Walter P. Chrysler was a man who loved machines, an accomplished mechanic who also had highly developed managerial skills derived from half a lifetime on the railroads, and whose success came from his deep understanding of engineering and his total commitment to the quality of his vehicles. Here, Vincent Curcio presents a richly detailed account of one of the most important men in American automotive history, based on full access to both Chrysler Corporation and Chrysler family historical records. Curcio traces Chrysler's rise from a locomotive wiper in a Kansas roundhouse to his rescue of the Maxwell-Chalmers car company, which led to the successful development of the 1924 Chrysler--the world's first modern car--and the formation of Chrysler Corporation in 1925. Chrysler was quite different from the other auto giants--a colorful and expansive man deeply involved in the design of his cars, he established his headquarters in New York City and built the world's most famous art deco structure, the fabled Chrysler Building. Because of his emphasis on quality at popular prices, the company weathered the Great Depression with flying colors and remained profitable right up to Chrysler's death in 1940. The definitive portrait, Chrysler is a must read for all car enthusiasts and for everyone interested in the story of a giant of industry. "In addition to a very complete recounting of Chrysler's life from his beginnings in Kansas to his rise in the railroad industry to his groundbreaking automotive industry start at Buck motors in 1913, Curcio recounts the development of the automotive industry in the U.S.....[A] well-illustrated book....Curcio's Chrysler is well worth reading by automobile and history buffs alike."--Huntingtonnews.net"Chrysler...is a fascinating and eminently readable book that documents no less than the achievement of the American Dream....[Curcio's] writing serves to capture the atmosphere of the times and enhances the sense of history that leaps from each page."--Port Folio Weekly"[This book] is not only the story of Chrysler's successes but also a complete history of the automotive industry. It is an absorbing volume, in which every word must be read to solve the interlocking content and detailed maneuvering of car manufacturers."--The St.Joseph News-Press"For a look at how the company came to be in the first place, there's really only one place to go....[Curcio] offers the first in-depth biography of a man...remembered on the same short list of auto titans as Henry Ford, Alfred Sloan, and William Durant."--USA Today"[Chrysler] offers the first-in-depth biography of a man rarely remembered on the same short list of auto titans as Henry Ford, Alfred Sloan and William Durant."--USA Today"This is probably the most thorough biography of Walter P. Chrysler, a managerial genius, that will ever be published. It's an ideal gift for auto nuts."--Cumberland Times-News"In this thorough and sympathetic biography, Curcio examines the contexts and actions of one of the US's most prominent industrialists....The book provides useful background information about the changing conditions of such topics as labor markets, marketing strategies, and industrial organization, and offers an engaging and informative view of an era of historic transition. Recommended for general and undergraduate readers."--Choice"Mr. Curcio's research deserves respect. His book will be the definitive starting point for anyone who wants to attempt a less hefty biography of the charismatic man behind that beautiful Manhattan spire."--The Wall Street Journal"Shows that Walter P. Chrysler was indeed an extraordinary man who saw that he was living in an extraordinary time and made the most of it."--The Wall Street Journal"A definitive full-length biography of an exceptional leader who helped raise the American standard of living"-- Kirkus (starred review)"Walter P. Chrysler is the subject of a splendid new biography by Curcio...the book has been rigorously researched and reads well. Highly recommended for larger public libraries" --Library Journal"Curcio's robust, engaging portrait is chock-full of lore from the classic automobile era, as it sets the Chrysler saga against the backdrop of the roaring 20's, the Depression and the labor unrest of the 1930s." --Publishers Weekly"The lives of auto magnates William C. Durant, founder of General Motors, and Henry Ford have been well chronicled, but the remaining founding partner of the Big Three automaking triumvirate is generally known only by name and by the skyscraper he built in New York.... With full access to Chrysler company records and family archives, [Curcio] meticulously details the events in Chrysler's life as a skillful railroad mechanic, automobile designer and manufacturer, and tycoon."--Booklist"The book is richly fueled with anecdotes and provides a trunk full of delightful details and vignettes of vintage automobile men....[It is] written comfortably like cocktail party chat and n