Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress, 1903-2003

by Douglas Brinkley

An evaluation of the impact of Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company on human civilization discusses the successes of early car models while noting specific ways in which automobile technology has affected industrial labor relations and America's middle class. 100,000 first printing.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Business, Economics, American History, Labor

858 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2003

About the author

Douglas Brinkley is a professor of history at Rice University and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. The Chicago Tribune has dubbed him “America’s new past master.” His most recent books are The Quiet World, The Wilderness Warrior, and The Great Deluge. Six of his books have been selected as New York Times Notable Books of the Year. He lives in Texas with his wife and three children.

Reviews

[Paulcbry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wheels for the World is a comprehensive history of the Ford Motor Company covered in 764 pages. I found the early story of Henry Ford quite fascinating but the story bogs down after the passing of the founder. The author had access to unpublished documents so the writer brings a fresh perspective to the story behind one of the worlds largest corporations. One interesting aspect to the early history is the Sociology Department used for what would be considered nefarious purposes today. Some company leaders were good, some not so good but ultimately Henry Ford was a tough act to follow.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be unfair to label “Wheels for the World” as just a “corporate history” of Ford Motor Company on its centennial anniversary; it’s so much more that that—a biography of one of the most controversial and far-reaching pioneers in American business, a history of the automobile industry, an overview of the labor and civil rights movements and a study of American industry’s role in two world wars. Oh, and it’s also a great look at how some of the greatest (and worst) American cars were developed and marketed. Though a mammoth work at 858 pages, it’s highly readable since the author is the renowned historian Douglas Brinkley; Brinkley has a gift for choosing the revealing story or statistic that humanizes what could have been a dry recounting in other hands. For example, who knew that the Edsel, a famous flop, was the source of quite a struggle in naming? The Ford family was against “Edsel,” the name of Henry Ford’s son, from the beginning. Ford reached out to unconventional sources such as poet Marianne Moore who suggested Mongoose Civique, Thunder Crester, Pastelogram and Utopian Turteltop; one executive even suggested Drof, which is Ford spelled backwards. The successes far outweighed the flops, however, and Brinkley covers the runaway successes of the Model A, Model T, Mustang and Taurus with illuminating detail. To his credit, he doesn’t shy away from the darker side of the Ford story—Henry Ford’s anti-Semitism, the violence and spying on early union organizers, the Pinto fuel tank debacle and the Explorer Firestone tire recall. It’s a shame that Brinkley had to end the book in 2003, when Ford was still in the process of what would become a successful rebuilding following the shedding of several foreign car company acquisitions in the 1990’s, but it fits the necessary century limitation in the book’s scope. Whether your interest is cars or 20th Century history or both, you’ll enjoy this impressive work. Recommended (not currently available as an e-book).

[Doug Reid RWS · Rating 1 out of 5]

A horrible book, 800 pages of progressive nonsense berating and insulting Henry Ford. Author Douglas Brinkley thinks his leftist woke prejudice entitles him to denigrate one of the great industrialists of all time.

Henry Ford's immense list of contributions, beyond the incredible founding and running of the Ford Motor Company, and the spectacular benefits his product and company gave to society at all levels, is staggering.

Yet Brinkley, in the lazy and conceited style of today's closed minded leftist professor, holds Henry Ford in contempt. Because of Brinkley's constant insults to Henry Ford, the book is garbage.

Don't make the mistake of reading this book. There are great ones on Henry Ford, but this one stinks.

[Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exhaustive but very well written historical account of Henry Ford and his successors, Ford Motor Company from the late 1800s to the first decade of the 21st century and the 100th anniversary of Ford Motor Company. It is quite a tale of ups and downs, political and financial challenges, the oil crisis of the 1970s, World War I and World War II, globalization of the market and all things linked to selling cars. It is a history of a tradition (cars) that is so much apart of our American history. It is long and full of minutiae but the author never seems to loss track of the details and keeps the reader right on track as he works through everything that happened. What amazed me most was how many times, one of the largest manufacturing enterprises in America came close to closing its doors for many reasons, not the least, was leadership. Even the "biggies" can fall if poorly lead.

As a follow-up to this book I recommend reading American Icon by Bryce G. Hoffman. It starts where Wheels for the World ended and is a great success story of how, once again, the right leader pulled Ford from the brink of disaster.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't believe this book is under the radar. If you like cars and history it's a must read. It follows the 20th century America from an agrarian society to an industrial one. Did you know H Ford was actually more interested in building tractors to make farm life easier, started making cars to finance his tractor building.Through WW1,WW2, to the present. Cadillac , Dodge all started as fords. GM was America's first corporation it was a car company that never made a car , it just kept buying troubled car companies. This is a great book .

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent! It is a fearless look at the Ford Motor Company through it's successes as well as failures. Mr. Brinkley shows the many sides of Henry Ford and documents his struggles getting Ford off the ground. The book requires a VERY strong commitment as it is 800 pages long but it is worth the read.

[Bryan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a MAJOR Ford fanboy, I LOVED this book. This is the Bible on Ford...extremely well written, well researched...everything you ever wanted to know about Henry Ford, or the Ford Motor Company is here. This book is several hundred pages long, but I read it all within a weekend. Any car enthusiast MUST HAVE this book on their book shelf!

[David Fulmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magisterial and lavish history of the Ford Motor Company and its namesake founder. Concentrating on the pre-WWII era when Henry Ford was involved with the company (he never really seemed to ‘run’ it, being more interested in other things, and being kind of lazy, at least in a conventional sense), it begins with the life of the founder, describes the origins of the company in 1903 after Henry Ford’s first two automobile companies struggled, and covers the next century of its history.

Brinkley has thoroughly researched his subject, with the full cooperation of Ford - a company which has done as much to preserve and chronicle its own history as any other company in America. And he is a very good writer with a talent for highlighting his themes with a striking phrase. For example, of Henry Ford, a larger than life industrial titan whose eccentricities never fail to be of interest, Brinkley writes “even his worst failing cannot lessen the impact of his brightest ideas or of Ford Motor Company, which he founded to express them.” And of Ford’s extraordinary plan to pay workers the then unheard of wage of $5 a day in 1914 he writes: “The $5 Day marked, if any one date could, the end of the Gilded Age.”

But Brinkley also goes beyond Ford to show the huge impact of the company on American life. Besides car history there’s the history of traffic signals, labor history, and mass consumerism. I particularly appreciated his many references to art and the artists who crossed paths with the Ford Motor Company. Brinkley quotes Edith Wharton, John Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac, Aldous Huxley and Louis-Ferdinand Celine. He also writes about the art of Robert Frank, Charles Sheeler and Diego Rivera, all of which was inspired by Ford.

Besides the company history there’s also a fascinating portrait of a family where father Henry takes his son Edsel to a bank to look at his 21st birthday present - $1 million dollars in gold bullion. Where wife Clara is outraged by the labor problems at her husband’s company and threatens to divorce Henry if he doesn’t give the union a contract. And where a retiring son, Edsel, struggles with the overweening influence of his father - sneaking a drink when teetotaler Henry isn’t looking and crafting public statements where he seems to disappear.

This is an exciting and thorough history of a fabled American company. Brinkley has written as good a history as can be imagined and it covers the influence of Ford on southeastern Michigan and the world from the highs of the 1920 when 2 out of 3 cars on the road were Model T Fords to the lows of the 1970s when it set records for financial losses. Here are the cars and the people of the story of the Ford Motor Company brought vividly to life.

[JC NoKey · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Model T sales, phenomenal from the first, swelled into an overwhelming force early in the decade as the car's price continued to drop. Over the course of 1922 alone, the T's price fell from $325 to $319 and then down to $269. The two-seat Model T Runabout, which had gone for $395 in 1919, cost only $260 in 1925, the least that would ever be charged for a new American car. $3
Ford Motor Company neither offered nor encouraged buying on credit, but there was little call for Model T financing anyway: virtually anybody could afford that little. The car's 1925 sticker price amounted to only about one eighth of the average annual income in the United States. At that low a cost, even a halfhearted effort to save up could put a low-wage worker in a new
Ford within a year or two.”

“Souls don't grow in factories. Souls are killed in facto-ries-even the niggardly ones. Detroit can do in a week for the white man what the South couldn't do in a hundred years to the Negro."42 Miller's bleak blue-collar vision was not far from the truth of postwar Detroit. An executive at GM approached Henry II, smoothly assuming that the new man would join him in a "united front" against wage increases. "You settle your own troubles," him in a "united front" against wage increases. Henry Il replied gruffly: “I'll take care of mine.”.

“Boredom had never suited Ford. "The unhappiest man on earth," he once told a Detroit Free Press reporter,
"is the one who has nothing to do."”

[Adam‘’s book reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fascinating Look at Henry Ford and His Legacy

Wheels for the World by Douglas Brinkley is an incredibly detailed and engaging biography of Henry Ford and the company he built. The first half of the book, covering Ford’s early days, the founding of the company, and its massive influence leading up to and through World War II, was especially interesting. Brinkley does a great job showing how Ford’s innovations changed not just the car industry but also American life, with insights into his push for higher wages, his controversial views, and the challenges his company faced as it grew.

The book is packed with historical details, including debates about alternative fuel sources as early as 1905–1906. While I’m not a huge car person, I found these sections compelling because they focus on the bigger picture—Ford’s impact on industry, society, and even global events.

After the 1940s, I personally started to lose interest, mainly because the book becomes more focused on the business side of things, which isn’t really my thing. But that’s more about my personal preference than a fault with the book itself. Overall, this is a well-researched and readable history, perfect for anyone interested in Ford, innovation, or how one man’s vision shaped the modern world.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Painstakingly researched and entertaining, for the most part.

I wouldn't call this book a biography of FoMoCo as much as it is an anthology of FoMoCo and Ford family history. This is mostly because FoMoCo is completely privately held for about half of the book and run by a Ford family member for at least 2/3 of the book. About 1/2 of the book covers Henry Ford's era, maybe 1/3 covers Henry Ford II's era, with the remainder devoted to miscellany. The pages mostly turned themselves for me, although by the time the Model T portion of the book ended, I was good and ready for it to be gone. Upon finishing the book, I got the sense that the author devoted time according to which bits of Ford's history ultimately mattered the most.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to gearheads or anyone who seeks to learn about the Fords or FoMoCo.

[John Russo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely informative book on the history of a Ford Motor Company covering well over 100 years from Henry Fords youth to the company centennial in 2003. The book is a bit exhaustive and would be ideal for an abridged or condensed version. I condensed my own sections as the off topics were not as interesting to me. But the book was enjoyable and in a sense a history book of American manufacturing in the 20th century when America was king of the hill in auto manufacturing and many other areas. Following Ford products from model-T to the thunderbird and mustang successes was exciting to read as a car buff.

[Gayle Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I asked my daughter for this book in 2003 when it came out. I put it on my shelf and overtime other books kept getting in front of it. I'm sorry I didn't read it at the time.

It's an amazing accomplishment. A Narrative of relentless invention and adaptation to adversity. At 764 pages I must admit occasionally I just had to knuckle down and grind my way through, but frequently I came back to the book when I'm supposed to be doing something else because it really is an amazing story.

It's well worth the time.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful, fascinating primer on Ford, its founder, Henry Ford, and the company’s profound impact on American business, technology and culture. This history was published in 2003 on the company's 100th anniversary, and Brinkley, as he often does, sometimes has a sentimental view towards things. But he deals with the tough issues straight on (i.e Henry’s aggressive and damaging anti-semitism). Brinkley also carefully explains key business issues facing Ford in a way that I found instructive and interesting, such as the issues behind Ford's opening up to the stock market; why it switched to a hyper flex system for constructing cars; and its surprisingly positive relationship with the United Auto Workers after initial union efforts ended up submachine gunning strikers. The history is especially relevant now as we consider the rise of Elon Musk's Tesla -- the similarities with Henry Ford are rife. While some of the earliest biographical information on Henry Ford is dry, the book is a great read and a fantastic college course on its own.

[Mark Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book, huge book but couldn't put it down. Fascinating history of Ford.

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent corporate history of Ford Motor Company, and unavoidably, a biography of Henry Ford, who for the first 45 years of the company was Ford Motor Company.

The chaotic early years of the automotive industry are captured in the two failed car companies Ford left behind, including the Henry Ford Company which was taken over by Henry Leland and renamed Cadillac (the first Cadillac was a Ford design!), and in the thought processes of Henry Ford thinking and planning for a million cars per year while other car makers were building a thousand cars per year.

Ford loses a little of his luster in this book, as we learn that he was rabidly anti-Semitic, belittled his son Edsel even as he made him president of the company, and had very little to do with engineering and production of the cars that carried his name around the world.

But we also learn that his genius lay in constantly pushing for improving processes and reducing cost and thus price so that the automobile could become affordable to Everyman--a process that shaped the 20th century and reshaped history. We learn that black was the only color option for the Model T because the black paint dried faster and thus enabled shorter production time, and that while the Model T was produced almost unchanged for 20 years, the processes that produced the Model T changed almost literally every single day (according to the book, every day of production at least one machine on the Model T production line was added or modified).

Overall well-done social and technical history that explains and frames Ford in context, and doesn't detract from the pride of ownership of Ford products

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge Ford fan - that's the only thing that got me through this dense reading. Several generations of my family have worked for Ford.

I learned that Henry Ford was a quirky guy, hard to work with, overpowering. Interesting to read about his failed companies in early 1900's before finally getting the Ford Motor Company under way. Also interesting: Model T's market dominance for years, 5 dollar a day wage revolution, Rouge Plant, his mafia cronies used to fight the unions, the horrible relationship with his son Edsel...

[Janette Mcmahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a tome I thought looking at the thin paged, small print paperback version of this book about Henry Ford and the rise of the auto industry. Do I really want to read this? I started to browse through it and it caught me. I had to read more, while I cannot say it was a fast read, it was a readable nonfiction book. I not only learned much about the very beginnings of the auto industry, but the characters who "drove" the industry. I would recommend to readers of modern American history, those with an interest in automobiles, or biographies.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Makes a good case for Henry Ford as the irascible, paranoid genius who's out to prove a point: my talent will beat your sissy college degree any day. Also, the book makes a good case for Ford as a game-changer in business who was difficult to live around - as a boss, as a father, as a husband. He sounds like the kind of man I might like to admire from a distance. Still haven't finished it - too much detail.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was well done, very thorough and I learned a lot. But it was a slog. So many details! I'm not actually interested in cars, more in the influence Ford had on the country - his $5 day and other labor practices, his anti-Semitism, and the way cars changed the landscape. This book tried to do everything at once (the person, the company, the design process, world history) and succeeded, but I wonder how many readers just skimmed the topics they weren't interested in.

[Stephen Dutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always interesting reading history from different perspectives. This history does not glorify Henry Ford, it tells the real story "warts and all". Very interesting especially if one is a fan of Ford Motor Company. I would suggest a companion book to further study the oddities of Henry Ford, "Fordlandia" by Greg Grandin. I read that book while I was in the time period of the 1930's in this book.

[Rami · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book reveals all the details behind the ford motor company including their achievements of coming up with the idea of a model t and the v8 passing on the glory to the mustang and the thunderbird.in ky opinion this book is really awesome as it taught me stuff about cars that i never new about before.

[Dave Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book on Henry Ford's life. This one confirms Henry's firm grip on his son Edsel, who's only answer was "Ask Father" even tho. he was fully capable to run Ford Motors himself. Book tells of good days, good cars, and good sales, but also bad times, bad ideas. Thru it all Ford rules. Brinkley doesn't go into the mockery of Edsel by his father as Horowitz does.

[Patrick]

I have started this several times but moved on to other, shorter books of more current interest to me...that said, can't wait to read this, though...the first couple of chapters are superb...

[Joyce Helm]

Very through and enjoyable

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unvarnished study of Henry Ford and those who followed him in leading ford Motor Company for its first 100 years. Interesting stories of the personalities and cars.

[Robert Edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Loved all the personalities involved that worked with Ford, competed with Ford and the life of Ford himself.

[Mark Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of the Ford Motor Company. The book is well-written and interesting. I re-read the book just to enjoy the information a second time.

[Paul S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting history and review of the Ford company business practices.

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent history of a remarkable company and an even more remarkable and strange founder. Must read for understanding the impact of the automobile and Henry Ford's place in history.