Non Fiction Book Reviews #3

WHAT A CHARACTER!:

2Oth CENTURY AMERICAN ADVERTISING ICONS

by Warren Dotz & Jim Morton

Speedy Alka-Seltzer, Charlie the Tuna, The Jolly Green Giant, Cap'n Crunch...what baby boomer doesn't have fond memories of these characters as they sat in front of the television? But before television advertisers used characters to sell products, some of these were incredibly racists. Like Aunt Jemima, Uncle Mose, Gold Dust Twins, and Luzianne Manny. Very stereotypical. There was also Colonel Sanders, Little Squirt, and the Campbell Kids although white stereotypes, did nothing to lesson the horrible racism of the use of black characters. Literal characters were ones like Mr. Peanut, the Florida Orange Bird, Chicita Banana, and other characters that became more famous than the products. Animals also proved to be successful, such as Nipper, the RCA dog, the Eveready cat, the Hush Puppies, and Elsie and Elmer that gave a certain warmness to the products. Illustrated with vivid, full-color photographs, and accompanied with fascinating text that details the history and design of these pop culture icons that appeal to consumers of all ages.

JEOPARDY!:

BEHIND THE SCENES AT TV's TOP QUIZ SHOW

by Harry Eisenberg

The game show Jeopardy first appeared on NBC from 1964 to 1974. But the new Jeopardy has outlasted its , and still is the highest rated game on television today. In 1984 Merv Griffin Productions and King World came together to produce an up-to-date Jeopardy. The host of this new show was Alex Trebec, a Canadian who spent twelve years at the CBC and started hosting U.S. game shows in 1973. Then hired were five writers who had the responsibility of developing questions that would stump the contestants and entertain the audience. This research originally consisted of on Grollier's Encyclopedia International, but Harry Eisenberg campaigned for more research materials. With writers, staff, host, and contestants the game began. With the success of Jeopardy King World rose from a struggling family business to the world's biggest TV syndication company. In this book Harry Eisenberg writes about all the work the writers and researchers did in developing the questions and the importance of Alex Trebek as host and producer. With plenty of sample questions, fans of this sow will really enjoy this book.

ELVIS INC.:

THE FALL AND RISE OF THE PRESLEY EMPIRE

by Sean O'Neal

Although Elvis Presley was one of the top performers when he was alive, when he died he was on the verge of bankruptcy. But in his lifetime he generated revenues of more than a billion dollars, some estimates put his lifetime total at more that $4 billion. But Elvis never saw the vast majority of his fortune. It is true that Elvis did live a decadent lifestyle with his Cadillacs and private jets, but the money he spent accounts for only a mere fraction of what he earned. What happened is that Elvis followed the advice of his father and allowed the IRS to complete his tax returns which put him in the 70 to 85 percent tax bracket. And why didn't he tour outside the United States where his following was nothing short of phenomenal? Byt the time notorious manager Colonel Tom Parker, RCA Records, the IRS, and a host of other took their cut of Elvis' earnings, there was almost nothing left. After his death, Priscilla Presely and a team of business consultants took over and the situation changed. Pursuing the exclusive right to exploit Elvis, Elvis Presley Enterprises went from bankrupt to brilliant in a few short years. Although not everyone has been thrilled to see a price tag and a TM on everything Elvis. A fascinating and brutally honest story of the power plays, lies, lawsuits, and deals behind the decline, rise, and the future of the Presley fortune.

TOYLAND:

THE HIGH-STAKES GAME OF THE TOY INDUSTRY

by Sydney Landensohn Stern & Ted Schoenhaus

What is toyland? Is it a place? No, it is a state of mind, where grown men and women proudly declare themselves children. Where grown-ups try to think like eight years old. But the toymaking industry is not child's play, it is a $12 billion a year business. One that is cyclical, seasonal, and highly volatile. Toyland looks into this fast-paced and unpredictable business. This book explores the history as a whole: from the fascinating success to incredible failures of some of the nation's leading toy companies including Mattel, Hasbro, Coleco, and Milton Bradley. With the histories of G.I. Joe, Barbie, Cabbage Patch Kids, and video games. Also examined are the colorful and eccentric people who choose to work within the industries. Such as product developers, independent inventors, marketers, artists, and mangers who thrive on the pressure of the toymaking business trying year after year to discover what the public finds exciting and turning that into a toy that sells. Toyland is an exciting and compelling account of the toymaking industries and the toys we enjoy.

PLAYING BY DIFFERENT RULES

by Ellen Wojahn

When you think of General Mills you think of Betty Crocker and of Parker Brothers you think of Monopoly. Back in 1968 General Mills got Parker Brothers. At the time it looked like the ideal merger. Parker Brothers, the makers of Monopoly, the world's best selling board game. Parker Brothers thrived under the hands-off management of General Mills. But the success was not destined to last. In the toy business toys and games popularity are cyclical. The popularity changes from season to season and this happened to Parker Brothers too. During the 1977 - 1984 heyday of electronic and video games Parker Brothers careened from boon to bust twice. This put a decline on the growth of the company and General Mills clamped down, changing long-standing policies, and in 1985 General Mills divested itself of Parker Brothers. Although the merger in 1968 was thought to be perfect, the different way they handled business -Parker Brothers with the fast-paced hustle of the toy and games industry and General Mills with the methodical would of foods- was to different to be compatible. A look at merger mania and the inability of companies. A good read here.

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