The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison's Ten-Year Road Trip

by Jeff Guinn

A “fascinating slice of rarely considered American history” (Booklist)—the story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison—whose annual summer sojourns introduced the road trip to our culture and made the automobile an essential part of modern life.

In 1914 Henry Ford and naturalist John Burroughs visited Thomas Edison in Florida and toured the Everglades. The following year Ford, Edison, and tire maker Harvey Firestone joined together on a summer camping trip and decided to call themselves the Vagabonds. They would continue their summer road trips until 1925, when they announced that their fame made it too difficult for them to carry on.

Although the Vagabonds traveled with an entourage of chefs, butlers, and others, this elite fraternity also had a serious purpose: to examine the conditions of America’s roadways and improve the practicality of automobile travel. Cars were unreliable and the roads were even worse. But newspaper coverage of these trips was extensive, and as cars and roads improved, the summer trip by automobile soon became a desired element of American life.

The Vagabonds is “a portrait of America’s burgeoning love affair with the automobile” (NPR) but it also sheds light on the important relationship between the older Edison and the younger Ford, who once worked for the famous inventor. The road trips made the automobile ubiquitous and magnified Ford’s reputation, even as Edison’s diminished. The automobile would transform the American landscape, the American economy, and the American way of life and Guinn brings this seminal moment in history to vivid life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Travel, American History, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 2019

About the author

Jeff Guinn is a former journalist who has won national, regional and state awards for investigative reporting, feature writing, and literary criticism.

Guinn is also the bestselling author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction including, but not limited to: Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde (which was a finalist for an Edgar Award in 2010); The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral - and How It Changed the West; Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson; and The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple.

Jeff Guinn is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, and the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. He appears as an expert guest in documentaries and on television programs on a variety of topics.

Guinn lives in Fort Worth, Texas.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Keeten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John Burroughs, and Harvey Firestone.

”Beyond the pleasure it brought to the men themselves, the Edison-Ford friendship also thrilled ordinary Americans, whose lives were radically changed, to great extent blessed, by the two men’s inventions and innovations. Later in 1914 the outbreak of war in Europe, and America’s potential entry into the conflict, began dominating the news. That made it even more refreshing to read about Edison and Ford in newspapers and magazines--they were among the country’s most prominent celebrities, after all--and entertaining to wonder what future advancements the unique pair of friends would deliver. Only a generation or so earlier, electric lights in homes, phonographs, movies, affordable horseless carriages, substantial factory wages, and shorter workweeks would have been beyond public imagination. As individuals, Edison and Ford had already extended the boundaries of the possible. Now their genius was joined, and more miracles were certain.”

From 1914 to 1924, Henry Ford, John Burroughs, until his death in 1921, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone would attempt to go on a motoring/camping vacation together every year. They were not always successful because one or the other had pressing concerns that would not allow them to go, but when they did all manage to go, it was a newspaper sensation. At the time, there were no more prominent Americans than Ford and Edison. One had innovated the car, and the other had brought light to all corners of America. When on these excursions, the press would follow them like the paparazzi follow movie stars, pop stars, and politicians.

Besides friendship, and I do believe these men really liked each other and enjoyed spending time together, they also appreciated the publicity that these trips produced for the products their livelihoods were tied to. Burroughs sold more books. Ford sold more cars, which meant Firestone sold more tires, and Edison sold more light bulbs and other sundry things that were made by his laboratories. These trips were one big social media hashtag.

The trips themselves were not really of much interest to me. After all, they were the early days of reality TV. Fake reality is about the lowest form of entertainment I can think of. George R. Holmes of Hearst Newspapers did write a very poignant paragraph about their campsite. ”Out of the inky blackness that hangs like a shroud over the Adirondacks these nights, there blooms nightly along some quiet mountain stream a ghost-like tented village...Eight tents, almost transparent with the incandescent lamps inside them, stood out last night like so many jewels against the velvet blackness of the forest on all sides. In the center of the tiny village a campfire burned, for it is nippy in the mountains these nights.” They were quite comfortable on these trips. The idea that these older men could be roughing it wouldn’t really make any sense. They’d all be in the hospital with pneumonia by the end of their travels.

President Warren G. Harding joined them briefly during one of their trips. It was an attempt to beef up Harding’s image as an everyday man. His administration was rocked by scandal, and the constant rumors of his flagrant infidelities were hurting his chances at reelection. So how does a guy like this get elected? Beware the American public who wants radical presidential change.

”Most major newspapers savaged Harding editorially, noting his complete lack of legislative accomplishment as a senator and describing him as one of the most unqualified presidential candidates in the nation’s history. But Americans wanted a change, and there were strong sentiments. Harding and Coolidge won in a landslide.”

President Warren G. Harding joined them for a brief amount of time on one of their trips. I won’t say much about this meeting between the four friends and this bizarre choice for president, but Henry Ford was so horrified by his impression of this man that he knew, for the good of the country, that he would have to run against him for president. Ford was at the height of his popularity at this time and would, most likely have become the 30th president. Fortunately for Ford and for the country, Harding died in office in 1923, and Ford was so impressed with his replacement Calvin Coolidge that he dropped all thoughts of running for president.

Jeff Guinn revealed several disturbing things about Henry Ford which changed my impressions of the man. I’d always praised him for paying his workers a liveable wage and being an advocate of the 40 hour workweek, but it turned out that those thoughts actually came from his general manager, James J Couzens. By paying a good wage, turnover was reduced, which cut the cost of training new people. Cutting the workweek encouraged people to buy Model Ts because they would have time to use them for pleasure drives. Investing in people is always a boon to the economy and to the companies that support their workers. Couzens later went on to be mayor of Detroit and a senator. He was defeated in the 1936 Senate race because he was a Republican supporting the New Deal programs. Mentally, I must strike those innovations from the positive column for Ford and start thinking of Couzens as the man we should all be admiring.


Senator James J. Couzens, a man of principle.

Ford also was an antisemetic, even producing a paper that advocated his beliefs. He was also contemptuous of the importance of history and those people who read books. ”Henry Ford was mostly disdainful of books and those who loved them. In his opinion, people ‘read to escape thinking’. So far as Ford was concerned, being literary-minded was symptomatic of an escalating national softness, with far too many people content to lounge poring over pages instead of getting on their feet and doing something. ‘Book sickness is a modern ailment.’”

GASP!

Wouldn’t it be great if we were a nation suffering from book sickness? Alas, that is simply not the case. The majority of Americans agree with Henry Ford. Reading for them is considered a waste of time.

This book might be based around the trips these four famous men took, but the real meat of the story was exploring their personalities. Firestone was the least known of the four men, but he was the mediator that helped these larger than life men get along. He was a very successful businessman in his own right, but not as good at self-promotion as the other men. This book brought to light new information and reminded me of some things I’d forgotten.

It was also strangely relaxing to wander the byways and soon to be highways of America before we started drifting away from the very things that made us great in the first place. We used to make things here, and the manufacturing jobs that made it possible for so many generations to go to college are now supporting families in China. I believe that if any company wants to sell any product in the United States that at least 51% of that product should be made in America. We are entrenched in too much greed. American business is more worried about making as much money as it can now, even if it bankrupts its future. They want us to buy their products, but they don’t want to invest in us. James Couzens, over a century ago, understood that the future is determined by how you treat people today.

If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten and an Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffreykeeten/

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always interesting to learn about people of some fame, particularly when one can trace and note interactions they had with other people of notoriety. Jeff Guinn has penned this quasi-biography about four such men during a decade in the early 20th century. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs—dubbed The Vagabonds—took annual trips together during the decade of 1913-23. During these trips, these men not only took time away from their chaotic business lives, but also spent time strengthening their personal and business friendships. Guinn explores how Ford and Edison, the closest of the group, forged strong friendship as they helped one another in their respective business ventures. These annual trips would garner much media and public attention, creating a caravan of notoriety wherever the group went. That being said, the Vagabonds sought some degree of isolation during their repose, keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Guinn explores how these men would, at times, invite other people of prominence to attend their annual sojourns, only twice allowing wives to attend. While John Burroughs was the odd man out, without a wife and who died before the end of these trips, the other three found themselves bantering a great deal. Guinn mixes in some much needed context and work-related commentary to provide the reader with any idea of what was taking place throughout. If ever there could be an event that encapsulated notoriety, camaraderie, and brotherly love, it would be the annual trips made by these men, who fame held up without the journeys, but was further strengthened when people read of their adventures. Guinn does a wonderful job at connecting the experience with the goings-on in the world at the time. Recommended for those who love American history, as well as the reader who enjoys something a little lighter about these historical heavyweights.

I recently completed a full-length biography of Thomas Edison, which helped me put some of what Guinn discusses in better context. While Ford did find himself mentioned throughout that tome, the extent to their friendship was never fully understood until I took the time to allow Guinn to present it here. Dividing each chapter into a year during this decade of adventures, Guinn tackles events of a single calendar year and contrasts some of the major events found therein. He is able to adequately explore the lives of all four men, including some of the lesser known parts of Edison and Ford’s banter over political goings-on in the country. The jovial nature in which Guinn presents the book keeps the reader wanting to know more. While there is surely a great deal to tackle, Guinn does not overload the reader with too much, choosing more of a superficial or scattered approach to give the reader context and encourage them to explore more on their own. All the same, Guinn, who has a wonderful knack of pulling me in with most anything he writes, is able to recount the needed information and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. This was a fraternity like no other found in history, though Guinn makes it seem more congenial than competitive. A wonderful complement to the aforementioned biography I read last week and now I will look for something on Ford, Firestone, and perhaps even Burroughs as well!

Kudos, Mr. Guinn for a masterful piece of work. I am glad I took the time to explore this one and cannot wait to see what I can uncover about the Vagabonds in the coming months.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Guinn. He is both a novelist of the old west and an excellent writer of social history. This book which recounts the early automobile travel of the vagabonds(Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone) is a fascinating slice of history I knew nothing about. Good portraits of thee Vagabonds in the context of the political and social history of the late teens and early twenties of the 20th century and the growth of the automobile, motels, and travel. I really enjoyed this book—particularly learning about iconic figures of the 20th century in a new context. Well written as well. Highly recommended.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woooo, was Henry Ford anti-Semitic, or what? Great book, but Ford (and Edison, to a lesser extent) was a racist d-bag.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book well enough for the background into road trips and the first obstacles faced as cars were used in this way. That was all very interesting. I thought the book would be more about this kind of thing, but it ended up being much more about their lives than I thought, which was still indeed interesting enough, if long winded. The research was solid and well done. I kept quoting bits to family and friends, which was fun. Still, the book was less about actual road tripping than I thought it would be. It took a while to get through, being so dry and long winded.

[Tena Edlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was OK, but I wanted more. I really liked the parts about how the Vagabonds' road trips helped inspire the country to also take road trips and how those trips created motels, campgrounds, auto garages, and lots of other amenities we take for granted today. Interestingly, I cared less about the descriptions of the actual lives of Ford, Edison, and Firestone.

[Jim Stennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the galley and this is an excellent book not just for students of Ford or Edison, but for anyone interested in this era. Fun, well written, highly researched and captivating. I actually picked it up just as a respite from another book and haven’t gotten back to the first book yet! Highly recommended.

[Melissa Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Vagabonds” tells the story of the birth of the road trip, the American yen to load the family in the car and hit the highway. Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford, a trio of inventors and industrialists spent a decade in the early 1900’s making annual road tours that popularized automobile camping. This book is social history at its best, exploring the relationships between the men, and setting their trips in the context of the history of the US at their time.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who loves s a "road trip," I enjoyed Jeff Guinn's non-fiction account of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone's travels in the early days of the automobile. Coming from Detroit, the Ford family looms large in that city in both a business and social sense, but I was not really aware of the extent of Ford's ingenuity in the public relations field.

THE VAGABONDS is a social history, a business history, and a personal history of the three business pioneers and the tale is crafted around their summer excursions. The most fascinating element of the story to me is that these self-made men were so adept at manipulating the news media (and the American public) by promoting their businesses through their frequent "buddy trips" around the country. Ford may have been uneducated, bigoted, and narrow-minded in many ways, but he saw very clearly the value of presenting himself to the country as "just folks" and the adventures of The Vagabonds were conceived to burnish that image.

Jeff Guinn has written an informative, but readable, book on a narrow facet of the lives of three important Americans and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and learning about this facet of American history.

[Eden · Rating 2 out of 5]

2020 bk 124. What I thought would be an interesting camping story, albeit camping by rich and influential guys at the beginning of the 20th century turned out to be an endurance read. Yes, there were brief bits about the camping, telling us where they would drive to and maybe a few details per trip, I was anticipating a book focused on the camping trips - not one focused on the overall lives of the Ford's, Edison's and their friends. I did not expect a book focused on the world and politics. I did not expect this book. It was a well written book - but the focus was not what I expected when I picked up the book and read the blurb. I starred it low because it did not meet expectations.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title suggests, The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s Ten-Year Road Trip tells the tale of Ford and Edison’s unique and unusual friendship. Along with Harvey Firestone and John Burroughs (and lots of staff), they took (almost) annual motoring / camping vacations between 1914 and 1924. Their early journeys were challenging due to rough roads, inaccurate maps, and undependable automobiles. Although I had previously read biographies of both Ford and Edison, I enjoyed learning more about their friendship as well as the rising popularity of car travel in the early 20th century.

[Joanne Clarke Gunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written and researched book that gives the reader an interesting and more personal look at Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and the naturalist, John Burroughs, as they motored around the country during the years 1914-1924. Their annual trips were paid for by Ford, arranged by Firestone, and always accommodated whatever Edison wanted. But car travel during those days wasn't always easy because most roads were not very good and the cars themselves often had problems with few service stations nearby. They also camped, but these were no roughing it campers. Ford made sure these trips were equipped with an entourage of vehicles that carried battery-powered lights for their big tents, plentiful food to be cooked by his chefs, and ample comforts for these illustrious and wealthy men. They took these trips because they enjoyed each other's company and being close to nature, but also for the publicity they engendered for selling more cars, more tires, more light bulbs and getting other Americans to take to the roads and travel. A great read. I loved this book.

[John Winkelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sucker for non-fiction on the new release shelf at the library, I was sure I would find this book at least interesting. Aware of Edison, Ford, and evening Firestone and Burroughs, it was great to learn much more about these historical characters from 100 years ago. Their travels and a glimpse of their life stories are well told in this book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

After visiting Greenfield Village and learning about Ford’s admiration for Edison, I was looking for a book about their friendship and this fit the bill. I loved reading about their adventures. They took the first “road trips” and even met up with such dignitaries as President Harding and later President Coolidge. I did wonder if perhaps both Ford and Edison were on the spectrum. The internet says they were both dyslexic and had ADHD. If true, that explains a lot about their character and also why they clicked and became such close friends.

[Cynthia Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed Manson and this was almost as good. I learned so much about these two men. They are so much more human than I imagined. Good read!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of Henry Ford's marketing campaign for his Model T cars by traveling with Albert Einstein and John Burroughs. He does not always come across as a nice man (quite anti-Semitic.)

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1914, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison took a road trip to the Everglades. They were joined by the naturist and writer John Burroughs and later on Harvey Firestone. Coining themselves, The Vagabonds, they decided to continue these annual road trips for the next decade. Guinn has done his homework and he supplies plenty of historical and biographical details, along the way. A fascinating slice of history, I knew nothing about.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first 90 pages. The rest, not so much. There was fun history sporadically throughout the rest of the book. But just. Eh.

[Matt Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll add this book to the “interesting history most haven’t heard about” category. The Vagabonds details a ten year period between 1914-1924 where Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs took summer road trips across the United States. It was interesting to read about the places they visited, such as the Everglades and many other areas across the United States in a much, much different world than today. What I enjoyed most about this book was all random facts you learned about each of the men. How Firestone created tires that served a legitimate need that we take for granted today. How he sold his tires to Henry Ford for the Model T’s to get his start and how Ford stayed loyal to him as a customer. How Edison May have been brilliant with many inventions, but didn’t make as much money as he could of. Other big companies such as GE came along and got most of the profit from his inventions. Ford was the central character and the quasi-leader of the Vagabonds. The book studied him a lot, including his potential run for President, how he started and ran Ford and much, much more. When I got this book, I thought it was another book I wanted to read with “Vagabond” in the title, but I’m glad I stumbled across this.

[Belton Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful writing. Most of the stories are known and much better told. The only unique idea in this book is putting together the 10 year itinerary. Don't waste your time.

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

The “buddy” trip is an iconic part of Americana. It might be a shopping or theater excursion to New York City, a golf trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, or one of many other possible adventures. Perhaps it once conjured up visions of a group of men enjoying themselves without their spouses, but that is no longer the case.

Jeff Guinn’s THE VAGABONDS is an enjoyable account of a long-ago “buddy” trip that became an annual adventure by several industrial giants of American business. From 1914 to 1925, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and tire tycoon Harvey Firestone, joined by naturalist John Burroughs, explored the blossoming roadways of America, traveling to various locations and meeting citizens across the nation. In this lighthearted but detailed history of Ford and Edison, Guinn, an award-winning investigative journalist and historian, has put both of those writing talents to good use, creating a charming account of America in the early 20th century.

Any reader who has ever traveled around or across America by car can appreciate what Guinn has captured in THE VAGABONDS. Growing up, I have vivid memories of driving around Lake Michigan, venturing across the border to visit family in Canada, and other car journeys. As a father, I recall fondly a lengthy road trip to South Dakota and then to Winnipeg with my family. They were wonderful. Ford and Edison undertook their trips hoping to do more than see the sights of our nation. They were on a mission to improve and encourage automobile travel in America. They were leading by example.

When they began their journey, America had not yet constructed the vast interstate highway system that would forever change automobile travel. Hotels, fast food franchises and even gas stations had not appeared on American roads. And those roads were often unpaved and treacherous. Ford and Edison did not travel with a Garmin or a Motor Club guide, but they did have a caravan of Ford automobiles and an entourage of chefs, butlers and other aides. And everywhere they traveled, they were met by journalists and throngs of citizens eager to see in public these two giants of industry.

On their first journey, to the Florida Everglades, a complication arose. Edison’s second wife, Mina, announced that she intended to accompany the men on their trip. Not a traditional 19th-century housewife, she insisted on being called a “home executive” and expected to be consulted by her husband on important non-laboratory matters. The Florida trip qualified, and several women, including Clara Ford, embarked with their male companions on their maiden journey, which included the Everglades and less-than-idyllic conditions. Apparently, the ladies were not enamored and declined to join their husbands on future excursions.

Each year with one exception is chronicled by Guinn in an enjoyable and easily read travelogue. In 1917, the trip was canceled due to Edison and Ford’s involvement with war-related work. Beyond these escapades, Guinn provides readers with colorful and insightful portraits of these two giants of American industry. They were on different career trajectories as Edison struggled to develop new scientific ideas, while Ford, due to the success of his Model T, found his reputation in America rising. Ford’s trips across America whetted his political appetite, but his anti-Semitism damaged his hopes of running for office.

THE VAGABONDS is a wonderful biography and historical narrative. It reminds us of bygone eras and a changing America when the landscape of our nation was forever impacted by the invention and production of the automobile. As you journey on your summer road trip, Guinn’s engaging work may be the perfect accompaniment to your trip, wherever your destination may be.

Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman

[Matt Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that for the better part of a decade, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs regularly road-tripped throughout rural America?

I did not. For the record, I've asked other history aficionados if they knew this, and most of them did not.

So, there you go. Jeff Guinn has spotted you a future Double or Final Jeopardy answer on the cover of his newest book.

Famous people vacationing together isn't a new thing; it's been going on since Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. After all, arguably the best episode of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" was the one where Lucy and Desi vacation in New England with Ida Lupino and Howard Duff.

However, this road-tripping foursome was a peculiar combination of fame, economic power, cultural influence, generational divide, and eccentricity the likes of which no one had seen before (or since). The country ate it up.

Let's pause here to acknowledge that history can be a harsh mistress. For those on the shallow end of historical knowledge, you know Henry Ford as the inventor of Ford automobiles, the Model T, and the assembly line. You know Thomas Edison as THE great American genius. You assume that, since he's vacationing with Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone is the likely tire-making Firestone (he is). You haven't a clue who John Burroughs is.

The deeper you wade, the more you know (and the less you want to know). You learn that Henry Ford was a profoundly ignorant man regarding practical and political matters (he nevertheless came shockingly close to winning a U.S. Senate). You learn that Ford was a rampaging anti-semite – to such an extent that he earned the admiration of Adolf Hitler.

You learn that Edison, as an inventor, was about as much bark as bite – and an abject failure as a businessman. The less said about how he left Fort Myers, Fla., in the lurch, the better. And if Edison wasn't an anti-semite in his own right, he certainly didn't go out of his way to temper his friend Ford's viewpoints.

As I say, history can be a harsh mistress.

No one knows this more than Jeff Guinn, who has chronicled the history of some of America's most troublesome characters – Bonnie and Clyde, Charlie Manson, Jim Jones, among others. With his gift for translating meticulous research into immensely readable narratives, Guinn does a fine job of reporting on the lede. We learn everything we could want to know about the foursome's road trips (Guinn himself traveled the routes that the group took, as best as one can these days). But what makes the book so interesting isn't the travelogue, it's everything in addition to the travelogue.

Guinn makes these enigmatic men come alive – he facilitates history-the-harsh-mistress by presenting each of them in full relief, warts and all. Guinn also deftly captures the mood and reality of America during the strange interlude between the end of World War I and the Great Depression (a poorly understood segment of our history). Without that rich context, you'd have a buddy-buddy-buddy-buddy vacation movie. But with that context you understand how the stage was set for the Great Depression and the second War To End All Wars.

All that to say, I've still yet to read a Jeff Guinn book that I wouldn't wholeheartedly recommend.

[Armaan Kang · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1914, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford and others decided to go on a road trip. This led to a series of events where each year, Ford, Edison, Firestone, and Burroughs would get together to go on an annual road trip to a certain destination enjoying the views along the way. At first, I thought this book would be about The Vagabonds going on a single ten year journey but that wasn’t the case. The book is about them taking separate journeys over the course of ten years. That disappointed me a little because the title made it seem that the men took a single road trip when in reality it was over multiple trips. This leads me to one of the first things I didn’t enjoy about the book which is the misleading title and book. Throughout the book, the author talks about a subject and introduces it to the audience in a certain way. The author then proceeds to spend multiple pages talking about background information about the subject then drops it after the next page. The author makes it seem like the subject will be important in the book but then drops it after including a significant title and amount of information. Another thing that the book does that discourages me from reading is introducing certain topics to the story, using multiple pages to explain background information, slowing the pace of the book down drastically, then dropping the topic and never mentioning it again in the book. Why include the topic if all it does is slow the book down and make it more boring. The book jumps from one topic to another abruptly and does not transition into them, making the book less interesting and at a slower pace reintroducing another topic just for it to get dropped in the next ten pages. There is one thing though that I did enjoy in the book and that is the history involved in it. There is a lot of information about this time period and the characters. The book talks about the problems the characters face, the impacts of the characters, and the overall history from the time period. The book does a great job of highlighting the history and I love learning about history so I did enjoy that part of the book. If you do not enjoy learning about history and are looking for a book that tells a story about The Vagabonds going on a trip together throughout America, this book is not for you because all this book is is a history lesson with examples of road trips sprinkled throughout the book. Overall I give the book a 3 out of 5 because the book was not what I expected, was slow paced and not always on subject, but included interesting history from the time period. Like Henry Ford said, “ The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” Don’t make the mistake if you love learning about history but if you don’t, this book is not for you.

[Madalene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, a very interesting view into the rise of automobile culture as seen from four who helped make it so: Ford, Edison, Firestone and Burroughs as road trip partners through the 1910s and 1920s. As others have said, it's frightening how racist and anti-semetic especially Ford but also Edison were; even when called out on it and facing boycotts. But, you'll get a greater understanding of America's long lived fascination and love of statements from a-hole American businessmen - here's what the Chicago Tribune said gingerly of Ford 2 years after his successful libel suit, which could easily be written of Elon Musk today with only a couple substitutions of physical manufactured items:

"Mr. Ford is incomparable in his vocation and has done a great service by the development and [sales distribution] of cheap automobiles. He has been rewarded for this service by a huge fortune amassed in a time bewilderingly short. But mental efficiency in one direction, knowledge and insight as to one range of facts or forces, gives no guarant[ee] of efficiency in other matters.....All of which ought to be a truism. Yet our American guilelessness goes on swallowing the utterances of men who are accepted, and esteem themselves, as authority on all subjects because they are authority on one."

Even knowing that you're reading about some very pompous businessmen, it's enjoyable to consider how impactful they were on society, and there are interesting bits about the rise of car culture throughout. It ties in nicely to this article about auto parks in Denver, which I hadn't previously realized were a thing, if only for a few years:

https://www.westword.com/news/denver-...

Definitely good reading if you want to know more about the early 20th century and the impact of Ford and Edison as personalities tracked by the media, and moves quickly.

[noreast_bookreviewsnh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vagabonds by Jeff Guinn
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Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone; three icons of American ingenuity and industry. In this book we learn about a decade of road trips throughout the United States by this famous trio at the dawn of automobile ownership and travel from 1914-1924. Wanting to relate themselves and their images with the common man in America; Edison, Ford and Firestone set out to see the open road and helped set the trend of vacationing via road trip and automobile. Followed by reporters at every turn of their travels these three made good use of the media coverage to sell more of their products; Ford with his Model T car, Edison with his multiple inventions such as the phonograph, lightbulb, etc. , and Firestone with his rubber tires. During this turbulent time in history with events such as World War I, communism and anarchist movements around the world and in America, the automobile made available to the common man on a mass scale, President Harding’s corrupt regime and his death in office; the American people were able to take refuge in the normalcy of these three famous men and their gallivanting around the country together. Whilst it was called “camping” and “roughing it”, it was anything but for these gents, with servants and tents and mattresses and a personal chef at their will. During these trips they saw the conditions that normal everyday Americans were living in and were able to take this information and improve on their inventions and businesses to the benefit of the common man. These men with all of their flaws absolutely changed the way we live and improved society for the greater good which in today’s world is certainly in short supply.
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[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the beginning of the book because it gave me insight into the personalities of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and naturalist John Burroughs. While I admired many of the leadership and brilliance of these famous people, the more I got to know them, the less I liked them. It was unbelievably difficult to travel by car in the early days. The roads weren't maintained, there were few places to stop to take a break (unless you stopped on someone's farm, tires blew out, etc

Interesting parts: they just stopped in to visit a fiddler's home un announced because Ford liked his music. The musician Jep Bispee benefitted later on from their attention. Their wives, while respectful of their husband's jobs, demanded that they be included on some of the camping trips. The Everglade fiasco was hilarious! The famous men did use their trips for self-promotion and helped each other out when their businesses went through down cycles.as
The book was slow going for me, particularly since Ford was such a tyrant, bigoted, and anti-semetic person. Edison wasn't as bold with his prejudices, but it was irritating to read about their views. Thank goodness Clara convinced her husband, Ford, not to run for president! The person who seems the most giving, organized, and helpful was Firestone. It was unclear that he was married, but he put the most effort in to make sure the vagabonds were able to meet up and travel. John Burroughs was very respected by the rest of the vagabond group, but his crankiness would have driven me crazy!

[Barry Martin Vass · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The introduction of the automobile was such a watershed event in American history that it's hard to overstate the changes it brought about. People could move about more easily, and after about 1910 the term autocamping came into vogue: folks would simply get in their cars, drive wherever they wanted, find a deserted field, pitch a tent, and camp out under the stars. Henry Ford began selling his Model T in 1908, and in the summer of 1914 he persuaded Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and the naturalist John Burroughs, along with their wives and children, to drive from Edison's retreat in Fort Myers, Florida, to autocamp in the Everglades. Which turned out to be a major mistake: there was a tremendous thunderstorm that night which soaked their camp and everyone in it. But they were undaunted, and their remaining trips over the next ten years are well-documented in The Vagabonds: from touring the Panama-Pacific Exposition in California, cruising around the Northeast the next year, through the Deep South, touring Ford's lumber mills in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, etc. Eventually they switched from camping out to staying in hotels to please their wives, but along the way, as two of the most recognizable men in America, Ford and Edison, and eventually Firestone, garnered a great deal of attention for themselves and their products and inventions. Texas Historian Jeff Guinn has done a great deal of research for this book, and you get a good "feel" for the way things were back then and why things happened the way they did. Solid entertainment.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry Ford and Thomas Edison understood their personal celebrity. They quickly recognized that taking a "road trip" would get the world's attention and, potentially, create a desire for automobile, light bulb, and generator sales. As time went on, they added other famous people to their trips (e.g. Harvey Firestone and John Burroughs) to keep things interesting and to remain relevant. So, some would call their motives selfish, but their motives also created more jobs, and expanded new businesses and ideas (the Motor Lodge, Campgrounds, Diners, and gas stations to name a few) and to some degree, inspired Americans to chase their dreams. The anecdotal stories are thought inspiring because these travels were more than a hundred year's past and show just how much the automobile has expanded this country.

One issue I had with the book was it's redundancy in some spots. I questioned if I had already read a passage as it was very similar to one read chapters before.

I did find the geographic descriptions enjoyable but wondered if others would be as interested with the book often mentioning the Ford Estate and other notable places that are in my own backyard and that were easy for me to envision. But the book also shares a darker theme in examining the life of Henry Ford as it exposes Mr. Ford's anti-semite beliefs.

I find Mr. Guinn to be a writer I enjoy. I don't think this book was as good as The Road to Jonestown, but I definitely recommend it to my neighbors who live(d) in the "Hometown of Henry Ford".

74 out of 100

[Esme · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a slog. The subject did not really appeal to me but I kept reading it because I'm a fan of Guinn's other books and I have a friendly rivalry with my boyfriend over who has read the most Jeff Guinn books. So I slogged my way through it much like the Fords, Firestones, and Edisons did in Florida.

After I got about 100+ pages into it I started to read more for enjoyment than duty. I started to get a feel for the men. I liked Firestone the best because he seemed the most put upon, having to do all the organizing while Edison and Ford just showed up. While they paid lip service to "roughing it," they most certainly were not. Each trip was a way to drum up publicity for themselves, and then whine afterwards that they didn't have any privacy. In all honesty, if I had been on those trips I probably would have been as crabby as Burroughs. I want a hot lunch!

I did wonder about the newspapers that Guinn cited. I noticed he cited the Mattoon, IL paper twice, and the Decatur, IL paper is in there too, along with Belvedere, IL paper. Those just happened to jump out at me because I am in Illinois. I wondered why these obscure papers from small towns happened to run these stories while larger regional papers in Illinois were apparently mum. I did check his citation of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch because I could have sworn that paper changed its name in the 60s-70s, but he was correct. It was the Post-Dispatch in the 20s as well. (It was the Globe Democrat I was thinking of, which folded.)

[Conor Hatton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Vagabonds" by Jeff Guinn offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs as they embark on camping trips across America in the early 20th century. With meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Guinn paints a vivid picture of these influential figures and the impact they had on American society.
Guinn's attention to detail transports readers back in time, allowing them to experience the breathtaking landscapes and sense of adventure that characterized these journeys. Through personal anecdotes and historical facts, the author humanizes these larger-than-life individuals, offering insight into their strengths, weaknesses, and complex relationships. While "The Vagabonds" is a captivating read, it occasionally suffers from pacing issues and a lack of chronological structure. However, Guinn's writing style and the fascinating subject matter compensate for these shortcomings. The book sheds light on the rise of America's car culture, the popularization of recreational camping, and its lasting effects on tourism and nature conservation.
All in all "The Vagabonds" is an intriguing historical account that provides a deeper understanding of America's pioneering spirit. History enthusiasts and biography fans will appreciate Guinn's research and storytelling, although the pacing may detract from the overall experience. Nevertheless, the book successfully captures the essence of an era defined by exploration, innovation, and the indomitable spirit of its remarkable protagonists.