Why Not Win?: Reflections on a Fifty-Year Journey from the Segregated South to America’s board rooms – and what it can teach us all

by Larry Thornton, Tom Joyner (Foreword), Zillah Fluker (Introduction)

Aspiring business owners and executives seeking to climb to the next rung, young to mid-career professionals seeking tools for life achievement, and general readers interested in biographies of successful people will like Larry Thornton’s Why Not Win?. The book is a front-row seat to how one man altered his thinking to transform his life. The book begins with his growing up with brown skin in the 1960s in segregated Montgomery, Alabama. A desegregation school pioneer, Thornton was a classroom failure until a perceptive English teacher showed him he had value and encouraged him to go to college. Like the educator who changed his life, Thornton became a classroom teacher. But budget cuts took his job, and he decided to rewrite his story using his artistic talent. Thornton’s artistry and work ethic got him attention at Coca-Cola, both for the good and the bad. He had to figure out a way to navigate this new world, where higher-ups praised him but co-workers reminded him of his “blackness” by drawing a noose in his workstation. He persevered by learning to appreciate and embrace diversity, people resources, and conflicting opinions. While his success grew at Coca-Cola, Thornton did the set out to be the first African American to own a McDonald’s franchise in Birmingham. This thorny journey was peppered with threats, attempts to thwart his mission and a marriage he could not keep from falling apart. He absorbed the “try, try and try again” motto, and came to see that failure was a prelude to feasting upon the sweet fruit of success. Thornton’s own mother never had a checking account, but years after her passing he found himself on the board of directors for a major financial institution. He slowly became a part of a small fraternity of captains of industry and fought past guilt and insecurity to pave the way for others who look like him to join him at the table. Trying to fit into this new world, he learned that “Thank you,” “Please,” and “Excuse me” are perhaps three of the most powerful phrases in communication. Thornton made up his mind that he would spend each day on a mission to show his unbending gratitude for his life and its benefits by fostering a supreme attitude and maintaining consistency in vision, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to principles. Thornton’s journey from Madison Park, Montgomery, has been a long one. Why Not Win? reflects on his most useful lessons and the anecdotes associated with them. If he were a Zen monk, his koan might well “Plan your past.” By that he means, think ahead one day, one week, one year, even twenty years out, and decide today your desired outcome, and work for it. “Thank God for memories,” he says; “Let’s plan to make them pleasant ones.”

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2019

Reviews

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thornton's experiences are phenomenal! Everyone can benefit from reading this book regardless of their stage in life.

[Franika Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just wow !! I started I couldn’t put the book down . I’m from area as the author and it was just a fuel of confirmation that I’m on the right track and YES !! WHY NOT WIN

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Larry D. Thornton's literary creation, Why Not Win?, unveils an intimate exploration of an individual's transformative odyssey. Set against the racially segregated landscape of 1960s Montgomery, Alabama, Thornton's narrative readers us on an enlightening voyage chronicling his evolution from a beleaguered student to a towering figure within his industry, eventually assuming the mantle of mentorship. The book traverses his valiant struggles against the insidious specter of prejudice, his unyielding quest to claim the distinction of being the first African American to helm a McDonald's franchise and his ascension to a pivotal role as a board member within a prominent financial establishment.

Woven seamlessly throughout Thornton's engrossing chronicle is a tapestry of astute life counsel, universally applicable and indelibly etched into the minds of readers. The book stands as a testament to the indomitable human spirit, a stirring testament to resilience and self-propelled growth. Thornton's life trajectory is eloquently captured within these pages, encapsulating the heart-wrenching trials and the euphoric victories that punctuate his passage. Each chapter is not only a chapter in Thornton's life but also a chapter in the reader's own journey. The words of wisdom that grace the culmination of each section transcend mere prose, serving as a relatable and motivational thread that elegantly binds the narrative together. The author's artful storytelling renders his experiences accessible, allowing readers to vicariously partake in the challenges he faced and the milestones he achieved.

A distinctive attribute of the book lies in its poignant portrayal of the scourge of racial prejudice and the personal tribulations that Thornton bravely confronted. These experiences magnify his eventual triumphs, serving as an even more potent source of inspiration for all those who dare to dream against adversity. Central themes of gratitude, steadfast consistency, and principled living will resonate with readers traversing their unique trajectories. Thornton's evolution from an academically challenged student to a professional exemplifies the formidable power of unwavering determination. The book offers a powerful reminder that transformation is within the grasp of those who commit themselves resolutely.

Why Not Win? stands as an invaluable compendium of life lessons, elegantly wrapped within a narrative that never relinquishes its hold on the reader's attention. Thornton's journey, an odyssey of triumph over tribulation, radiates as a beacon of hope, particularly for those in the throes of their own life challenges and transitions.

[Saby Samar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every great personality has to go through pain and misery of discrimination at various stages of life, sometimes it is attributed due to poverty, family issues, and religion. However, for the author Larry D. Thornton it was mainly because of his black skin. Color racism was at the forefront when the author was growing up in the United States. It was so politically and socially deep rooted that Larry had no option but to win everything.

Based on his life experiences, is the inspiring memoir book – Why Not Win? by Larry D. Thornton.
As when the author was a kid he was fascinated and terrified by Jim Crow and his wrath on black natives of the USA, especially for those living in the Southern part. But later on, he got to know that Crow is a just a fictional character developed by some white man during the play stages.

As one reads keenly the accounts of Larry, along with him also runs a commentary on many political and social reforms and events of the USA, especially of Southern part of the USA. Jim Crow discrimination about black skinned people runs throughout the book like silent banter. No doubt the author was perturbed by racism that are covered in snatches throughout his life, wherever he went, and worked. Someone looking to have to know what damage Jim Crow ideology done to African American natives, this is the best book with no heavy burdens.

The author’s life was filled with setbacks, stalls, and false starts, and academic failures. Despite that all, he made it big for himself, his family, and millions like him. However, these facets of discrimination nudged him to be a better and strong person. Setting examples for millions like him. From being a teacher to artist to a boardroom director, Larry has an ocean of wisdom to share with the society. The narrative is emotional, hopeful, and yes inspiring. The author's notes to his son and cousins and others are summing up his own experiences so that it could become learning for them.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

He shares his path to becoming an entrepreneur and lessons learned along the way.