John D. MacArthur: A View from the Bar

It was a real pleasure reading "A View from the Bar." Mr. MacArthur's table in the coffee shop (the center of his vast operations) was just a short distance from the bar where the author was the bartender. I know of no other book that gives the reader a taste of the true personality of billionaire, John D. MacArthur, a hard as nails business man who also quietly helped an untold number of people who had fallen into need. During the five years that I worked as Mr. Mac's personal expeditor, I especially grew to appreciate the way he managed to turn each day into a unique and exciting adventure. Bob found his view from the bar to be an adventure in itself.

This is a well written book. It's lively and interesting. But before you buy it, you should know that it's not really a biography of John D MacArthur in the traditional sense. It's the story of Bob Sanford who worked at MacArthur's hotel as the beverage/bar manager. Sanford does tell a lot of stories about his own experiences with MacArthur (for example the book begins with Sanford being interviewed by MacArthur for a position at the hotel), but most of the book is limited to Sanford's firsthand experiences. And from that perspective the book is interesting (as a collection of experiences that a working man has with one of the wealthiest men in the world), but this is not a biography in the traditional sense. I just wanted to add that to the book's description.

Bob Sanford's entertaining, biographical, memoir, let's the reader in on what it was like to be up close and personal with the late billionaire John D. MacArthur. This is to date the only book written by someone who actually knew him. This printing contains an extensive chronology of this fancinating mans life. I know, because I was there, I worked for "Mr. Mac", and I lived at the Colonnades Hotel. Two thumbs up on your great book Mr. Sanford!!!

I loved this book. I had often wondered about John D. MacArthur when I read of the MacArthur Foundations' remarkably generous "genius" awards in newspapers. Here was a glimpse of him that might never have been recorded had it not been for Mr. Sanford. The photos are remarkable, I suspect, since I imagine that only Mr. Sanford could have obtained them. What's more, it's an absolutely fun book to read, since it obviously captures the "inside story". Thanks, Mr. Sanford for this well-written and informative book.

This is NOT a biography of "Mr. Mac" but a glimpse of a way of life of a powerful man. I've read much of the background material that the author, Bob Sanford used to create his memoir and it is totally accurate. Since I am a new-comer to Palm Beach Gardens it was great to read something about how this "garden" was created. Since I own the bookstore (the Book Rack) where Bob had his first book signing, I have a special interest and pride in that book. It is obvious that Bob admired John D MacArthur, and so the stories about this billionaire are (for the most part) flattering and entertaining.