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In this candid memoir, A. Alfred Taubman explains how a dyslexic Jewish kid from Detroit grew up to be a billionaire retailing pioneer, an intimate of European aristocrats and Palm Beach socialites, a respected philanthropist and, at age 78, a federal prisoner. With a unique blend of humor and genius, Taubman shows how selling fine art and antiques really isn't that different from marketing root beer or football, and offers penetrating insights into that quintessential palace of commerce, the luxury shopping mall. Alfred Taubman may not have invented the modern shopping center but, in the words of The New Yorker, "he perfected it."Taubman's life has been a storybook success, with its share of unique challenges. A pioneer builder and innovative real estate developer, he was also a brilliant land speculator, operator of a quick-serve restaurant chain, and owner of a major department store company. But what seemed like the pinnacle of his career, buying and reinventing the venerable art auction house Sotheby's, would lead to his conviction in an international price fixing scandal.Despite the twists and turns, Taubman's life and business philosophy can be summed up in one evocative phrase: Threshold Resistance. Understanding and defeating that force--breaking down the barriers between art and commerce, between shoppers and merchandise, between high culture and popular taste--has been his life's work.
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Review:
"very readable autobiography" --Rosie Millard, The Sunday Times, 24th June 2007
Synopsis:
This is the story of America's most innovative developer and luxury retailing pioneer Al Taubman from the start of his career as a store designer, mall developer and, eventually, owner of one of the world's leading auction houses Sotherby's. He is one of the unrecognized giants of modern retailing, but he is more widely known as the billionaire who went to jail for his role in a price fixing scandal. Clearly Al Taubman has had an extraordinary life. A dyslexic Jewish kid who grew up in Depression-era Detroit, Taubman made several fortunes in businesses as varied as architecture, land speculation, mall development, luxury housing, chain restaurants, and, of course, the fine art auction business. "Threshold Resistance" reveals the theme that has run through each of these endeavors. In this memoir, Taubman explains his distinctive point of view about what makes shoppers buy and how the needs and habits of individuals shape the retail environment.
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- ISBN 10 0061235385
- ISBN 13 9780061235382
- BindingPaperback
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