.
Very readable book and more importantly it is the correct length. Many other biographies tend to be long, boring and scholarly in tone and are an effort to read, but this book is eminently readable and very well done.
November 28, 2011
A good solid biography of a man who was a lot more interesting than I had ever realized. As I was reading the book, I found myself thinking of Milton Hershey as a benevolent dictator. Then, late in the book, someone was quoted as saying that the town of Hershey was a "philanthropic dictatorship" which is probably a little bit of a better term. Hershey was clearly a man who wanted to do good, but I don't think I would have liked living under his thumb. I would have resented the way he imposed his sense of morality on his workers, even during their time away from the factory. I wish the author had managed to uncover more information about Mrs. Hershey, the syphilitic spouse who may or may not have been a former prostitute.
Michael D'Antonio does a very good job of doing one thing that I think is essential for a good biography: he not only describes the life of his subject, but the context of the times in which he lived. And he does it in a way that makes sense to the story. When he goes off on a seeming tangent about the 1893 Chicago Exposition, for example, he ends up tying it back to Hershey's life, but he barely mentions the Spanish American War, which had little impact on Hershey. I've read a few poorly edited history books this year, and as a result I appreciate a well-edited book all the more.
Oh, and I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but what a great cover this book has! I had to resist the urge to nibble on the book as I was reading it. The only way the cover could have been better would be if the publisher found a way to make it actually smell like chocolate.
Michael D'Antonio does a very good job of doing one thing that I think is essential for a good biography: he not only describes the life of his subject, but the context of the times in which he lived. And he does it in a way that makes sense to the story. When he goes off on a seeming tangent about the 1893 Chicago Exposition, for example, he ends up tying it back to Hershey's life, but he barely mentions the Spanish American War, which had little impact on Hershey. I've read a few poorly edited history books this year, and as a result I appreciate a well-edited book all the more.
Oh, and I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but what a great cover this book has! I had to resist the urge to nibble on the book as I was reading it. The only way the cover could have been better would be if the publisher found a way to make it actually smell like chocolate.
September 16, 2019
It was interesting to read about the life of Milton Hershey and how the Hershey empire was formed. Mr. Hershey was a brilliant entrepreneur and philanthropist. It is good to see his spirit still lives on in Hershey, PA.
I have read one other book by this author and in both books he tends to present dis jointed facts without any smooth transition between facts. It also appears as though the author gets off the subject of the book and begins a discussion of a closely related topic before returning back to the subject of the book. I found this to be disruptive to the story line.
I have read one other book by this author and in both books he tends to present dis jointed facts without any smooth transition between facts. It also appears as though the author gets off the subject of the book and begins a discussion of a closely related topic before returning back to the subject of the book. I found this to be disruptive to the story line.
July 18, 2024
A fun book on Hershey. It focuses more on the person and school than the company, but still a good read
August 11, 2023
Going to consider confectioner as a new hobby/career now.
October 4, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book about the fascinating life of Milton S. Hershey. My family and I have enjoyed several trips to the Hershey Hotel and Hershey Park. I picked this up at the gift store while visiting Hershey and I have to say I could not put it down. From his humble beginnings selling homemade caramels on the street corners of several cities to building a utopian town envied by most of America, he certainly embodies the rags to riches storyline. From his eccentric and often unemployed father to his mennonite mother with roots in religion and farming, Milton grew up as a practical dreamer. These combined eccentricities from his genetic roots carried him through life with a fascinating combination of visionary dreamer and tenacious hard worker. This book offers a very detailed account of his childhood, early years, middle age, unexpected romance, and end of life. Grab yourself a cup of hot cocoa or better yet, a hershey chocolate bar, and dive into this wonderful biography.
January 31, 2025
A great read about one of America’s greatest success stories.
September 19, 2013
Growing up in Ohio, my childhood friends would go to the next door state of Pennsylvania and indulge themselves in family vacations to Hershey, PA. Although I was never privy to the amazing confectionary capital; the Hershey brand holds a special place in my heart. Michael D’Antonio presents a personal portrait of the man behind the company in “Hershey: Milton S. Hershey’s Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams”.
Despite its sweet topic, “Hershey” suffers from a slow and disjointed start focusing more on history in the Pennsylvania region and Hershey’s parents versus on Milton himself. Although D’Antonio attempts to use this approach to reveal Milton’s background and moral values; it fails to hold attention. Plus, much of it is chunky chronologically (a paragraph may begin with, “Ten years earlier…” and backtrack completely); therefore leaving unanswered questions and confusion.
It is quite clear that D’Antonio partook in extensive research. However, at some points it is too much as the text is clinical, report-like, and lacking passion. The areas directly concerning Milton are quite interesting, but they aren’t consistent and are more like blurbs. “Hershey” tends to be filled with speculation—maybes, probablys, and so forth—making the business-end strongly noted but the personal life of Milton questionable.
Even though “Hershey” discloses a bit more of Milton as it progresses; the focus continues to be on industry, confections, and consumer goods. D’Antonio describes the environment effecting Milton or the Hershey brand rather than Milton’s feelings/reactions. “Hershey” also suffers from some editing issues such as a lack of punctuation (I counted three times) which is disconcerting to some readers. Poor editing is also displayed with weak transitions and repetition: entire paragraphs are copy/pasted. “Hershey” flows like a college research paper with some undergraduate errors.
D’Antonio doesn’t seem to know the heart of his work, following tangents even as the pages dwindle. However, he does successfully show Milton’s positive and negatives by discussing employee strikes and unhappiness in details versus glossing over such topics.
The conclusion of “Hershey” is not particularly memorable with a spotlight on the business/financial state of the company instead of the man. In fact, D’Antonio revisits his introduction of the possible sale of the Hershey entity in 2002. This leaves an overall lack of opening up Hershey’s life and is instead a very generic look.
Other notes: “Hershey” includes a photo insert (black and white) but doesn’t use a substantial amount of source material for those seeking thorough details.
“Hershey” is ‘okay’ as an introduction but is not inclusive in revealing Milton’s inner thoughts/workings with the content of the book being equal to a Google search. “Hershey” is suitable source material for a historical fiction novel: why hasn’t anyone written a HF novel featuring Milton and his wife Catherine?!
Despite its sweet topic, “Hershey” suffers from a slow and disjointed start focusing more on history in the Pennsylvania region and Hershey’s parents versus on Milton himself. Although D’Antonio attempts to use this approach to reveal Milton’s background and moral values; it fails to hold attention. Plus, much of it is chunky chronologically (a paragraph may begin with, “Ten years earlier…” and backtrack completely); therefore leaving unanswered questions and confusion.
It is quite clear that D’Antonio partook in extensive research. However, at some points it is too much as the text is clinical, report-like, and lacking passion. The areas directly concerning Milton are quite interesting, but they aren’t consistent and are more like blurbs. “Hershey” tends to be filled with speculation—maybes, probablys, and so forth—making the business-end strongly noted but the personal life of Milton questionable.
Even though “Hershey” discloses a bit more of Milton as it progresses; the focus continues to be on industry, confections, and consumer goods. D’Antonio describes the environment effecting Milton or the Hershey brand rather than Milton’s feelings/reactions. “Hershey” also suffers from some editing issues such as a lack of punctuation (I counted three times) which is disconcerting to some readers. Poor editing is also displayed with weak transitions and repetition: entire paragraphs are copy/pasted. “Hershey” flows like a college research paper with some undergraduate errors.
D’Antonio doesn’t seem to know the heart of his work, following tangents even as the pages dwindle. However, he does successfully show Milton’s positive and negatives by discussing employee strikes and unhappiness in details versus glossing over such topics.
The conclusion of “Hershey” is not particularly memorable with a spotlight on the business/financial state of the company instead of the man. In fact, D’Antonio revisits his introduction of the possible sale of the Hershey entity in 2002. This leaves an overall lack of opening up Hershey’s life and is instead a very generic look.
Other notes: “Hershey” includes a photo insert (black and white) but doesn’t use a substantial amount of source material for those seeking thorough details.
“Hershey” is ‘okay’ as an introduction but is not inclusive in revealing Milton’s inner thoughts/workings with the content of the book being equal to a Google search. “Hershey” is suitable source material for a historical fiction novel: why hasn’t anyone written a HF novel featuring Milton and his wife Catherine?!
December 11, 2013
There is the optimist and the cynic in all of us. Throughout this book I had to keep pushing the cynical Bob back in the bottle only to have cynical Bob try to escape again and again. I was actually able to contain my cynicism finally. You have to either read this book or know the story of Milton Hershey. In the midst of an ugly industrial world filled with slime bag industrialists stood Milton Hershey. He built a business without trampling on his employees, built a town, founded a home/school for orphans. This man was revered by the town citizens. He did amazing things for his town and his employees.
That said, his employees ultimately unionized his factories. As benevolent as he was, his ear was apparently not "to the ground" at the shop floor. He surprisingly hired to run his factory a former Ford Motor Co. executive to run his plant. Ford was notoriously anti-union and so was this guy (Hershey was also no fan of unions). This came back to bite him in the ass.
You cannot become this wealthy without an ego, and he had one. He also had a penchant for gambling.
When you are filthy rich you get to spend lots of money. I did not begrudge for one moment the money he spent for his family and self.
One of the great things about a book club is that you read books you would never be on your radar screen.
I highly recommend this book.
That said, his employees ultimately unionized his factories. As benevolent as he was, his ear was apparently not "to the ground" at the shop floor. He surprisingly hired to run his factory a former Ford Motor Co. executive to run his plant. Ford was notoriously anti-union and so was this guy (Hershey was also no fan of unions). This came back to bite him in the ass.
You cannot become this wealthy without an ego, and he had one. He also had a penchant for gambling.
When you are filthy rich you get to spend lots of money. I did not begrudge for one moment the money he spent for his family and self.
One of the great things about a book club is that you read books you would never be on your radar screen.
I highly recommend this book.
October 7, 2023
This is my second time reading this book. The 1st time I read it was in college, I think. I didn't remember a lot of it so rereading it was once again educational. Growing up in Hershey, I had heard a lot of the unique stories about M.S. Hershey and his generous spirit of course. This book shows another side of things, an outsider's point of view, for sure, but it made me think about the nuances of M.S. Hershey, the man, as well as the school, the company, and the town that he founded. I appreciated the discussions about him as a "mercurial boss", it made him more human. Since I now work for the Milton Hershey School, I find that this part of his personality has been left out completely so I appreciate it's inclusion in the book. Despite the fact that the book displayed some of the faults of this great man, I am still very proud to call Hershey my home and to be working at the school that is his legacy.
August 17, 2013
Milton Hersey was mainly known as a benevolent and nice man, but he was more than that. He had his ornery side, too, firing people on a whim. He developed the utopian town of Hersey in 1903. He was good and mostly generous to the town, tho he made some serious mistakes. He was ambitious and developed Heresy chocolate to make millions. At one point Heresy supplied 90% of America's chocolate. All this from a young man that started out making caramels. I enjoyed the book very much, learning the private side of a millionaire. I mostly read it because my husband and I are going to spend a day in Heresy at Christmas. But it's an entertaining book for anyone who likes chocolate.
October 1, 2025
Michael D'Antonio's "Hershey" is a captivating journey through the life of one of America's most influential chocolate magnates, Milton S. Hershey. As I prepared for an eagerly awaited reading retreat with friends in the heart of Chocolate Town USA, Hershey, PA, this book was the perfect choice to deepen my understanding of the man behind the brand.
D'Antonio expertly weaves together the complexities of Hershey's character. He portrays Milton not only as a visionary who constructed a vast confectionery empire but also as a person with flaws—an individual who could be difficult and at times, quite temperamental. This duality made the narrative rich and engaging.
I found the depiction of Hershey in his later years particularly intriguing. The author presents him as a "pure spitfire," displaying a tenacity that kept the reader invested in his story. D'Antonio’s writing style is compelling, drawing me in from the very first page and maintaining my interest until the somber conclusion with Hershey's passing.
However, I was left somewhat unsatisfied by the ending. After covering Hershey's death, the narrative abruptly transitions to a summary of Hershey, PA's history up to 2005 without offering a thoughtful conclusion to the biography. While the information was informative, it felt like a missed opportunity to wrap up the themes developed throughout the book.
Overall, "Hershey" is a well-researched and engaging biography that paints a complex picture of Milton Hershey—a man celebrated as a chocolate god but also marked by his imperfections. It's an excellent choice for anyone looking to explore the sweet yet complicated legacy of one of America's most iconic figures.
#Hershey #MiltonHershey #Biography #ChocolateLovers #BookReview #ReadingRetreat #ChocolateTownUSA #DAntonio #History #InspiringFigures #ChocolateEmpire #Bookstagram #Nonfiction #SweetLegacy #ComplexCharacter #ReadersOfInstagram #MustRead #LiteraryJourney #CocoaCulture #HersheyPA #BookRecommendations
D'Antonio expertly weaves together the complexities of Hershey's character. He portrays Milton not only as a visionary who constructed a vast confectionery empire but also as a person with flaws—an individual who could be difficult and at times, quite temperamental. This duality made the narrative rich and engaging.
I found the depiction of Hershey in his later years particularly intriguing. The author presents him as a "pure spitfire," displaying a tenacity that kept the reader invested in his story. D'Antonio’s writing style is compelling, drawing me in from the very first page and maintaining my interest until the somber conclusion with Hershey's passing.
However, I was left somewhat unsatisfied by the ending. After covering Hershey's death, the narrative abruptly transitions to a summary of Hershey, PA's history up to 2005 without offering a thoughtful conclusion to the biography. While the information was informative, it felt like a missed opportunity to wrap up the themes developed throughout the book.
Overall, "Hershey" is a well-researched and engaging biography that paints a complex picture of Milton Hershey—a man celebrated as a chocolate god but also marked by his imperfections. It's an excellent choice for anyone looking to explore the sweet yet complicated legacy of one of America's most iconic figures.
#Hershey #MiltonHershey #Biography #ChocolateLovers #BookReview #ReadingRetreat #ChocolateTownUSA #DAntonio #History #InspiringFigures #ChocolateEmpire #Bookstagram #Nonfiction #SweetLegacy #ComplexCharacter #ReadersOfInstagram #MustRead #LiteraryJourney #CocoaCulture #HersheyPA #BookRecommendations
September 28, 2024
Impressive story, particularly the story of establishment of the school. Prompted by recent visit to PA
March 12, 2025
The bits about the town are particularly interesting.
April 8, 2025
I didn’t eat a single bar of chocolate while reading this… that’s how compelling it was.
May 27, 2019
(The English review is placed beneath Russian one)
От книги я ожидал некого аналога «Sony. Сделано в Японии», «Как я создал Wal-Mart» и «Кто сказал, что слоны не могут танцевать?». Т.е. вначале немного о том, как создавалась компания, а потом, весь основной текст, как она завоёвывала рынок и т.д. и т.п. Увы, но это определённо не этот вариант, не книга о бизнесе, а точнее, она совершенно не похожа на вышеперечисленные книги. Это скорее очень долгая история о её создателе, основателе компании Hershey. И такого введения или такого экскурса в биографию основателя фирмы я ещё нигде и никогда не встречал. Даже книга «Shoe Dog» не решилась на такую подробнейшую биографию. Ибо тут будет всё, начиная от детства и юности автора до его взаимоотношений с роднёй, женой и пр. Это настолько подробнейший рассказ, что начинаешь задумываться, а не перепутал ли автор название книги или может быть он хотел просто написать биографию данного человека, но потом передумал и предложил добавить ещё и компанию Hershey.
Возможно, эта книга ориентирована только на поклонников этого бренда. И также возможно, она ориентирована только на американцев и европейцев или ту категорию, что хорошо знакома с этим брендом, для которых он что-то значит или что-то напоминает, но для России этот бренд абсолютно неизвестен (я даже не уверен, продаётся ли он в Москве). Возможно поэтому, книга и не пошла. А возможно ещё и потому, что, уже дойдя почти до середины, я лишь только мельком встречал компанию, только когда выбиралась земля под её завод. Нет, это для меня явный перебор. Я предполагал, что если книга меня заинтересует, я прочитаю её до конца, но предлагая такой объём ненужной мне биографии, человека которого я абсолютно не знаю (это не Генри Форд, не Карнеги и не Рокфеллер), я сдался, дойдя практически до середины. Возможно, кому-то такой жанр понравится. Однако, что определённо я могу сказать, так это то, что, скорее всего маркетологам и менеджерам эту книгу можно просто пропустить. Да, возможно во второй части и будет что-то интересное, но судя по стилю, автор вряд ли будет углубляться в тему маркетинга и менеджмента в компании Hershey.
I was expecting some kind of "Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony", "Sam Walton: Made In America" and "Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?" That is, first a little bit about how the company was created, and then the whole basic text, how it won the market, etc., etc. Alas, but this is definitely not this option, not a book about business, or rather, it's not like the above mentioned books at all. It is rather a very long story about its founder - the founder of Hershey. That is, first a little bit about how the company was created, and then the whole basic text, how it won the market, etc., etc. Alas, but this is definitely not this option, not a book about business, or rather, it's not like the above mentioned books at all. It is rather a very long story about its founder, the founder of Hershey. And I have never seen such an introduction or such an excursion in the biography of the founder of the company before. Even the book "Shoe Dog" has not dared to such a detailed biography. For everything will be here, from childhood and youth of the author to his relationship with his family, wife, etc. This is such a detailed story that you start to think about whether the author has confused the title of the book or maybe he just wanted to write a biography of this person, but then changed his mind and offered to add Hershey as well.
Perhaps, this book is focused only on the fans of this brand. And it is also possible that it is focused only on Americans and Europeans, or the category that is well acquainted with this brand, for whom it means something, but for Russia this brand is absolutely unknown (I'm not even sure if it is sold in Moscow). Maybe that's why I didn't like the book. Or maybe it's also because, after reading the book until the middle, I only briefly met a mention of the company when it came out to the land for its factory. No, it's obviously too much for me. I assumed that if I was interested in the book, I would read it to the end, but by offering me such a volume of unnecessary biography, a person whom I do not know at all (it is not Henry Ford, Carnegie or Rockefeller), I surrendered, reaching almost to the middle. Perhaps someone will like this genre. However, what I can definitely say is that, most likely, marketers and managers can just skip this book. Yes, maybe there will be something interesting in the second part, but judging by the style, the author is unlikely to go into the topic of marketing and management at Hershey.
От книги я ожидал некого аналога «Sony. Сделано в Японии», «Как я создал Wal-Mart» и «Кто сказал, что слоны не могут танцевать?». Т.е. вначале немного о том, как создавалась компания, а потом, весь основной текст, как она завоёвывала рынок и т.д. и т.п. Увы, но это определённо не этот вариант, не книга о бизнесе, а точнее, она совершенно не похожа на вышеперечисленные книги. Это скорее очень долгая история о её создателе, основателе компании Hershey. И такого введения или такого экскурса в биографию основателя фирмы я ещё нигде и никогда не встречал. Даже книга «Shoe Dog» не решилась на такую подробнейшую биографию. Ибо тут будет всё, начиная от детства и юности автора до его взаимоотношений с роднёй, женой и пр. Это настолько подробнейший рассказ, что начинаешь задумываться, а не перепутал ли автор название книги или может быть он хотел просто написать биографию данного человека, но потом передумал и предложил добавить ещё и компанию Hershey.
Возможно, эта книга ориентирована только на поклонников этого бренда. И также возможно, она ориентирована только на американцев и европейцев или ту категорию, что хорошо знакома с этим брендом, для которых он что-то значит или что-то напоминает, но для России этот бренд абсолютно неизвестен (я даже не уверен, продаётся ли он в Москве). Возможно поэтому, книга и не пошла. А возможно ещё и потому, что, уже дойдя почти до середины, я лишь только мельком встречал компанию, только когда выбиралась земля под её завод. Нет, это для меня явный перебор. Я предполагал, что если книга меня заинтересует, я прочитаю её до конца, но предлагая такой объём ненужной мне биографии, человека которого я абсолютно не знаю (это не Генри Форд, не Карнеги и не Рокфеллер), я сдался, дойдя практически до середины. Возможно, кому-то такой жанр понравится. Однако, что определённо я могу сказать, так это то, что, скорее всего маркетологам и менеджерам эту книгу можно просто пропустить. Да, возможно во второй части и будет что-то интересное, но судя по стилю, автор вряд ли будет углубляться в тему маркетинга и менеджмента в компании Hershey.
I was expecting some kind of "Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony", "Sam Walton: Made In America" and "Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?" That is, first a little bit about how the company was created, and then the whole basic text, how it won the market, etc., etc. Alas, but this is definitely not this option, not a book about business, or rather, it's not like the above mentioned books at all. It is rather a very long story about its founder - the founder of Hershey. That is, first a little bit about how the company was created, and then the whole basic text, how it won the market, etc., etc. Alas, but this is definitely not this option, not a book about business, or rather, it's not like the above mentioned books at all. It is rather a very long story about its founder, the founder of Hershey. And I have never seen such an introduction or such an excursion in the biography of the founder of the company before. Even the book "Shoe Dog" has not dared to such a detailed biography. For everything will be here, from childhood and youth of the author to his relationship with his family, wife, etc. This is such a detailed story that you start to think about whether the author has confused the title of the book or maybe he just wanted to write a biography of this person, but then changed his mind and offered to add Hershey as well.
Perhaps, this book is focused only on the fans of this brand. And it is also possible that it is focused only on Americans and Europeans, or the category that is well acquainted with this brand, for whom it means something, but for Russia this brand is absolutely unknown (I'm not even sure if it is sold in Moscow). Maybe that's why I didn't like the book. Or maybe it's also because, after reading the book until the middle, I only briefly met a mention of the company when it came out to the land for its factory. No, it's obviously too much for me. I assumed that if I was interested in the book, I would read it to the end, but by offering me such a volume of unnecessary biography, a person whom I do not know at all (it is not Henry Ford, Carnegie or Rockefeller), I surrendered, reaching almost to the middle. Perhaps someone will like this genre. However, what I can definitely say is that, most likely, marketers and managers can just skip this book. Yes, maybe there will be something interesting in the second part, but judging by the style, the author is unlikely to go into the topic of marketing and management at Hershey.
August 28, 2019
The success of Milton Hershey was more a case of right place/right connections/right time than anything. His parents split while he was young, and though his father was something of a scoundrel (this story's most colorful, interesting character), his mother came from wealthy stock. Well-off aunts and uncles were quite willing to bail him out of a jam, through infusions of cash or elbow grease, and to set him back up again after one strikeout or another. M.S. wasn't even a particularly brilliant chocolatier. He knew where to point his R&D team, but failed to personally crack the code of lasting milk chocolate and repeatedly floundered in attempts to introduce an additional line of product. Still, D'Antonio's account is extremely positive, painting Milton in a light that's a bit suspect, given the constant glowing endorsements. To be sure, Hershey made some radical, progressive moves in his time - his dedication to the boarding school that still bares his name is most impressive - but he also held fierce grudges and refused to acknowledge the employees most responsible for his success. These aspects of his personality are merely noted and hand-waved, excused as an eccentricity. When strikebreakers turn violent in the late 30s, for example, the book notes that Hershey (watching from a comfortable distance) reportedly shed a tear. Otherwise, I guess, he'd look like too much of a monster. It's a mildly interesting, but not revelatory, read. I took particular interest in the influences and inspirations that led to the founding of Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the logistics of managing the city in the ensuing century.
July 4, 2022
A good book, providing a biography of Milton Hershey and a history of the unique company town he created in Pennsylvania. The author, journalist Michael D’Antonio, focuses on Hershey‘s personal story and his development of the factory town of Hershey. D’Antonio does touch upon Hershey‘s development of his unique milk chocolate and the expansion of his business. But the book concentrates more on Hershey’s viewpoints and the creation of the “Hershey Way” rather than the businesses he developed. Like Henry Ford and other contemporary industrialists, Hershey believed in a patriarchal factory system, with the firm having an all-encompassing role in the lives of the employees. But, generally unlike the others, Hershey did not apply deep moral guidance, concentrating on improving employees’ physical vice spiritual lives. Hershey’s belief in the importance of extended family and preference for rural life were the foundation of his creation of the town and factory. The author explores the development of these beliefs, on the way outlining Hershey’s long struggle for success. However, D’Antonio points out the many ways that Hershey himself rarely followed the bucolic strictures he laid out for his employees, which in turn affected his business. A good book for understanding one strain in the American creation of unique factory systems. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to better appreciate the intersection between employment and lifestyle.
June 5, 2015
What would Milton Do?
Milton Hershey would build the biggest chocolate company in the world--in 1947 just before he died, his utopian experiment in candy and community-building made 90% of the chocolate sold in the United States! This is the story (neither authorized nor sponsered by the company according to the book jacket) of Hershey's
intrepid life: his first two candy companies failed),
his fabulously successful company: which he started after selling his third (and first successful) startup but before he knew how to make a chococolate bar with the flavor and marketability he needed to succeed
and his own private utopia: buying up thousands of acres of central PA farmland, Herhey built his namesake town, company, orphanage, and other business aorund his "philanthropic dictatorship" (as an alumnus of the Hershey School called it).
D'Antonio tells the story with a light touch,, never delving more deeply into arcane personal or corporate twists than the casual reader needs or wants. And, despite the cover claim, he certainly never treats Hershey harshly, maintaining a reasoned objectiveness about a man who, like his vision or not, left an overwhelmingly positive legacy.
Milton Hershey would build the biggest chocolate company in the world--in 1947 just before he died, his utopian experiment in candy and community-building made 90% of the chocolate sold in the United States! This is the story (neither authorized nor sponsered by the company according to the book jacket) of Hershey's
intrepid life: his first two candy companies failed),
his fabulously successful company: which he started after selling his third (and first successful) startup but before he knew how to make a chococolate bar with the flavor and marketability he needed to succeed
and his own private utopia: buying up thousands of acres of central PA farmland, Herhey built his namesake town, company, orphanage, and other business aorund his "philanthropic dictatorship" (as an alumnus of the Hershey School called it).
D'Antonio tells the story with a light touch,, never delving more deeply into arcane personal or corporate twists than the casual reader needs or wants. And, despite the cover claim, he certainly never treats Hershey harshly, maintaining a reasoned objectiveness about a man who, like his vision or not, left an overwhelmingly positive legacy.
May 7, 2021
Considering I bought this book at the Chocolate museum gift shop and the other book I bought there was not that great, I was pleasantly surprised that this account of Hershey's (the man, the candy, the town, the company, and the school) empire's rise was so well written. My purchase was prompted by so many unanswered questions I had after visiting Hershey PA and this book successfully answered them all. If you are at all interested in the evolution of Hershey chocolate, businesses, the industrial age, Utopia town building efforts of the time(and there were more than I realized), or even just a good old fashion love story, this book is worth your time. If you ever enjoyed a story about 'back in the day' from an older relative, you'll appreciate the author's style with the added bonus that the book is close enough to chronological order that it won't feel like 'work' try to piece the story timeline together as often can be the case with gift shop biographies that just collect stories and slap them into a book to make a quick buck. This book is high quality writing as it should be bearing the Hershey name and I will never look at the trademark brown wrapper the same again.
September 18, 2008
Proving once again that if you made a movie about a fictional person and put them through all the trials and tribulations and failures before reaching success that no one would belive it, the story of Milton Hershey gives you a good ride through perseverance. If you have ever wondered about the life and story behind this empire and what went into that kiss that you are about to eat then this is a good read for you. We take for granted the name of Hershey in the world, but there were many times when it would not have happened but for a little more blood seat and tears of the man behind the chocolate.
January 13, 2024
Biographies about various Gilded Age figures and families are commonplace. Frequently readers hear about negative aspects of Robber Barons like the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts and are treated to stories of gross malfeasance in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
And yet journalist Michael D'Antonio's Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams provides a different sort of story about an American tycoon whose product many enjoy consuming. The Captain of Industry in this narrative is a chocolatier, and this unique element prevents Hershey from becoming a derivative of typical books of the era. Milton Hershey (1857-1945) is written about as a man with good impulses which are not beyond being foiled by economic and social realities.
The setting near Pennsylvania Mennonite country also makes this an interesting work of nonfiction. Milton's dad Henry Hershey was a dreamer who found the Amish culture in his corner of Pennsylvania far too suffocating.
Henry was constantly on the move from Chicago to Denver to New York as he attempted to put various business schemes (often without much success) into practice. Henry's marriage to Veronica "Fannie" Snavely was a contrast of the sort which was probably common at the time in Amish country. She was the daughter of a Dutch Reformed pastor and steeped in the area's conservatism, making her match with the pie-in-the-sky Henry an awkward one at times.
Milton Hershey's marriage to his wife Catherine Sweeney Hershey was not as suffocating. It produced no children, but it was detailed admirably in the book and their love for one another was apparent. D'Antonio took a lot of time out from discussing business aspects to look at the Hershey's family life as well.
Milton's early life sees what would become the Hershey chocolate company start out as Lancaster Caramel Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Milton's prescience in seeing consumer tastes shift from caramels to a particular type of chocolate, a phenomenon especially prevalent in Switzerland at the time, was shown to be one of the reasons he quickly "cornered the market" in milk chocolate.
As the subtitle indicates, one major theme is Hershey's passion for social reform. The foundation of Hershey as a municipality in Pennsylvania also added another interesting angle to the story, and the manner in which he ran his company and town reflected what could be called utopianism. While D'Antonio is not completely fawning in his prose, he does more often than not show Hershey to be a benevolent employer who-despite being against unions-sought to pay his workers well and provide them with orderly, safe living and working conditions.
He compares favorably to other magnates of the time, like George Pullman, who set up model towns of their own but saw their business practices disrupted by violent, headline-grabbing strikes. Hershey's workers struck in 1937, and the ripple effects down to even milk producers in the area were analyzed. Hershey's handling of this, which contrasted with some of the violent methods used by steel and coal magnates of the time, was the focus of a later chapter in the book.
An impressive amount of the company's profits went into the Hershey orphanage for boys (now the Milton Hershey School), an enterprise which earned a lot of goodwill for Milton's chocolate corporation. While the methods for selecting the boys which were at times used were critiqued by D'Antonio, he frequently referred to this foundation as evidence of Hershey's progressivist impulses. These impulses were, however, limited, as he fell more in the mold of a Theodore Roosevelt reformist than Eugene Debs style socialist.
The building of a Hershey complex in Cuba to take advantage of economies of scale with regard to sugar was looked at in a particularly interesting chapter. Beginning in the 1910s, this ill-fated venture at one time saw a number of sugar mills and plantations humming along to help the chocolate company with their product. A later section which looked at the role government contracts for U.S. military personnel in World War Two played when it came to cementing the Hershey Company's profits was also compelling.
Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams is a unique book. Its readers will leave with an overall favorable impression of the Willy Wonka-ish Chocolate Baron, but it does not earn five stars owing to the impression that something is missing. The portrait of Milton is a good one, but it just feels lacking and two-dimensional; it is as if he had an impenetrable public persona which D'Antonio himself was unable to fully puncture long after his death.
Reading about rivalries with Reese's Pieces, Hershey's relationship with Mars candy company, and hearing about how the Kisses came to be a thing are a lighthearted sort of way to look at innovation during an age of a rapidly transforming American capitalism.
More weighty elements are found as well in the book, but in the end its uniqueness and D'Antonio's great writing style ends up camouflaging the shortcomings of a book which ultimately fails to get to the core of the man it sought to flesh out.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
And yet journalist Michael D'Antonio's Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams provides a different sort of story about an American tycoon whose product many enjoy consuming. The Captain of Industry in this narrative is a chocolatier, and this unique element prevents Hershey from becoming a derivative of typical books of the era. Milton Hershey (1857-1945) is written about as a man with good impulses which are not beyond being foiled by economic and social realities.
The setting near Pennsylvania Mennonite country also makes this an interesting work of nonfiction. Milton's dad Henry Hershey was a dreamer who found the Amish culture in his corner of Pennsylvania far too suffocating.
Henry was constantly on the move from Chicago to Denver to New York as he attempted to put various business schemes (often without much success) into practice. Henry's marriage to Veronica "Fannie" Snavely was a contrast of the sort which was probably common at the time in Amish country. She was the daughter of a Dutch Reformed pastor and steeped in the area's conservatism, making her match with the pie-in-the-sky Henry an awkward one at times.
Milton Hershey's marriage to his wife Catherine Sweeney Hershey was not as suffocating. It produced no children, but it was detailed admirably in the book and their love for one another was apparent. D'Antonio took a lot of time out from discussing business aspects to look at the Hershey's family life as well.
Milton's early life sees what would become the Hershey chocolate company start out as Lancaster Caramel Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Milton's prescience in seeing consumer tastes shift from caramels to a particular type of chocolate, a phenomenon especially prevalent in Switzerland at the time, was shown to be one of the reasons he quickly "cornered the market" in milk chocolate.
As the subtitle indicates, one major theme is Hershey's passion for social reform. The foundation of Hershey as a municipality in Pennsylvania also added another interesting angle to the story, and the manner in which he ran his company and town reflected what could be called utopianism. While D'Antonio is not completely fawning in his prose, he does more often than not show Hershey to be a benevolent employer who-despite being against unions-sought to pay his workers well and provide them with orderly, safe living and working conditions.
He compares favorably to other magnates of the time, like George Pullman, who set up model towns of their own but saw their business practices disrupted by violent, headline-grabbing strikes. Hershey's workers struck in 1937, and the ripple effects down to even milk producers in the area were analyzed. Hershey's handling of this, which contrasted with some of the violent methods used by steel and coal magnates of the time, was the focus of a later chapter in the book.
An impressive amount of the company's profits went into the Hershey orphanage for boys (now the Milton Hershey School), an enterprise which earned a lot of goodwill for Milton's chocolate corporation. While the methods for selecting the boys which were at times used were critiqued by D'Antonio, he frequently referred to this foundation as evidence of Hershey's progressivist impulses. These impulses were, however, limited, as he fell more in the mold of a Theodore Roosevelt reformist than Eugene Debs style socialist.
The building of a Hershey complex in Cuba to take advantage of economies of scale with regard to sugar was looked at in a particularly interesting chapter. Beginning in the 1910s, this ill-fated venture at one time saw a number of sugar mills and plantations humming along to help the chocolate company with their product. A later section which looked at the role government contracts for U.S. military personnel in World War Two played when it came to cementing the Hershey Company's profits was also compelling.
Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams is a unique book. Its readers will leave with an overall favorable impression of the Willy Wonka-ish Chocolate Baron, but it does not earn five stars owing to the impression that something is missing. The portrait of Milton is a good one, but it just feels lacking and two-dimensional; it is as if he had an impenetrable public persona which D'Antonio himself was unable to fully puncture long after his death.
Reading about rivalries with Reese's Pieces, Hershey's relationship with Mars candy company, and hearing about how the Kisses came to be a thing are a lighthearted sort of way to look at innovation during an age of a rapidly transforming American capitalism.
More weighty elements are found as well in the book, but in the end its uniqueness and D'Antonio's great writing style ends up camouflaging the shortcomings of a book which ultimately fails to get to the core of the man it sought to flesh out.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
March 31, 2024
“Hershey” by Michael D’Antonio is well-researched and has just as much heart as it does fun and educational historical facts.
Learning about Milton Hershey was a great rollercoaster, just like the ones in Hershey, Pennsylvania. You can see him grow from an ambitious young man to a successful businessman. What I appreciate most is it tells the good and bad things about Hershey. Some biographies paint certain people in a perfect light, so it’s refreshing to read a biography that’s not afraid to tell the uglier sides of a beloved man.
I’m not a history fan, but this book is definitely the exception. Learning about the person is one thing, but learning about the world’s history at that day and time adds richness and depth into Hershey’s journey. D’Antonio lets history set the chapter’s theme that connects to Hershey in some way. For example, it goes into the history of world fairs and how they helped businesses through samples, then it brings it back to Hershey where he promotes his business at said fairs.
The book is fun and educational, but it has heart as well. It goes into Hershey’s ideologies, his reasonings, and testimonies of people that knew him. Not all of it is happy, but there is respect for Hershey, especially for his charity efforts and his orphanage. Even to this day, it’s touching that Hershey’s legacy inspires both civilians and politicians in Hershey, Pennsylvania to do what is best for the kids.
Even though I enjoyed the history, there may be some readers that won’t. The biographical history is fun, but some of the history discussed involves sales, economics, and other businesses, which can sound pretty boring. If you are uninterested in business history, this is not for you.
Whether you are a fan of chocolate, biographies, or random history, Michael D’Antonio’s “Hershey” is a thoroughly detailed biography that not only teaches you about history; it teaches you how to work for what you love.
Learning about Milton Hershey was a great rollercoaster, just like the ones in Hershey, Pennsylvania. You can see him grow from an ambitious young man to a successful businessman. What I appreciate most is it tells the good and bad things about Hershey. Some biographies paint certain people in a perfect light, so it’s refreshing to read a biography that’s not afraid to tell the uglier sides of a beloved man.
I’m not a history fan, but this book is definitely the exception. Learning about the person is one thing, but learning about the world’s history at that day and time adds richness and depth into Hershey’s journey. D’Antonio lets history set the chapter’s theme that connects to Hershey in some way. For example, it goes into the history of world fairs and how they helped businesses through samples, then it brings it back to Hershey where he promotes his business at said fairs.
The book is fun and educational, but it has heart as well. It goes into Hershey’s ideologies, his reasonings, and testimonies of people that knew him. Not all of it is happy, but there is respect for Hershey, especially for his charity efforts and his orphanage. Even to this day, it’s touching that Hershey’s legacy inspires both civilians and politicians in Hershey, Pennsylvania to do what is best for the kids.
Even though I enjoyed the history, there may be some readers that won’t. The biographical history is fun, but some of the history discussed involves sales, economics, and other businesses, which can sound pretty boring. If you are uninterested in business history, this is not for you.
Whether you are a fan of chocolate, biographies, or random history, Michael D’Antonio’s “Hershey” is a thoroughly detailed biography that not only teaches you about history; it teaches you how to work for what you love.
May 12, 2021
Interesting history of Milton Hershey, how he created the multimillion dollar company- as well as a town and school for young at risk boys. Kisses were created in 1907 and Mr Goodbar in 1925.
P. 7: In his life, which ran from before the Civil War, through the Gilded Age, the Great Depression and World War II, Hershey’s wealth, if not his fame, was exceeded by Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Ford.”
P. 181: “... an exceedingly generous man who, unlike the Giants of the Gilded Age, got rich without exploiting workers, destroying competitors, raping the environment, manipulating stock, or purchasing politicians. If it’s a rule that behind every great fortune lies a great crime, M.S. Hershey was the exception.-
Favorite! P. 89: “Few sensual experiences can compare with eating chocolate. Buttery, sweet, and musky, the taste of good chocolate is at once soothing and exciting. But the experience of chocolate is not just about taste. It is also about feel. First there’s the soft snap as it yields to the teeth. Then the solid pieces dissolve into satisfying syrup. The thick liquid clings gently to the tongue, melting over the taste buds to deliver intense and then fading shades of flavor.” *makes me wish i had some right now!
P. 7: In his life, which ran from before the Civil War, through the Gilded Age, the Great Depression and World War II, Hershey’s wealth, if not his fame, was exceeded by Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Ford.”
P. 181: “... an exceedingly generous man who, unlike the Giants of the Gilded Age, got rich without exploiting workers, destroying competitors, raping the environment, manipulating stock, or purchasing politicians. If it’s a rule that behind every great fortune lies a great crime, M.S. Hershey was the exception.-
Favorite! P. 89: “Few sensual experiences can compare with eating chocolate. Buttery, sweet, and musky, the taste of good chocolate is at once soothing and exciting. But the experience of chocolate is not just about taste. It is also about feel. First there’s the soft snap as it yields to the teeth. Then the solid pieces dissolve into satisfying syrup. The thick liquid clings gently to the tongue, melting over the taste buds to deliver intense and then fading shades of flavor.” *makes me wish i had some right now!
March 15, 2022
Well-researched biography, not a company hagiography.
It's the story of Chocolate in America - Hershey used family connections to fail multiple times and keep trying, but once he hit upon the recipe America was ready to reward his persistence. European chocolate tastes different because Hershey's recipe became the definition of American Chocolate.
But the story becomes more interesting as Hershey uses his success to create a social construct. Works great at first, but inevitably lead to conflict, balancing the needs of the workers, the town of Hershey, the Hershey trade school, and the chocolate company, not to mention the people of Cuba.
I loved the story about his mother. She had been a Hershey candy wrapper over many decades. Eventually he gave her a house in his town, and had a box of Hersheys kisses sent over every day so she could wrap them. But they couldn't be sold commercially - he probably just ate them himself. OK, trying to summarize it here sounds awful, but the suggestion is that she needed to be needed.
It's the story of Chocolate in America - Hershey used family connections to fail multiple times and keep trying, but once he hit upon the recipe America was ready to reward his persistence. European chocolate tastes different because Hershey's recipe became the definition of American Chocolate.
But the story becomes more interesting as Hershey uses his success to create a social construct. Works great at first, but inevitably lead to conflict, balancing the needs of the workers, the town of Hershey, the Hershey trade school, and the chocolate company, not to mention the people of Cuba.
I loved the story about his mother. She had been a Hershey candy wrapper over many decades. Eventually he gave her a house in his town, and had a box of Hersheys kisses sent over every day so she could wrap them. But they couldn't be sold commercially - he probably just ate them himself. OK, trying to summarize it here sounds awful, but the suggestion is that she needed to be needed.
October 4, 2025
3.75 rounded up. This was a remarkably interesting book, more than I anticipated. I felt like it gave me a really clear picture not only of Hershey the man, but also the context in which he lived, regarding the social, cultural, and political world that surrounded him.
The author included a balance of critique and objectivity when discussing his decisions, behaviors, and legacy, which felt both honest and human. The additional context about the country-wide current events, regarding the progress of unions, the stock market crash of the early 1900s, and beyond, all contributed to a rich story that I felt I could better grasp.
The book also felt complete: starting from Hershey’s parents and spanning to cover his companies and legacy in the present day, I feel like I got a mini education in everything Hershey, and am wiser for it.
This was a rare read for me, since I’m not keen on biographies, but I’m happy that I went for it. Shoutout to the book club Discord October readathon for making me find a candy-themed book and for Audible having this available for free.
The author included a balance of critique and objectivity when discussing his decisions, behaviors, and legacy, which felt both honest and human. The additional context about the country-wide current events, regarding the progress of unions, the stock market crash of the early 1900s, and beyond, all contributed to a rich story that I felt I could better grasp.
The book also felt complete: starting from Hershey’s parents and spanning to cover his companies and legacy in the present day, I feel like I got a mini education in everything Hershey, and am wiser for it.
This was a rare read for me, since I’m not keen on biographies, but I’m happy that I went for it. Shoutout to the book club Discord October readathon for making me find a candy-themed book and for Audible having this available for free.
March 13, 2024
Maybe because I was expecting some kind of real-life Willy Wonka or maybe because I was hoping for something, as the title of the book puts it, extraordinary, I feel kinda let down. I don't think his life was so extraordinary given the facts that we are given, yes, he fought a lot to get to that level of wealth but so did a lot of others in the same time and conditions, but who am I to judge (?). Nevertheless, M.S did a lot of good and I hope those were a lot greater than the bad things he might have done. He seemed to be a difficult person starting with his middle age and there was a fight between the businessman and the poor kid who had to fight hunger. Trial and error sure worked well in his case and I believe that a very valuable lesson to take from here is that you can learn from existing processes and products and take them somewhere where they don't yet exist and make some profit.
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