Golden Boy: The Harold Simmons Story

THE MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEGENDARY BUSINESS TYCOON HAROLD SIMMONS ARE CHRONICLED IN "GOLDEN BOY: THE HAROLD SIMMONS STORY." AND, IN MY VIEW, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE AUTHOR PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO WHAT MAKES THIS REMARKABLE MAN "TICK." THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HAROLD SIMMONS IS TRULY A GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS MAN WHOSE MORAL COMPASS HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY HIS EXTRAORDINARY WEALTH AND POWER. HE PERSONIFIES THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENT THAT I, AS A JEW, CAN BESTOW --- HE IS A "MENSCH" --- A PERSON OF THE UTMOST INTEGRITY AND HONOR. OR, TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, HAROLD SIMMONS IS A "TRUE CHRISTIAN," NOT A "PSEUDO CHRISTIAN." THIS WONDERFUL BOOK IS SIMULTANEOUSLY ABSORBING, CAPTIVATING, COMPELLING, AND EDUCATIONAL. IT IS A THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE READING EXPERIENCE. AND, AS HAROLD SIMMONS HAS CONTINUED HIS BUSINESS EXPLOITS SUBSEQUENT TO ITS PUBLICATION, I LOOK FORWARD TO A SEQUEL, OR, BETTER YET, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY BY THE GREAT MAN HIMSELF.

John Nance, the author of "Golden Boy: The Harold Simmons Story," is an extraordinary storyteller. But, with the life of Harold Simmons as his subject, Nance was blessed with the opportunity that every writer dreams about. Indeed, the worst writer in the world could not have made this story boring if he tried. Harold Simmons is one of the greatest businessmen of all time. But, his amazing life story encompasses far more than business. He has overcome great adversity during his rise from a middle class existence in small town Texas to billionaire status. Most importantly, however, he did so without compromising the highest standards of integrity and ethics that were instilled in him by his parents. He hobnobs with movie stars and personally pilots jet planes, but has not lost the common touch. He is an acknowledged financial genius, but is humble, shy and self-effacing. He controls six corporations that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, but looks upon his wealth as a tool to alleviate the suffering of his fellow man by funding cures for cancer and arthritis. He is a God fearing Christian who realizes that he was blessed with his brainpower for a purpose --- to make the world a better place to live in. I could go on, and on, and on. But, I trust that I have already communicated how truly great a book this is.

I was so inspired by this great biography of self-made billionaire industrialist Harold Simmons, that I finally got up the courage to quit my underpaid/overworked job and go into business for myself. While I still put in long hours (in fact, the longest hours of my life), I enjoy every minute of it. There is enormous satisfaction in "working for yourself." I finally have something to show for my efforts. (It is akin to the difference between paying rent on an apartment and making mortgage payments on your home. The rent payments are gone forever, while the mortgage payments build your net worth.) I am well on my way to financial independence and the "good life." And I owe it all to this wonderful book. My only complaint is that Harold Simmons' biography wasn't written ten years ago. If it had been, and if I'd been lucky enough to have read it, I have no doubt that I'd be a multimillionaire by now.

I HAVE A VORACIOUS APPETITE FOR BOOKS ABOUT BUSINESS, FINANCE, THE STOCK MARKET, ETC. AS THIS FACT IS WELL KNOWN TO MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, I FREQUENTLY RECEIVE BOOKS ON BUSINESS RELATED SUBJECT MATTER AS CHRISTMAS AND BIRTHDAY PRESENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THE PHRASE "IF YOU'VE READ ONE, YOU'VE READ THEM ALL" IS APPLICABLE." THIS MADE "GOLDEN BOY: THE HAROLD SIMMONS STORY" ALL THE MORE EXCEPTIONAL. THIS MAGNIFICENT BIOGRAPHY IS, FAR AND AWAY, THE BEST BOOK OF ITS KIND. BUT EVEN THAT COMPLIMENT IS INSUFFICIENT, FOR I HAVE NEVER READ A BOOK OF THIS "KIND." "GOLDEN BOY" IS A HYBRID. IT IS A TERRIFIC BIOGRAPHY COUPLED WITH A GREAT REFERENCE GUIDE TO THE BUSINESS WORLD. IN SHORT, A MASTERPIECE!!!

THIS BOOK PROVIDES A BETTER BUSINESS EDUCATION THAN A YEAR AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL. IT IS SO WELL WRITTEN, HOWEVER, THAT IT READS LIKE AN EXCITING, PAGE-TURNING NOVEL THAT CANNOT BE PUT DOWN UNTIL THE LAST PAGE.