Queen Bee

by Phyllis Austin

How did she navigate the world of venture capitalists and investment bankers to engineer the sale of her company and reap a personal fortune? And what does her subsequent odyssey to buy and donate a new national park in Maine's north woods―thus repaying what she regards as the “harmonic debt to the planet” she incurred by manufacturing beauty products―tell us about America and the American dream? Queen Bee is a fascinating biography of a fascinating woman, her game-changing skin-care company, and the quest to create a national park in the north woods. A richly textured portrait of the woman who built Burt's Bees from nothing and altered the global business of skin care. A tightly woven story of the paper-industry exodus, the giant clearance sale of the north woods, the downward spiral of paper-company towns, and the battle for a new national park. A tale of the American Dream in action― what it can do for the fortunate few who are in the right place at the right time with wits and determination, and what it can do to the unfortunate many who find themselves on the wrong side of “creative destruction.”

Genres: Nonfiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)novels
Phyllis Austin (1888-1979) , neé Coke was a British novelist wife of actor Edward Rigby.

(2)outdoors and nature
Phyllis Austin (1943-) is a professional journalist whose focus has been on environmental issues for many years. Most of her career was with Maine Times, a statewide weekly, the Associated Press, and numerous magazines and newspapers."

Reviews

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a long time to finish this book. Normally when I find a book boring at the beginning, I quit because life is too short and I have too many other great book choices. However, I stuck with it because I was very interested in the quest for a new national park and after a visit last summer to Millinocket, ME, I couldn't imagine why in the world the people who live here would not want a national park. The town is a ghost town and dying even more since we visited last June. I stuck with finishing the book but should have skipped to the last few chapters. I still don't understand the logic of the locals for the opposition or for the leaders in Maine following suit. Maine will not be able to thrive without some business and logging is not going to be a sustainable future for them anymore. Logged land is for sale everywhere in the area and developers are snatching up the land. I am not exactly sure who will buy and build on these lots unless it is wealthy folks looking for a vacation home in the Maine woods. What good will that be for the local folks of Maine?

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up so many different times during the last year and a half. I skimmed parts of it but found other parts very engaging. I really would rate it 3.5 stars but because I learned much about Roxanne Quimby’s passion for nature and preservation and entrepreneurship I decided I’m glad I read about this pioneer and her determination!

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating story. Roxanne Quimby has many obnoxious traits but you have to admire her vision, creativity, and drive. Austin is good at presenting both sides of both Roxanne as an entrepreneur and of her proposal for a protected land tract in the North Woods.

[Dory · Rating 4 out of 5]

As befits a first rate journalist, Phyllis Austin conducted exhaustive research into Roxanne Quimby’s heritage, personal history, business development, and conservation aspirations to develop this comprehensive biography of Quimby and Burt’s Bees. However I found that the level of detail mired the book’s readability. I can only imagine the material that didn’t make it into the text, but even tighter editing would have made for a more compelling read. That said, it’s a very well balanced portrayal of a controversial figure.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkably in-depth look at a remarkable woman (with whom I attended high school). Her phenomenal success and her desire to achieve her goal(s) are inspirational. Anyone interested in the history of Burt's Bees, and/or the state of Maine should feed their eyes on this extremely well written account.