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Michael A. Banks
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Crosley: Two Brothers and a Business Empire That Transformed the Nation Paperback – June 28, 2008

by Rusty McClure (Author), David Stern (Author), Michael A. Banks (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 162 ratings
Set in the vibrant Industrial Age and filigreed with family drama and epic ambition, Crosley chronicles one of the great untold tales of the twentieth century. Born in the late 1800s into a humble world of dirt roads and telegraphs, Powel and Lewis Crosley were opposites in many ways but shared drive, talent, and an unerring knack for knowing what Americans wanted. Their pioneering inventions — from the first mass-produced economy car to the push-button radio — and breakthroughs in broadcasting and advertising made them both wealthy and famous, as did their ownership of the Cincinnati Reds. But as their fortunes grew, so did Powel’s massive ego, which demanded he own eight mansions and seven yachts at the height of the Great Depression. Rich with detailed reminiscences from surviving family members, Crosley is both a powerful saga of a heady time in American history and an intimate tale of two brilliant brothers navigating triumph and tragedy.
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  1. Print length
    504 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Clerisy Press
  4. Publication date
    June 28, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    5.9 x 0.9 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1578603226
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1578603220
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clerisy Press; First Trade Paper edition (June 28, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 504 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1578603226
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1578603220
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.78 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 0.9 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 162 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Michael A. Banks

    Michael A. Banks

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    Michael A. Banks (Michael Banks) was born in Indiana and grew up in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. He has been a full-time writer and editor since 1983. Banks' books include works in the areas of history, biography, and technology, as well as science fiction novels. He enjoys finding the real stories behind accepted history, as with "On the Way to the Web."

    See more on the author's page
  2. Dave Stern

    Dave Stern

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    May you live in interesting times, say the Chinese, and they mean it as a curse.

    And these are interesting times for the publishing industry. And all of us involved in it, one way or the other. Storytelling is in a state of transformation as well, with devices such as the Ipad promising wholescale integration of other media (images, recordings, etc., now - sensations? smells? to come?) alongside traditional text narratives.

    This is a topic of much interest to me, and others, and you can find much about it over at the appropriate LinkedIn discussion page.

    In the meantime, I am working on several projects integrating those forms. One of those, you can find over at my wordpress blog, The Way of Kings. Actually, it is my wordpress blog - a story being told in a post-a-day (or as close as I can manage) format. I invite you to subscribe to that blog - at dastern.wordpress.com - to follow along...

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  3. Rusty McClure

    Rusty McClure

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    Rusty McClure is the New York Times bestselling author of Crosley, Cincinnatus, and Coral Castle.

    He has a Master of Divinity degree from Emory university and a Harvard MBA.

    An advisor and investor in numerous entrepreneurial projects, Rusty teaches the entrepreneurial course at his undergraduate alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan university.

    He is the son of Ellen Crosley McClure, daughter of Lewis Crosley. She is the direct descendant of the Crosley brothers. Rusty resides with his wife and daughters in Dublin, Ohio.

    Rusty has served as a PGA scoring observer for twenty years.

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
162 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book compellingly written and well-researched, with rich details about the Crosley brothers and their business empire. They appreciate the historical content, with one customer noting it provides invaluable insight into the birth and growth of baseball.

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35 customers mention "Readability"35 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and compellingly written, with one customer noting it's a must-read for Cincinnati residents.

"...The writing makes the characters in the book and their stories come to life...." Read more

"...The authors had no axe to grind, the times were well fleshed out, and one's faith in the ability of someone to think it up and do it, is reaffirmed...." Read more

"...The most fascinating and enjoyable parts of the book were those that described the Crosley’s direct influence on or involvement in an unbelievable..." Read more

"...Crosley's main strengths was making his products affordable and of high quality (with one possible exception)...." Read more

14 customers mention "History"14 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical content of the book, with one customer highlighting its focus on American technical inventiveness.

"...saw the dawn of several new technologies, we see the brilliant moments of human creativity that seem to reach out across the universe to harness..." Read more

"...The extent of his ideas, inventions and industry is breathtaking. Sure, Crosley built those quirky little cars. So did Henry Ford...." Read more

"...rich in detail, compellingly written, and with a good perspective on the times and the individuals." Read more

"...early radio, automobile, aircraft, professional baseball, and home appliance history. These brothers complemented one another well...." Read more

14 customers mention "Information quality"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and rich in detail, with one customer noting it serves as an essential guide for entrepreneurs.

"...and it will forever change your view of what it means to be truly successful in business, and in life." Read more

"...It was chock full of interesting information and facts, and I found myself checking Google satellite maps for locations mentioned in the book..." Read more

"...Loaded with information that brings the Crosley brothers and their time to life, it is a must-read for anyone interested in 20th Century American..." Read more

"This is an excellent book — smart, exhaustively researched, rich in detail, compellingly written, and with a good perspective on the times and the..." Read more

7 customers mention "Storyline"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the Crosley brothers and their company, with one customer noting how their complementary skills worked well together.

"This is an interesting history of the Crosley brothers. I was not aware they were into so many products...." Read more

"...I am a native of Cincinnati. This is the history behind the Crosley family and how the family first got involved with many facets of Cincinnati...." Read more

"...It is a personal tale of the Crosley brothers, but also discusses early radio, the home appliance business, baseball and the auto industries...." Read more

"...These brothers complemented one another well. The authors write in an entertaining and engaging manner...." Read more

4 customers mention "Baseball history"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's coverage of baseball history, with one customer noting how it provides invaluable insight into the birth and growth of the sport.

"...This book also provided invaluable insight into the birth and growth of baseball, in general, and into both Major League Baseball and our own..." Read more

"...in this book concerning early radio, automobile, aircraft, professional baseball, and home appliance history...." Read more

"...This biography satisfies; people, history, technology, even baseball. I loved it!!!" Read more

"...It covers radio manufacturing, automobile design, early days of baseball and a super power broadcast station. This is a great read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Angela
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. As I was reading it, I would often find myself abruptly speaking out loud that I want to work with people like the Crosley brothers. The writing makes the characters in the book and their stories come to life.
    The reader is transported through time in brilliant color as Powel and Lewis Crosley establish a way to work together that compliments their strengths, but also amplifies personality dynamics that dramatically sway the results of their business pursuits. It’s a fascinating window into human behavior. During a time in history that saw the dawn of several new technologies, we see the brilliant moments of human creativity that seem to reach out across the universe to harness what can only be described as magic from some other world and bringing it through the human mind into reality on this planet. The two brothers use their complementary strengths to learn to latch on to these supernatural inventions and create industrial mechanisms to bring them to the masses. And it shows the one thing we all battle: the vulnerabilities of the flawed human mind, and the limitations of success if a healthy balance in life is not maintained.
    This is a book I think about often as I move through life and my career. Those moments when I think I have figured something out, I remember to keep those emotions in check, recalling the lessons of the Crosley’s: the need to maintain balance. This is an essential book for any entrepreneur, business leader, or government leader. It supports my personal belief that I am here to do my very best, to be honest in my motivations, to be humble and gracious to all of those who help me get to where I want – and need – to be in this life, and to always find quality time for my family and friends.
    The new lesson I learned from this book – and it’s a very challenging one for me: to focus on one thing at a time and to do it well. I continue to struggle with this, but know I must overcome my relentless tendency to pursue a wide variety of interests. I often find myself thinking back to the book when I find myself drifting. That part of my personal story remains unwritten. My hope is that by learning from the lessons of the book, my story will be a long, successful, happy one to tell.
    I highly recommend this brilliant book. You will be inspired, and it will forever change your view of what it means to be truly successful in business, and in life.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • DJH in LA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Crosley - right up there with Edison and Ford. A MUST READ!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Crosley is the most important inventor and industrialist you probably haven't heard of. The extent of his ideas, inventions and industry is breathtaking. Sure, Crosley built those quirky little cars. So did Henry Ford. Crosley also made major contributions to radios, airplanes, and refrigeration. Those baby walkers with wheels? Crosley did 'em first. Remember the metal ice cube trays, and the lever that opened 'em up? Crosley again - before that, it was just blocks of ice.
    "Crosley" is not quite fair. There were two brothers. I've long said that Michael Jordan would not have become Michael Jordan without Scottie Pippin. Similarly, the inventive savant Powel may have been regarded as another eccentric if not for his brother Lewis. Powel was the idea factory. Lewis built and ran the factory factory.
    We also have the Crosleys to thank for major aspects of broadcasting, radio, television, night baseball - even the game of baseball itself. Not to mention Eddie Albert, Fats Waller, Doris Day. And George Clooney (he grew up around his parents, who were talent on WLW).
    Crosley was the largest employer in Cincinnati at one time, when Cincinnati was a top 10 city in the U.S.
    There are Crosley cars on display at the Greater Cincinnati Airport [it's "CVG" because it's in Covington]. Absent a Crosley Museum that does the family justice, this book is the next best thing.
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  • H. Keller
    4.0 out of 5 stars Industrial pioneers
    Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    I'm sitting in a home full of computers, MP3 players, dvd recorders and players, a satellite TV box, and scores of electric appliances that are smarter than I am. Reading of a time when consumer electronics were unknown, and the primary electric appliance was a lightbulb, is like looking into the dark ages. Well, not quite. But you know what I mean.

    The Crosley name is one that I've heard around my home throughout my life, but with the exception of a Crosley radio on a shelf, my knowledge of the company or the men that founded the firm was fuzzy at best. The authors have done an outstanding job at fleshing out Powel and Lewis Crosley and the world they lived in and revolutionized.

    Many a novel I've read non-stop, but this is the first biography that I've done an "all-nighter" with.

    The authors had no axe to grind, the times were well fleshed out, and one's faith in the ability of someone to think it up and do it, is reaffirmed. It was chock full of interesting information and facts, and I found myself checking Google satellite maps for locations mentioned in the book (Yes, the Arlington St. location still exisits and the satellite pic catches the executive tower, one-time home of WLW).

    There is some bumpy writing, as noted in a few other reviews. I blame not the authors, but the editor. The boys really like their cliches. Lawyers are always "Sharpening their pencils," people come and go "Exit Stage right/left, Enter stage right/left;" and so many variations of "Masses not the classes" permeated the text, I wondered if they had some sort of Bolshevik thing going on.

    That aside, this guy will be giving several copies of this book for Christmas this year - and I can't think of a better testimonial to the book.
    10 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • m landers
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating biography
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    How two brothers got into car manufacturing via radios and baseball, of all things. History of US commercial radio was v interesting. Chicken and egg: if you don't have an audience you can't get advertisers, if you don't have advertising revenue you can't afford the programmes that will pull in an audience.... The Crosley brothers found ways round that dilemma. Read on!
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