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The UPS Man: James E. Casey and the Creation of Modern Logistics
Not yet published
Expected 27 Oct 26352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 27, 2026
About the author
Marc Levinson
20 books82 followersMarc Levinson is an independent historian, economist, and author. He spent many years as a journalist, including a stint as finance and economics editor of The Economist. He later worked as an economist at JP Morgan Chase, managed a staff advising Congress on transportation and industry issues at the Congressional Research Service, and served as senior fellow for international business at the Council on Foreign Relations.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 3, 2026
“Casey did not believe in standing still.”
As the daughter of a retired UPS man, and the wife of a current UPS driver, I was somewhat predisposed to find this book interesting. I had never delved into the company’s origins before, and it was fascinating to see how a small little business in Seattle fought to be the well known behemoth it is today.
The author tells you from the beginning that there is little to no information available about UPS’s main founder, James Casey, and that is very evident in the scant knowledge you gain here. At times I wondered what prompted the author to write a story about a man who, from all appearances, barely existed outside of his company. Despite that, I feel like this was really well written and the author kept it engaging with what little he had to work with. However I’m not sure I would classify this as a true biography, it’s more of a general history of Jim Casey and UPS.
Occasionally it got a little bogged down with numbers or company names and government agencies that were hard for me to keep track of, but as that was a small portion of the book, I was able to grasp the basic idea and skim the parts that didn’t compute. Overall I found it very enjoyable, and would recommend it to anyone who wants an in depth understanding of how we got these well known brown trucks.
I received a free advanced copy through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
As the daughter of a retired UPS man, and the wife of a current UPS driver, I was somewhat predisposed to find this book interesting. I had never delved into the company’s origins before, and it was fascinating to see how a small little business in Seattle fought to be the well known behemoth it is today.
The author tells you from the beginning that there is little to no information available about UPS’s main founder, James Casey, and that is very evident in the scant knowledge you gain here. At times I wondered what prompted the author to write a story about a man who, from all appearances, barely existed outside of his company. Despite that, I feel like this was really well written and the author kept it engaging with what little he had to work with. However I’m not sure I would classify this as a true biography, it’s more of a general history of Jim Casey and UPS.
Occasionally it got a little bogged down with numbers or company names and government agencies that were hard for me to keep track of, but as that was a small portion of the book, I was able to grasp the basic idea and skim the parts that didn’t compute. Overall I found it very enjoyable, and would recommend it to anyone who wants an in depth understanding of how we got these well known brown trucks.
I received a free advanced copy through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐ A One-Sided Account of UPS and Its Founder
Having worked for UPS during my university years, I was genuinely interested in learning more about the company and its founder through The UPS Man: James E. Casey and the Creation of Modern Logistics by Marc Levinson. With its reputation as a highly successful organization, this seemed like an opportunity to gain meaningful insight into both the business and the individual behind it. The book certainly delivers a large amount of information, particularly about the development of the package industry and the growth of UPS, and it is clear that a significant amount of research has gone into assembling the material. Unfortunately, that is where much of its value ends.
The larger issue is how one-sided the narrative feels throughout. Rather than offering a balanced or critical perspective, the book consistently presents UPS in a positive light while avoiding meaningful scrutiny. When more complicated or potentially negative aspects are introduced, they are either minimized, deflected, or explained away. At times, the author speculates about Casey’s intentions or decisions in ways that feel unnecessary and unconvincing, as if attempting to soften or excuse questionable aspects of the company’s history. This approach weakens the credibility of the book and gives the impression of a carefully managed narrative rather than an honest examination.
It is also difficult to view this as a true biography. Despite its length, Casey never fully emerges as a person, and there is little sense of his personality, motivations, or contradictions. The book reads more like an academic corporate history than a character-driven account, and even that is hindered by a disjointed structure that frequently shifts backward and forward in time. By the end, it is hard to say that much has been learned about Casey beyond what could be found in a basic summary. For a subject of this scope, that is a significant failure, and it makes the overall reading experience frustrating and ultimately disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Marc Levinson, and NYU Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheUPSMan #NetGalley
Having worked for UPS during my university years, I was genuinely interested in learning more about the company and its founder through The UPS Man: James E. Casey and the Creation of Modern Logistics by Marc Levinson. With its reputation as a highly successful organization, this seemed like an opportunity to gain meaningful insight into both the business and the individual behind it. The book certainly delivers a large amount of information, particularly about the development of the package industry and the growth of UPS, and it is clear that a significant amount of research has gone into assembling the material. Unfortunately, that is where much of its value ends.
The larger issue is how one-sided the narrative feels throughout. Rather than offering a balanced or critical perspective, the book consistently presents UPS in a positive light while avoiding meaningful scrutiny. When more complicated or potentially negative aspects are introduced, they are either minimized, deflected, or explained away. At times, the author speculates about Casey’s intentions or decisions in ways that feel unnecessary and unconvincing, as if attempting to soften or excuse questionable aspects of the company’s history. This approach weakens the credibility of the book and gives the impression of a carefully managed narrative rather than an honest examination.
It is also difficult to view this as a true biography. Despite its length, Casey never fully emerges as a person, and there is little sense of his personality, motivations, or contradictions. The book reads more like an academic corporate history than a character-driven account, and even that is hindered by a disjointed structure that frequently shifts backward and forward in time. By the end, it is hard to say that much has been learned about Casey beyond what could be found in a basic summary. For a subject of this scope, that is a significant failure, and it makes the overall reading experience frustrating and ultimately disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Marc Levinson, and NYU Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheUPSMan #NetGalley
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews