After twenty-two years with the same company, George Breal is out of work for the first time in his life. He must confront the unpleasant task of reinventing his career at an age when many are winding down their ambitions and looking forward to retirement. A skilled manager, he finally finds work at the slowly failing Electronic Technologies (ETI) which has come face to fa After twenty-two years with the same company, George Breal is out of work for the first time in his life. He must confront the unpleasant task of reinventing his career at an age when many are winding down their ambitions and looking forward to retirement. A skilled manager, he finally finds work at the slowly failing Electronic Technologies (ETI) which has come face to face with a modern German competitor. ETI is owned by a cantankerous, obsessive, and dictatorial entrepreneur John Lowell who is starting to realize, as he closes out his seventies, that his shortcomings are a direct result of his misguided actions from the past. Breal, Catherine and Edna Graham are three people who had never met but have one thing in common: they are key components in Lowell's life. Edna is his lover, Catherine his estranged daughter, and George is the man who is trying to save his company. Told through the eyes of Edna, George, Lowell, and Catherine, Eisner transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary in this riveting and winning tale, filled with surprises and diverse, intriguing characters, all showcased by a writer who combines a touch of the poet with a dispassionate view of corporate America at its worst and best.
The Stone Lion
After twenty-two years with the same company, George Breal is out of work for the first time in his life. He must confront the unpleasant task of reinventing his career at an age when many are winding down their ambitions and looking forward to retirement. A skilled manager, he finally finds work at the slowly failing Electronic Technologies (ETI) which has come face to fa After twenty-two years with the same company, George Breal is out of work for the first time in his life. He must confront the unpleasant task of reinventing his career at an age when many are winding down their ambitions and looking forward to retirement. A skilled manager, he finally finds work at the slowly failing Electronic Technologies (ETI) which has come face to face with a modern German competitor. ETI is owned by a cantankerous, obsessive, and dictatorial entrepreneur John Lowell who is starting to realize, as he closes out his seventies, that his shortcomings are a direct result of his misguided actions from the past. Breal, Catherine and Edna Graham are three people who had never met but have one thing in common: they are key components in Lowell's life. Edna is his lover, Catherine his estranged daughter, and George is the man who is trying to save his company. Told through the eyes of Edna, George, Lowell, and Catherine, Eisner transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary in this riveting and winning tale, filled with surprises and diverse, intriguing characters, all showcased by a writer who combines a touch of the poet with a dispassionate view of corporate America at its worst and best.
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ভ্রম সমীকরণ
Gabriel –
*** 3.75 *** this is quite a nice and pleasant book if you enjoy the corporate world and the struggles that come from that unique environment for me, it was the first book by this author, but I really enjoyed it, so I'll start following this author and I hope I'll soon get my hands on more books by this author it's worth your time if you like the business world drama... *** 3.75 *** this is quite a nice and pleasant book if you enjoy the corporate world and the struggles that come from that unique environment for me, it was the first book by this author, but I really enjoyed it, so I'll start following this author and I hope I'll soon get my hands on more books by this author it's worth your time if you like the business world drama...
Sheila –
A young man translates Dante while a daughter tries to translate her father’s silence. An honest worker translates his unemployment into eagerness to find a job, then puts his all into making the next job work. His wife translates despair into honest preparation. And all the unspoken words behind the board meeting, bored meters, greeters, salesmen, creators and union reps fall into the gaps between what’s really meant and what’s said. Love blooms in the translation of poetry, Italian to English, A young man translates Dante while a daughter tries to translate her father’s silence. An honest worker translates his unemployment into eagerness to find a job, then puts his all into making the next job work. His wife translates despair into honest preparation. And all the unspoken words behind the board meeting, bored meters, greeters, salesmen, creators and union reps fall into the gaps between what’s really meant and what’s said. Love blooms in the translation of poetry, Italian to English, promise to life, and there’s a curiously satisfying symmetry of parents encountering their children’s friends, meeting strangers, struggling without the ones who made them safe, all matched by Dante’s sense of beauty and loss. Behind it all is the facade of a once-great company struggling to retain its market share. This novel’s set in the very real, very modern world of financial chaos and loss. The ways of the old world might not work anymore. New strategies, new paradigms take over. And an old man, like a stone lion in front of a glass-fronted tower block, might soon feel out of place, roaring because lions are meant to roar but lacking the teeth to fight. Of course, stone lions can be beautiful in any surroundings. Age can find purpose. Love can be renewed. And, though the world’s never perfect, there will be a way through. William Eisner’s The Stone Lion brings the worlds of big business, research and development, sales and marketing to life. They’re not my favorite worlds, but the author peoples them with fascinating characters and crafts an interesting mix of interpersonal and company relationships, keeping me reading and eager to see how the tale might end. It ends well. I like this lion. Disclosure: I received a free bound galley of this novel from the publisher.
Jami –
Most of this book occurred in/about a manufacturing plant, which interested me. I enjoyed the business aspects of this book, which focused around turning around a company. There were labor/union issues, costs, a totalitarian boss, etc. At the same time, we learn about Lowell, the head of ETI, and his struggles personally and professionally. I thought the characters were well developed, and I like how it all came together. I absolutely loved the image of the Stone Lion, guarding the front entrance Most of this book occurred in/about a manufacturing plant, which interested me. I enjoyed the business aspects of this book, which focused around turning around a company. There were labor/union issues, costs, a totalitarian boss, etc. At the same time, we learn about Lowell, the head of ETI, and his struggles personally and professionally. I thought the characters were well developed, and I like how it all came together. I absolutely loved the image of the Stone Lion, guarding the front entrance of the plant all of these years. Lowell and the Stone Lion, both guardians of ETI, are getting old and show signs of wear and tear. Yet both continue to proudly perform their task. This added a unique perspective to the story, and I could visualize this lion at the entrance, day in and day out. The story line of Catherine was also interesting. She is Lowell's estranged daughter, and is going through some personal struggles as well. And then there is Edna, Lowell's housekeeper/girlfriend, who is jealous of Lowell's reconciliation with Catherine; who happened to be Edna's childhood friend. Edna will go to great lengths to keep them apart. Overall, this was an interesting story and the audio version was well narrated.
Charles –
The time is 1980. Driving past the solitary stone lion that guards the front door of his headquarters, Dr. John Lowell has an ominous feeling of impending disaster; his photoelectric control business is beginning to crumble. Sales are falling because a better controller from Germany is being aggressively marketed directly to Dr. Lowell’s customers. If the trend continues, the business, which he spent his life developing, will be destroyed. Dr. Lowell is the tyrannical founder, president and major The time is 1980. Driving past the solitary stone lion that guards the front door of his headquarters, Dr. John Lowell has an ominous feeling of impending disaster; his photoelectric control business is beginning to crumble. Sales are falling because a better controller from Germany is being aggressively marketed directly to Dr. Lowell’s customers. If the trend continues, the business, which he spent his life developing, will be destroyed. Dr. Lowell is the tyrannical founder, president and major stockholder of ETI, the dominant US manufacturer of photoelectric controllers, which are an essential part used to control manufacturing assembly lines. ETI may go bankrupt, if a new controller is not developed quickly, but Dr. Lowell is 72 and suffers from infrequent blackouts and occasional tantrums. In desperation he hires an unemployed manufacturing specialist, George Breal, to help him re-invent the company. Yes, he is gambling his company, but there is no going back. After years of neglect while he focused on growing ETI, Dr. Lowell’s family life is a mess—his wife left him long ago and he disowned his daughter in a rage 20 years ago. His daughter has returned in dire need of money and his live-in housekeeper (a former schoolmate of his daughter) is sullen and vindictive at the prospect of the daughter and her children becoming part of the household. Even more worrying for Dr. Lowell are the blackouts, which are occurring more frequently. Author William Eisner, a former businessman himself, narrates the business details with precision using jargon-free language that makes the reinvention of ETI believable and interesting. Mr. Eisner seems less sure of his characters: they are reasonably plotted, but are one-dimensional and at times they are too predictable. If you read the book, look for the manufacturing scenes and imagine the turmoil in the company as the lives of the employees are changed, not always for the better. The Stone Lion is good book for a long coast-to-cost flight on that next business trip. There is a little romance, some suspense and you can imagine ETI rising from its ashes like a phoenix. Review based on a pre-publication bound galley provided by The Permanent Press.
Deborah –
Lowell, an aging man who founded and ran a successful electronics company for decades, faced a changing global world, a business threatened to be destroyed, his changing personal relationships, and his own mortality. We are introduced to him as a control-obsessed man in his business and personal life. Moving through the story, he slowly begins to recognize some of his limitations and allows acceptance and movement of his strict expectations and boundaries. He is both generous and cruel, which cr Lowell, an aging man who founded and ran a successful electronics company for decades, faced a changing global world, a business threatened to be destroyed, his changing personal relationships, and his own mortality. We are introduced to him as a control-obsessed man in his business and personal life. Moving through the story, he slowly begins to recognize some of his limitations and allows acceptance and movement of his strict expectations and boundaries. He is both generous and cruel, which created an intriguing paradox. The other characters in the book all connected to him and are on the receiving end of his complexities and excentricities, each facing their own challenges. Initially I had a problem because the characters seemed to lack depth. However, as the story unfolded I found myself drawn to the characters and how the relationships were defined and then redefined. This is a good read, without obvious predictable outcomes. The story moves without being overly dramatic or unrealistic and instead is interesting and thought-provoking. **This is based on a galley copy that the publisher provided for free.
Rhi G –
3.5 I received this book in a goodreads giveaway. John Lowell started an electronics company called ETI that is struggling in the market against a new competitor, a company called Muhlmann. Lowell hires George Breal to manage his company to better compete with Muhlmann. Lowell is also trying to reconnect with Catherine, his estranged daughter. This reconnection infuriates Edna, Lowell's longtime mistress. The story is told well and describes an entrepreneur, a hardworking manager, a complicated da 3.5 I received this book in a goodreads giveaway. John Lowell started an electronics company called ETI that is struggling in the market against a new competitor, a company called Muhlmann. Lowell hires George Breal to manage his company to better compete with Muhlmann. Lowell is also trying to reconnect with Catherine, his estranged daughter. This reconnection infuriates Edna, Lowell's longtime mistress. The story is told well and describes an entrepreneur, a hardworking manager, a complicated daughter, and a threatened mistress. Eisner's description of the challenges in manufacturing, especially under management that is behind the times and blinded by pride, is something that a lot of workers can relate to. The story was believable and I felt myself caring for the outcome of the characters.
Reading Fool –
I received an Advance Reader's copy of this book. John Lowell founded ETI, an electronics company that is struggling in the market against a new competitor, a German company called Muhlmann. He hires George Breal to manage the restructuring of the company to better compete with Muhlmann. Lowell is also trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Catherine. This reconnection angers Lowell's longtime mistress, Edna. The story is well-told and describes an aging entrepreneur, a hard-working and I received an Advance Reader's copy of this book. John Lowell founded ETI, an electronics company that is struggling in the market against a new competitor, a German company called Muhlmann. He hires George Breal to manage the restructuring of the company to better compete with Muhlmann. Lowell is also trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Catherine. This reconnection angers Lowell's longtime mistress, Edna. The story is well-told and describes an aging entrepreneur, a hard-working and principled manager, a complicated daughter, and a threatened mistress. William Eisner's description of the challenges in manufacturing, especially under management that is behind the times and blinded by pride, is something that a lot of workers can relate to. This story is realistic and I cared a lot about the characters.
Terri –
The story of an aging businessman and the people around him. His estranged daughter and grandsons have made a successful life away from him but now ,due to financial circumstances are thinking of a reunion. A former friend of the daughter is now his long time mistress and threatened by the reunion. A middle aged manager has lost his job due to a corporate buyout and is just desperate enough to accept the job of saving his company. All are emotionally adrift facing changes that are shaking the c The story of an aging businessman and the people around him. His estranged daughter and grandsons have made a successful life away from him but now ,due to financial circumstances are thinking of a reunion. A former friend of the daughter is now his long time mistress and threatened by the reunion. A middle aged manager has lost his job due to a corporate buyout and is just desperate enough to accept the job of saving his company. All are emotionally adrift facing changes that are shaking the core of their lives. I really liked this book. The emotions of the characters rang true and honest. The story kept my attention snd I cared about the characters.
Stacy –
I won this book as a FirstRead. John Lowell founded ETI about 50 years ago, but now it is struggling to keep up with the times. George Breal, having lost his job of 22 years, agreed to come on board to help Lowell save his company. Edna has been Lowell's mistress for years and fears that she will lose him to his daughter, Catherine, after they reconnect after a 20 year falling out. The characters and situations in this book were all so realistic; I felt like it could have been a non-fiction story. I won this book as a FirstRead. John Lowell founded ETI about 50 years ago, but now it is struggling to keep up with the times. George Breal, having lost his job of 22 years, agreed to come on board to help Lowell save his company. Edna has been Lowell's mistress for years and fears that she will lose him to his daughter, Catherine, after they reconnect after a 20 year falling out. The characters and situations in this book were all so realistic; I felt like it could have been a non-fiction story. Eisner's writing had me pulling for all of the characters and hoping for the best for each of them.
Rosie –
Me reading this book: This book is weird. (Flip page.) This book is great! (Flip page.) This book is weird. (Flip page.) Ok, this book is great. This is a deceptively easy read. The themes are deep and complicated: aging, corporate greed and competition, progress, family, estrangement and, most importantly, dealing with a pointy-haired boss. It's a lot like reading a Washington Post feature. Totally different for me, but I really enjoyed it. Me reading this book: This book is weird. (Flip page.) This book is great! (Flip page.) This book is weird. (Flip page.) Ok, this book is great. This is a deceptively easy read. The themes are deep and complicated: aging, corporate greed and competition, progress, family, estrangement and, most importantly, dealing with a pointy-haired boss. It's a lot like reading a Washington Post feature. Totally different for me, but I really enjoyed it.
Diana –
Jennifer –
Permanent Press –
Clint Flatt –
Angela Grace Mathis –
Rachel –
*I won this book in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway*
Mary-Anne –
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Jason –
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Virginia Winfield –
Paying –
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Pam –
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Paul –
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Mike Rogers –
Linda –
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Barry –
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Richard –
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Michele Ortiz –
Robert Lloyd –
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Violet –
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Lucy –
Tom –