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Heroes of History #21
Milton Hershey: More Than Chocolate
When Milton Hershey's famous Hershey Bars debuted in 1905, few people knew of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice preceding the triumph. Debt, lack of support, and fatigue had been constant companions for the famous chocolatier and philanthropist - a man with a fourth-grade education.
Despite comparisons to his wandering father, Milton never gave up. Learning from his mistakes, he spent a lifetime creating sweet things to eat - first caramel, then chocolate. As his company soared, Milton used his wealth to care for others, founding a town for Hershey workers, a school for children in need, and a foundation dedicated to education, culture, and health care (1857-1945).
Despite comparisons to his wandering father, Milton never gave up. Learning from his mistakes, he spent a lifetime creating sweet things to eat - first caramel, then chocolate. As his company soared, Milton used his wealth to care for others, founding a town for Hershey workers, a school for children in need, and a foundation dedicated to education, culture, and health care (1857-1945).
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2012
16 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Janet Benge
175 books310 followersJanet and Geoff Benge are a husband and wife writing team with twenty years of writing experience. They are best known for the books in the two series Christian Heroes: Then & Now series and Heroes of History. Janet is a former elementary school teacher. Geoff holds a degree in history. Together they have a passion to make history come alive for a new generation. Originally from New Zealand, the Benges make their home in the Orlando, Florida, area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 5, 2025
Milton Hersey developed a carmel candy that would stay fresh for weeks when the best others could do was a day or two. He eventually sold the carmel company and focused on a chocolate bar that would do the same. It took him months but he developed milk chocolate, and sold his candy bars for 5 cents each. He became wealthy and left his wealth to others, notably 60 million in trust to help orphan boys. To him it was all about the challenges and never about the personal wealth. A fine example of a good man.
June 25, 2017
Wow! Super inspiring! Milton Hershey, the man with a fourth grade education, accomplished way more than he could have ever imagined, while failing many, MANY times along the way. I loved reading all about his life and was sad when the book came to a conclusion. Definitely recommend it! Be warned though...it'll make you hungry for chocolate. ;)
August 8, 2020
I enjoyed this book so much. Milton Hershey was a creative, hardworking, generous, fun man. He went from pauper to millionaire! He donated 90 percent of his wealth to help orphan boys!
July 3, 2022
His life was so amazing!
July 14, 2019
A Review of the Audiobook
Published in 2015 by YWAM Publishing.
Read by Tim Gregory.
Duration: 4 hours, 55 minutes.
Unabridged.
YWAM Publishing offers a series of biographies of Christian "heroes of history" aimed at home school students. The fact that this was part of series about "Christian" heroes was a surprise to me since this book didn't mention Hershey's faith at all. Nevertheless, this is an interesting and enjoyable biography of one of America's most successful businessmen, Milton Hershey (1857-1945).
This is a book showcasing the value of persistence. Starting with a failed attempt by his father in the oilfields of Pennsylvania in the late 1850's, the first half of this book is a series of business failures from Milton Hershey and his father, Henry.
Henry Hershey was more of a dreamer sort of entrepreneur - prone to rash decisions, excited by new technology and not very good on doing the follow up work to make sure that the venture succeeds. They traveled from Pennsylvania to Colorado to Louisiana, chasing the next big thing. Turns out that the next big thing was something that Milton Hershey learned from a baker in Colorado about how to make caramel that tastes better and stays fresh longer: ....
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2019...
Published in 2015 by YWAM Publishing.
Read by Tim Gregory.
Duration: 4 hours, 55 minutes.
Unabridged.
YWAM Publishing offers a series of biographies of Christian "heroes of history" aimed at home school students. The fact that this was part of series about "Christian" heroes was a surprise to me since this book didn't mention Hershey's faith at all. Nevertheless, this is an interesting and enjoyable biography of one of America's most successful businessmen, Milton Hershey (1857-1945).
This is a book showcasing the value of persistence. Starting with a failed attempt by his father in the oilfields of Pennsylvania in the late 1850's, the first half of this book is a series of business failures from Milton Hershey and his father, Henry.
Henry Hershey was more of a dreamer sort of entrepreneur - prone to rash decisions, excited by new technology and not very good on doing the follow up work to make sure that the venture succeeds. They traveled from Pennsylvania to Colorado to Louisiana, chasing the next big thing. Turns out that the next big thing was something that Milton Hershey learned from a baker in Colorado about how to make caramel that tastes better and stays fresh longer: ....
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2019...
August 3, 2018
I learned a lot about Milton Hershey by reading this book. I did not know much about him.
He was a very persistent man. He had several failed businesses before he became successful in the candy business.
He was also extremely successful. He did not horde his wealth (Like many of the uber rich people do now), but used much of it to help others, especially orphaned children.
His legacy still stands today by having a city named for him as well as creating thousands and thousands of jobs. He was a very kind gentlemen.
He was a very persistent man. He had several failed businesses before he became successful in the candy business.
He was also extremely successful. He did not horde his wealth (Like many of the uber rich people do now), but used much of it to help others, especially orphaned children.
His legacy still stands today by having a city named for him as well as creating thousands and thousands of jobs. He was a very kind gentlemen.
February 4, 2025
A good biography, written for preteens, which would also be great for advanced ESL students. I learned a lot about Milton Hershey. He was a true hero of history!
December 21, 2020
After listening to one of the earliest stand up American comics, Mark Twain, Milton decided to buy a pistol 🔫 but no ammunition. He just wanted to look deadly, go out west in the 1800s and find his dad.
Milton went on a train and went west reaching Colorado, looking for work. A man offering a job pointed to a room, "Go in there." Suddenly Milton was locked 🔒 in the room, where young men, bad on their luck were lured by the promise of jobs but instead found themselves locked up, sent to labor camps and forced to work for a pittance with no chance of escape.
Milton grabbed his revolver and ordered to be released. The man seeing the gun released him, but realizing their was no ammo.
Milton escaped.
At 12 years old he worked hard from sun up to sun down as an apprentice on the printing press. Failing his job, punished and told he was useless, was the best thing that happened. If it weren't for that he would never have become a millionaire in his 30s.
Milton got to see Ulysses S Grant, Mark Twain, Henry Ford and when he got married bought a ticket 🎟 to go on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Luckily, because of pressing business, they left a few days earlier on another cruise ship to America 🇺🇸 .
Milton Hershey going out to see his dad would discover in Colorado the greatest secret that would lead to his million dollar idea. After having a failing business for 10 years straight. "I failed three times because I had not taken the time to get all the facts. After that I learned my lesson well." Milton S. Hershey got his break by selling a 5 cent chocolate on the street to an English man who wanted to buy American chocolate and send it back to England 🇬🇧 without chocolate rotting or melting. The way that Hershey was able to do this was by the invaluable ingredient of making chocolate 🍫 with milk 🥛! Milk chocolate would make him a millionaire.
Milton Hershey would be the reason that we today have Reese's PB Cups, Mars bars and Kit Kats. "I started with ambition and intention of making the best chocolate that money or skill could make."
Because he and his wife had no children of their own, he would give 90% of his fortune to an orphanage of boys.
"You can surmount failure. You can be battered down three times, as I was, and still come out on top." – M.S. Hershey, wholetale and retail confectioner
Milton went on a train and went west reaching Colorado, looking for work. A man offering a job pointed to a room, "Go in there." Suddenly Milton was locked 🔒 in the room, where young men, bad on their luck were lured by the promise of jobs but instead found themselves locked up, sent to labor camps and forced to work for a pittance with no chance of escape.
Milton grabbed his revolver and ordered to be released. The man seeing the gun released him, but realizing their was no ammo.
Milton escaped.
At 12 years old he worked hard from sun up to sun down as an apprentice on the printing press. Failing his job, punished and told he was useless, was the best thing that happened. If it weren't for that he would never have become a millionaire in his 30s.
Milton got to see Ulysses S Grant, Mark Twain, Henry Ford and when he got married bought a ticket 🎟 to go on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Luckily, because of pressing business, they left a few days earlier on another cruise ship to America 🇺🇸 .
Milton Hershey going out to see his dad would discover in Colorado the greatest secret that would lead to his million dollar idea. After having a failing business for 10 years straight. "I failed three times because I had not taken the time to get all the facts. After that I learned my lesson well." Milton S. Hershey got his break by selling a 5 cent chocolate on the street to an English man who wanted to buy American chocolate and send it back to England 🇬🇧 without chocolate rotting or melting. The way that Hershey was able to do this was by the invaluable ingredient of making chocolate 🍫 with milk 🥛! Milk chocolate would make him a millionaire.
Milton Hershey would be the reason that we today have Reese's PB Cups, Mars bars and Kit Kats. "I started with ambition and intention of making the best chocolate that money or skill could make."
Because he and his wife had no children of their own, he would give 90% of his fortune to an orphanage of boys.
"You can surmount failure. You can be battered down three times, as I was, and still come out on top." – M.S. Hershey, wholetale and retail confectioner
January 20, 2021
Nunca imaginé que este libro fuera a motivarme tanto; sobre todo, por la humildad de Milton y porque siempre puso en primer lugar el bienestar de sus trabajadores y de los niños huérfanos que se desarrollaron en la Escuela Industrial Hershey (Escuela de Milton Hershey en la actualidad).
Nacido de una familia de lo más pobre en la época, con un papá que, a pesar que soñaba locuras, siempre lo motivó a pensar en grande.
Muchos fracasos vivió, pero nunca se rindió; tomo grandes riesgos! Y lo que más me impactó fue el de diseñar una ciudad completa donde los trabajadores pudieran vivir dignamente ¡Aún sin antes tener la receta del tan famoso Chocolate con leche!
Las partes que me sacaron las lágrimas fueron cuando murieron su papá, su mamá, su tía Mattie que siempre lo apoyó, su mejor amigo (Milton les dió una muy emotiva sepultura) y sobre todo, el fallecimiento de Milton Hershey en Octubre de 1945.
🍫 Celebré el final de esta lectura con unos deliciosos chocolates Kiss de Hershey. Esos chocolates valieron mucho para mí.🤎
Nacido de una familia de lo más pobre en la época, con un papá que, a pesar que soñaba locuras, siempre lo motivó a pensar en grande.
Muchos fracasos vivió, pero nunca se rindió; tomo grandes riesgos! Y lo que más me impactó fue el de diseñar una ciudad completa donde los trabajadores pudieran vivir dignamente ¡Aún sin antes tener la receta del tan famoso Chocolate con leche!
Las partes que me sacaron las lágrimas fueron cuando murieron su papá, su mamá, su tía Mattie que siempre lo apoyó, su mejor amigo (Milton les dió una muy emotiva sepultura) y sobre todo, el fallecimiento de Milton Hershey en Octubre de 1945.
🍫 Celebré el final de esta lectura con unos deliciosos chocolates Kiss de Hershey. Esos chocolates valieron mucho para mí.🤎
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2021
Such an inspiring story about Milton Hershey! Milton's most tenacious character is what led to his success. It took long hard work, many barriers and curiosity to find a product that would be able to keep its quality after shipping long distances. Milton started with caramels, but soon others were making similar products. As soon as Henry tasted the chocolates from Switzerland he knew that it would be famous someday. He tested many types of milk before finding just the right one for his candy. I am sure that you will learn a lot from reading this book. Henry gave back to others including the people who worked for him, orphan boys, his workers in Cuba and even the soldiers in World War ll !
February 8, 2024
Milton Hershey fue realmente una vida con legado. Fue de esa clase de personas que utilizó toda su creatividad, esfuerzo y capacidad de soñar, para mejorar no solo su calidad de vida, sino igualmente la calidad y dignidad de vida del resto de las personas. Su éxito económico fue de tal magnitud, que en lugar de generar en él un efecto misántropo, le inspiraba a mejorar la calidad de vida de otros. Prueba de ello, es que en vida donó el 90% de su fortuna a la "Escuela para niños huérfanos", asegurando así su existencia a través de los años venideros. Esta Escuela la crea junto a su esposa Kitty para proveer a niños huérfanos, no solo un hogar, sino cuidadores y valores para desenvolverse como buenos trabajadores y buenos ciudadanos.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2021
(NOTE: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book or a B. 3 stars means a very good book or a B+. 4 stars means an outstanding book or an A {only about 5% of the books I read merit 4 stars}. 5 stars means an all time favorite or an A+ {Only one of 400 or 500 books rates this!).
The great news is that I can listen to a book a day at work. The bad news is that I can’t keep up with decent reviews. So I’m going to give up for now and just rate them. I hope to come back to some of the most significant things I listen to and read them and then post a review.
Hershey is one of the most amazing philanthropists and corporate leaders of US history.
The great news is that I can listen to a book a day at work. The bad news is that I can’t keep up with decent reviews. So I’m going to give up for now and just rate them. I hope to come back to some of the most significant things I listen to and read them and then post a review.
Hershey is one of the most amazing philanthropists and corporate leaders of US history.
September 5, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyable. Hershey seems to have been a great man in every sense of the word, so his biography is worth a read. And what a lesson for today's business leaders to learn! Begin with the premise of taking care of your people, and they will be happy and work harder. Use those profits to reinvest in the community and your people's lives, and everyone benefits, including the company's bottom line. The authors may have glossed over a few things on which I would have liked more detail, but that was my only complaint, and given the length of the book, I can't blame them.
July 2, 2024
This is such a fascinating book! Milton Hershey was such an interesting man. My family listened to the audiobook on our road trip to Pennsylvania and we finished it just before we got to Hershey, PA. We loved learning about the history of the city and its founder before driving through it and visiting Hershey's Chocolate World. If you're planning to visit Hershey, PA I would highly recommend this book.
November 20, 2025
I think that Janet and Geoff Benge did a great job on this biography! I will definitely appreciate chocolate more, (not that I don’t appreciate it now, I just realized how much work Milton Hershey put into his candy throughout his lifetime), when I enjoy some. Mr. Hershey didn’t just make candy, he created orphanages, schools, and much more than I thought he did. I would recommend adding this book to your “want to read”!
August 5, 2018
What an interesting book. And as the title implies, Milton Hershey really was so much more than chocolate -- he was a visionary and cared greatly for others. Even though I am not a "history type person", the tie in to world events and their impacts was enlightening. This novel is one of the "Heroes of History" series, and I enjoy the style in which Benge writes these. A quick read.
October 16, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the life and legacy of Milton Hersey. Although he had his share of disappointments and failures, he stayed the course and in the end, he affected many people's lives for the better. His persistence and character paid off - for all of us. As good as his candy was, there was a lot more to him that a chocolate bar.
July 7, 2022
A fun interesting audio book from the Benges. It kept a car full of all ages interested.
I found it interesting that milk chocolate was a product of Milton Hershey’s genius. It took him months and months to figure out the perfect concoction.
Also, Milton Hershey tried and failed at the candy business three times before it actually became a success.
I found it interesting that milk chocolate was a product of Milton Hershey’s genius. It took him months and months to figure out the perfect concoction.
Also, Milton Hershey tried and failed at the candy business three times before it actually became a success.
July 20, 2022
Excellent book learning about the work behind becoming a successful businessman. Many see the riches but few actually consider the work that it takes to get a successful business off the ground. These books are excellent for both young and old readers alike and the series as a whole seems to be excellent so far.
August 20, 2024
We had read some from the Christian Heroes Then and Now series, but this was our first in this series. The book was well-written, and the audiobook was well-done. I had read Who Was Milton Hershey?, so I was familiar with his life, but I loved learning more! We listened to this as a family to prepare for visiting Hershey, PA!
July 26, 2018
A very interesting look at a good man and his successful business story. I looked Milton Hershey so much, I think I'll honor him by finding some chocolate to eat. :) Seriously though, I wish I had read this before going to Hershey, PA.
May 10, 2019
A great story of a remarkable man. An example of American success born from hard work, persistence, sacrifice, and vision. We showed the kids Hershey, PA this spring. Now to make them read this book...
June 21, 2019
Excellent biography of an excellent man. I liked how he was ambitious, but it was an ambition to make the world around him a better place for everyone. He wasn't greedy. He wasn't narcissistic. He was a good man.
November 14, 2019
This was surprisingly a very good book. I learned a lot about him that I never knew before. The story of how the classic Hershey bar was made is an amazing story. I would highly recommend this story to anyone who is curious about the origin story of the milk chocolate Hershey bar.
April 22, 2019
Inspiring businessman and philanthropist. He never gave up when his business failed again and again and his relatives were very supportive.
September 11, 2019
Milton Hershey was one of those unique individuals who kept failing time after time until he finally got it right. If you want an inspirational life to read about, this is it.
March 3, 2020
Muy interesante conocer la historia de Milton Hershey que fue un hombre tan luchador y generoso.
March 28, 2023
Very good story about a very caring & generous man
November 25, 2023
La historia de un buen cristiano, que teniendo mucho dinero no lo uso para tener lujos para sí mismo sino para bendecir a otras personas.
December 14, 2023
Nice to know!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews