Henry Ford’s Own Story

Few present day books contain the gripping appeal found in “Henry Ford’s Own Story,” written by Rose Wilde Lane. There is human interest in this story that holds you from beginning to ending. You vision young Henry at work on the Michigan farm, “doing his bit” as every farmer boy should, but always interested in machinery and things that moved. You go with him to Detroit and live thru those years of patient toil while an idea is being born—days as a mechanic, nights as an inventor. You thrill with the story of how Henry won his first race, but the thrill is greater when you read how he fought years for a principle and finally won. Ford’s fight against being compelled to pay royalties because of the Selden gasoline engine patent made possible the cheap motor war of today.

But the biggest thing about Mrs. Lane’s book is the picture it paints of Ford, the man. “Crank?” “Dreamer?” Perhaps, but you will have new respect for Henry Ford when you read this book, “Henry Ford’s Own Story” is of especial interest to Missourians because it is told by a former Missouri farm girl, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Wilder of Mansfield, Mo. Mrs. Lane, a talented newspaper woman, is connected with The Bulletin at San Francisco, Cal. The book is published by Ellis O. Jones, New York. The price is $1 net.

Review of Henry Ford's Own Story. Missouri Ruralist (April 20, 1917): 11.

CLICK HERE to return to the list of articles from the Missouri Ruralist.