Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good: The Madcap Business Adventure by the Truly Oddest Couple by Paul Newman and A.E. Hotchner

A delightful and witty tale of the adventures of Newman and Hotchner in starting and running Newman’s Own. At least, purportedly so.

You never know about autobiographies… how much of this is spin or exaggeration? By the accounts I’ve heard, Mr. Newman is a down-home, grounded sort of guy with a good sense of humor. I want to believe they furnished their offices with pool furniture, and that later, when it looked like the business was going to make it through the first year, they bought new pool furniture for the Newman house.

At any rate, this is an entertaining and interesting story, and the letters from purchasers of their product and recipients of the proceeds are funny and poignant. You can’t help but get a little teared up at times.

I feel like travellight recommended this one many moons ago… if so, thanks. If not… uh… then you should read it, travellight.