Reviews

Mr. Sam: How Sam Walton Built Walmart and Became America's Richest Man by Karen Blumenthal

knz_edmo's review

I was reading this for school and found that biographies are actually very interesting. Usually I read realistic fiction and fantasy but this change of genre was very easy to slide into.

abigailbat's review

4.0

This biography is a great choice for budding entrepreneurs. It details the life of Sam Walton from childhood through his death in 1992 as he developed his Walmart and Sam's Club stores and became a billionaire. Back matter includes an author's note, source notes, bibliography, and index.

Review: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2011/08/mr-sam.html

couillac's review

4.0

A nuanced portrait of a man and a business with somewhat of a reputation, though what kind of a reputation might depend on your upbringing. Blumenthal does a fantastic job of showing the many sides of Sam Walton and his company while also framing the history of the business within a larger societal context. She even throws in a dose of economics for good measure. And it's an interesting, engaging read. Blumenthal doesn't shy away from the controversies surrounding Walmart, but nor does she demonize the company and its founder. This is an excellent example of a balanced and informative biography with a lot of cross-disciplinary appeal for educators.