Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Thinking Small: The Long, Strange Trip of the Volkswagen Beetle
by
Andrea Hiott
Sometimes achieving big things requires the ability to think small. This simple concept was the driving force that propelled the Volkswagen Beetle to become an avatar of American-style freedom, a household brand, and a global icon. The VW Bug inspired the ad men of Madison Avenue, beguiled Woodstock Nation, and has recently been re-imagined for the hipster generation. And...more
Hardcover, 512 pages
Published
January 17th 2012
by Ballantine Books
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
340)
Dec 20, 2011
Kelly Knapp
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
car enthusiests, history buff, just about anyone.
Recommended to Kelly by:
Goodreads First Reads giveaways
This was a great read. I have never bothered to think about what steps go into creating any product, but even less so with something as large as a car. I learned a little about Ford in school, and read a few articles when Oldsmobile bit the dust, but never have I followed a car through its conception to its spot in history.
The irony of the vehicle being a concept of the Nazi regime to the fact that a Jewish Adman would begin its meteoric rise caught me totally by surprise. Yet I new that the nam...more
The irony of the vehicle being a concept of the Nazi regime to the fact that a Jewish Adman would begin its meteoric rise caught me totally by surprise. Yet I new that the nam...more
Received an ARC as a GoodReads giveaway. Very interesting reading, mostly focused on VW's earlier years - 1930s and '40s. Lots of individuals from various spheres of the Beetle's story are profiled, and it makes for a relatable history. One problem I had with the personal profile approach was that nearly everyone is introduced early in the book, including people who don't actually tie into the Beetle history until fairly late in the book. Keeping the jumble of names and backgrounds straight is a...more
This is a very well-written and truly fascinating account of the the VW Beetle's history- from initial conceptualization to manufacture to success and then recent rebirth. The book is filled with interesting historical and cultural details. I remember well the Think Small advertising campaign, how every student I knew in the 60's owned this lttle wonder car and (as a picture in the book substantiates) how many of these were on the road to Woodstock! Andrea Hiott's book deserves to be a great suc...more
Excellent read! I was expecting something slightly different when i first picked it up, but I loved what it actually was. Very in-depth historical information presented in an ultimately readable format.
Fascinating! So much more than the history of a car! I am neither a history-buff nor a car enthusiast, but I found the story of the VW Beetle a very moving one. I think I'll have to put Wolfsburg on my itinerary for my near-future trip to Germany. Secondary school teachers should consider reading this book - and using excerpts to flesh out studies of WWII, Germany, advertising, etc. I know it would have kept my attention more in the classroom!
*I won a copy of this book through Goodreads' First R...more
*I won a copy of this book through Goodreads' First R...more
So, what do automotive genius Ferdinand Porsche, his son Ferry (who designed the predecessor of the Porsche 911), WWI, Adolf Hitler, the Nazi Party, the German autobahn, Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company, a large factory built in the middle of nowhere - not even near a town, WWII, the British Government, the British Army, a former executive of GM/Opal who hated the idea of a people's car, Mexico, and an advertising firm based in NYC and run by a Jew and a Greek?
Those are the dots.
Andrea Hiot...more
Those are the dots.
Andrea Hiot...more
This book written primarily on the history, development, and marketing of the good old VW Beetle. Beetle being the name affixed to it by us Americans. I was fortunate to own a 1971 model back in the day. For those who missed the experience of the "original" you missed something. The latest version in its cartoonish design doesn't come close in my opinion but they recently have attempted to make a it a bit sleeker.
Andrea Hiott did a great job of telling an incredibly interesting and engaging stor...more
Andrea Hiott did a great job of telling an incredibly interesting and engaging stor...more
There were five pivotal individuals in the production of the original Volkswagen: Ferdinand Porsche the designer, William Bernbach the creative director and partner at the American advertising firm Doyle Dane Bernbach, Ivan Hirst the British Army engineering officer who got production started after World War II, Heinrich Nordhoff the Volkswagen executive most responsible for getting mass production started after Ivan Hirst's start, and Adolf Hitler. Ferdinand Porsche, born in 1875, had for decad...more
Awesome book for those who like historical facts/tidbits about "common" stuff! This book details the history of the Volkswagen as it relates to World War II, Hitler, and his Third Reich. Really love the huge role Ferdinand Porsche played in the advances in the automotive industry and technology through the years. The Fords stopped innovating/renewing their huge cars during the same time Volkswagen and the other car companies in Europe were continuously innovating, renovating, and changing the wa...more
What an excellent book on the history of the Volkswagen Beetle! Andrea Hiott did an exceptional job in the telling of the story, taking what could have been a very dry subject and making it an accessible and enjoyable read.
There were so many opportunities for this little car to fall by the wayside, but thanks to a few determined people, the Beetle not only succeeded, but Volkswagen built over 22 million of these original Beetles, keeping the same Porsche designed body over it's entire 65-year ru...more
There were so many opportunities for this little car to fall by the wayside, but thanks to a few determined people, the Beetle not only succeeded, but Volkswagen built over 22 million of these original Beetles, keeping the same Porsche designed body over it's entire 65-year ru...more
Andrea Hoitt tracks the long, sometimes troubled, yet nevertheless interesting history of one of the most iconic cars in the world. While never known for top of the line luxury the VW bug was a revolutionary car that spurred transportation in every country it went to. From its cheap and affordable frame to its unheard of gas mileage at the time to the ease of repair that left many owners able to fix the car themselves the Bug would make its iconic mark on the world. Thinking Small tells the stor...more
I began this book thinking it was just another book about a type of car and would be a fun but unassuming read. What this book is,is a horse of a very different color. Thinking Small is much more the history of an idea, a concept. The concept being the VW "Beetle". In this brillant book Andrea Hiott take the time and goes into great length and depth about VW. She traces the lives of its creators and the admen who made it famous here in the United States. (The Book's title is taken from the most...more
I have always thought the VW Bug was so cute, so I was curious to know how it came to be. I was not expecting the in depth history provided in this book! Very thorough, and well organized, as the author traces the VW brand from Hitler and Porsche to Woodstock . If anything, it may have been too much information, as my interest waned at times.; particularly when the author expansively covered the manufacturing process and political red tape. But, ultimately, it was interesting, jam-packed with li...more
"The story of the Volkswagen is part of the human story, not just the story of any one country, time, family."
When I obtained a galley copy of Andrea Hiott's book Thinking Small: The Long, Strange Trip of the Volkswagen Beetle from Netgalley (www.netgalley.com) I was not sure what to expect especially when she began it with a story of the legendary New York ad man, Bill Bernbach, whose cutting edge agency, DDB was chosen to do what became the legendary VW ads of the late 1950's. I halfheartedly...more
When I obtained a galley copy of Andrea Hiott's book Thinking Small: The Long, Strange Trip of the Volkswagen Beetle from Netgalley (www.netgalley.com) I was not sure what to expect especially when she began it with a story of the legendary New York ad man, Bill Bernbach, whose cutting edge agency, DDB was chosen to do what became the legendary VW ads of the late 1950's. I halfheartedly...more
Interesting topic - the history of the Volkswagen Beetle - with a different focus than similar books; in this case, the author tells the Beetle's story by telling us about the people who helped it become a success, and how their philosophies influenced their contributions to the finished product. This apporach leads to a few passages that take the book off-topic toward other weighty subjects, but it does help the reader understand the perspectives of the people who had a role in creating the Bee...more
What an amazing book. It's fun, and educational, looking at how this cool little car came about! Surely any fan of the "slug bug" will be thrilled to have the book in their collection! (received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads)
It is amazing to think the history of this car runs from being a product of Nazi Germany to a symbol of a Love Child. Throw in some Porsche and the fact that it still is around today, and this should be a great book. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it spent far too much time on the early years. The stories of the 20's - 40's seem to drag on. The adoption as a symbol of the 60's is about 5 pages long... chapter 53... it was great, but I wanted to see a lot more like that. The parallel story of the...more
Reviewed first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com...
Thinking Small is a history book told as a story. It tells the story of a car we are all familiar with. A car that is now symbolic of so much. The Volkswagen Beetle. The "People's Car." What is interesting is that the story is told through the stories of the individuals that were instrumental in bringing this car about and then marketing it.
This book traces the history of the car from its origins in Nazi Germany during...more
Thinking Small is a history book told as a story. It tells the story of a car we are all familiar with. A car that is now symbolic of so much. The Volkswagen Beetle. The "People's Car." What is interesting is that the story is told through the stories of the individuals that were instrumental in bringing this car about and then marketing it.
This book traces the history of the car from its origins in Nazi Germany during...more
This was actually won by a friend of mine who decided I would enjoy reading it more. I read an ARC copy.
This was an excellent story of the Volkswagen Beetle starting with the original designer, Ferdinand Porsche (yes, that Porsche and I was surprised, too); Hitler's involvement with the People's Car; the developments after the end of the war. The book also contained a lot of information about the advertising campaign when the Bug was introduced to the US and how hard it had been to introduce it...more
This was an excellent story of the Volkswagen Beetle starting with the original designer, Ferdinand Porsche (yes, that Porsche and I was surprised, too); Hitler's involvement with the People's Car; the developments after the end of the war. The book also contained a lot of information about the advertising campaign when the Bug was introduced to the US and how hard it had been to introduce it...more
Who would think that a book about a car could be interesting? It can when the book is less about the car and more about the circumstances that surrounded it's development and rise to popularity. I'm not sure there is a car that has had a more interesting life then the Volkswagen Beetle and this book perfectly captures everything that makes it so extraordinary. This book is as much about the build up to World War II, the economic rise of Germany after the war, and the creation of advertisement i...more
Since I was a teenager, the Bug has been my dream car. And now I am kind of sorry I didn't get one last year when I had to finally buy a new car. I did consider it briefly, but went for the bigger model instead of the "Think small." And I love my car, but oh, the Bug! While I have always loved the Bug because I'm a hippie at heart, I had no idea what a varied, interesting, twisting history this little car has. Very interesting book! And, since I'm a communications professional, I have to honor t...more
I really wanted to give this five stars, the author has done such a wonderful job of recreating the 50's and 60's in the United States, I can only assume that the earlier periods and the German experience has been captured as well. While one can learn a lot about the Beetle, the focus of the book is cultural change in Europe and the United States from 1900 to 1970. Hiott has a wonderfully open and curious mind. My only quarrel with the book was organization. She traces a number of threads that...more
I started out reading this book with high expectations of learning interesting information about a fantastic car. I had to stop after about 200 pages because the writing was so dry and laborious to get through! I didn't realize the author would spend so much time chronicling (sp?) the history of Nazi Germany in relation to the history of the Volkswagen. I never like having to stop reading a book because of boredom or just plain disinterest, but I could not get through this book.
It moves really fast. Speed is an element in the writing. The slow parts, you can look out the window (there are not many). It's a lot to take in. A lot of information and history and the stories and lives of men. It can be challenging. But it is amazing so much was able to combine into such a good and readable story. I don't know of any other books that are history, biography, cars, and all of it mashed together with really thought-provoking connections.
"Thinking Small: The Long, Strange Trip of the Volkswagen Beetle" is more of a history book than a car book. Andrea Hiott gets inside the minds and motivations of the principles involved with the making of the VW Bug, from Hitler to Porsche and beyond. She talks about World War II and advertising history in a multifaceted book that is deceptively small itself, but, like the Beetle, packed with personality.
About the development of the Volkswagen Beetle. But I found the effort somewhat high schoolish in tone, like a book report. I didn’t get much sense of any passion for the subject here; it was almost as if the book was an assignment to be completed. The style is flat and commonplace. I stopped at page 80, bored.
Wonderful overview of the VW company and the people who "started it all," to use a cliche. Kind of a parallel corporate biography of Volkswagenwerk AG and DDB, the pattern-breaking NY advertising firm that popularised the car in the US, this is recommended for anyone who appreciates good writing, good social history, and a swell little car. (God, I miss my '64 bug .... )
A great read that goes beyond the history of the VW bug and uses the automobile to illustrate how German and American economic cultures have changed since the end of the First World War. Highly recommend for anyone interested in history, automobiles, or great storytelling.
Fascinating & very readable combination of social commentary & the history of an automobile, its developers (Porsche), its proponents (Hitler), the world of advertising, and touches of forced labor, the Marshall Plan, the Economic Miracle in post WWII Germany, the rise of the Eastern Bloc.
A fascinating and deep look into the story of the Beetle, from genesis to end of life. Lots of detail about the many people who were pivotal in the VW story. If you're a VW lover this is a must read.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
