Cutting Edge

This is a competent corporate success story book with good coverage of the people who made Gillette so great. It's somewhat of a bittersweet story -- covering the death of a influential CEO, and the repeated struggles to keep the company independent. Of course, now Gillette has been swallowed up by Procter and Gamble. That merger may be fine, but so much of the book tells of the boardroom efforts to keep Gillette the independent wonder that it has been since its founding. After reading the book, I was saddened by the merger. If you come at this as someone interested in their shaving brand building, there is good information, but not enough of it. Then too, I know some people mentioned in the book and they are mischaracterized. Maybe length constraints prevented a clearer narrative, I don't know. Because the author is a veteran Wall Street Journal reporter and Boston Globe business editor, I really expected "the best a man can get" here. Still this is worthwhile read, both as a corporate Horatio Alger story and as answers to a shaver's questions about the company behind all those shaving products.

I enjoy reading books about successful companies, their founders and the principle people in the company history. I have read many books of this type and found this one on Gillette to be well worth adding to my library. The author does an excellent job of telling the history or Gillette in an interesting way. He also does a good job of describing the men who were influential in the company's direction. Well worth reading!

This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand how a company builds brand image and then maintains that image for years and even decades. This book, while some times dry, dramatically demonstrates how Gillette never rested, but constantly sought to improve its products. Gillette's constant R & D have paid dividends not just to employees and stock holders, but also to our late 20th century society. This book is great!!!