Twenty-First-Century Jet: The Making and Marketing of the Boeing 777
Author: Karl Sabbagh
List Price: $30.00
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ISBN: 0684807211
Publisher: Scribner (January, 1996)
Sales Rank: 178,886
Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 2 out of 5
There must be a pony around here
Visitors to Amazon who read customer reviews may have noted that low ratings turn off readers--'helpful' ratings go down with the number of stars. A pity, since intelligent readers realize that ratings derive from reader experience and knowledge.
So: this could have been a fascinating, important book about a subject that affects millions of airline passengers. But Sabbagh snatches defeat from the jaws of potential victory solely because of his writing style--or, rather, the lack. This must be among the most hackneyed, cliche-ridden pieces of sloppy journalism ever foisted on a major publisher. One wonders whether an editor ever even looked at it.
The very first line of the book, in the Acknowledgments, is a cliche: "It goes without saying that . . ." Arrgghhh! The very first sentence of the Introduction is equally clumsy: "There are two things I know about airplanes that surprised me when I first learned them." How about: "Two things about airplanes surprised me." Beyond the clumsy construction he uses, the author should discover several thousand things that surprised him. I've been a pilot since age 17 and learn something new every time I fly. His entire introductory premise is fallacious and trivial.
The over-all impression of the book is that the author is not a pilot and doesn't really care much about flight; that he knows not nearly enough about the design, manufacturing, materials and basic aerodynamics technologies he tries to convey to the reader; and that his failure to master the language and rid himself of the leaden, cliched prose is a burden the reader is forced to share if he or she keeps slogging on.
There must be a pony around here. There must be a wonderful book about a great and epochal airplane hiding inside this mess. The reader shouldn't have to start with a shovel to find that book.
The only stars I give (two) are for information I was forced to dig out, with reluctance and frequent outbursts of impatience.
Rating: 5 out of 5
A Project Management
This title is less about aviation and flying than it is about project management and visionary business and management practices. The challenge of designing, building, and marketing a multimillion dollar aircraft it daunting, but the insight into the personalities and practices behind the challenge are insightful, illuminating how a good end-to-end project is run.Those looking for hardcore aviation insights might be disappointed, as another reviewer was. But those who really want to understand the complex realities of running a business and a huge team will find insipration.
Rating: 1 out of 5
A Soporific Nightmare
I am a great fan of commercial aviation, and read many books on the subject. But this book is a soporific nightmare. The style of the author is trite, hackneyed, and the tone is overly melodramatic. Similar Products
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