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In Pursuit of the Common Good: Twenty-Five Years of Improving the World, One Bottle of Salad Dressing at a Time
An entertaining, accessible history of the iconic Newman’s Own brand that also serves as a roadmap for foundations and charitable organizations looking to do the most good they can with what they have.
Shameless exploitation has never been more fun nor done more good for more people than when done by Newman’s Own—the first green food company to use all-natural ingredients, and still the most successful.
It was 1982 when Paul Newman and A. E. Hotchner made their foray into local gourmet shops with bottles of their homemade salad dressing. The venture was intended to be a lark, a way to poke fun at the traditional way the market operates. Hurdling obstacle after obstacle, they created the first company to mass-market all-natural products, eliminating the chemicals, gums, and preservatives that existed in food at the time. This picaresque saga is the inspiring story of how the two friends parlayed the joke into a multimillion-dollar company that gives all its profits to the less fortunate without spending money on galas, mailings, and other expensive outreaches.
Told in alternating voices, Newman and Hotchner have written a zany tale that is a business model for entrepreneurs, an inspirational book, and just plain delightful reading.
Shameless exploitation has never been more fun nor done more good for more people than when done by Newman’s Own—the first green food company to use all-natural ingredients, and still the most successful.
It was 1982 when Paul Newman and A. E. Hotchner made their foray into local gourmet shops with bottles of their homemade salad dressing. The venture was intended to be a lark, a way to poke fun at the traditional way the market operates. Hurdling obstacle after obstacle, they created the first company to mass-market all-natural products, eliminating the chemicals, gums, and preservatives that existed in food at the time. This picaresque saga is the inspiring story of how the two friends parlayed the joke into a multimillion-dollar company that gives all its profits to the less fortunate without spending money on galas, mailings, and other expensive outreaches.
Told in alternating voices, Newman and Hotchner have written a zany tale that is a business model for entrepreneurs, an inspirational book, and just plain delightful reading.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Paul Newman
15 books28 followersPaul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian and auto racing enthusiast. He won numerous awards, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, an Emmy award, and many honorary awards. He also won several national championships as a driver in Sports Car Club of America road racing and his race teams won several championships in open wheel IndyCar racing.
Newman was a co-founder of Newman's Own, a food company from which Newman donated all profits and royalties to charity. As of May 2007, these donations had exceeded US$220 million.
On September 26, 2008, Newman died at his long-time home in Westport, Connecticut, of complications arising from cancer.
Newman was a co-founder of Newman's Own, a food company from which Newman donated all profits and royalties to charity. As of May 2007, these donations had exceeded US$220 million.
On September 26, 2008, Newman died at his long-time home in Westport, Connecticut, of complications arising from cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 5, 2021
Great stuff. My proper review is here: https://patricksherriff.com/2021/05/0...
June 14, 2010
Paul Newman was an extraordinary man who left his legacy in life in numerous areas. Most know him primarily as an actor in over fifty movies and several Broadway Plays. Some of his most famous roles were in the movies about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. However, when his movie days were winding down and he realized that he had a new outlook on food and nutrition, he started a company making salad dressing. Newman made a mark in the world with his food creations, but it is all of the good he did with the profits that he made and donated that really made a difference in the world.
Paul Newman and one of his best friends, A.E. Hotchner set out to write a autobiography/biography about Newman and his famous life. The book focuses more on the food empire he created and rarely mentions his acting career. His book In Pursuit of the Common Good: Twenty-Five Years of Improvising the World, One Bottle of Salad Dressing at a Time, shows how he created his empire from a very modest and far-fetched beginning into a company profiting tens-of-millions of dollars a year.
For Christmas every year, Newman liked to make salad dressing for his closest friends and family and give it to them as gifts in used wine bottles. His recipients liked the dressing so much, that Newman and his friend Hotchner decided they should try to produce the dressing on a large scale and sell it to local stores. His salad dressing was different than all of the other dressings available because he used only natural ingredients and had a strong dislike of chemicals and ingredients that were artificial and simply used to preserve. Many dressings that dominate grocery store shelves to this day contain dozens of artificial ingredients simply meant to give the dressing the ability to sit around longer before selling. Newman's dressing could not sit around very long due to the lack of preservatives, but that was completely fine with him.
One of the largest difficulties with his desire to sell dressing in the grocery stores was finding a bottler. He went through numerous bottlers and food companies before finding a bottler that would treat him and Hotchner fairly and bottle for a fair price. The two men hired several chemists and food technicians to test different arrangements of ingredients for the first salad dressing. Newman was very picky about taste and ingredients and finding the right combination of ingredients was always very time consuming. However, when he did find the right combination and pushed his first bottles into stores, the outcome was surprising. He did not expect a salad dressing by a movie star with his face on the bottle to do very well, but the dressing was an instant hit. Grocery stores started ordering thousands of bottles and the profits started rolling in.
Profits were useless to Newman. He had made a substantial amount of money in his life and knew that he wanted to give back to the world in a big way, so he decided to donate all of his profits to various charities. This was not only a very generous gesture, but helped his salad dressings gain even more popularity. People seemed to want to buy the dressing not only because it was delicious, but because their money was not going to a greedy corporation. All of the money people spend on the dressing would go directly to helping people with chronic diseases, kids in need, and various charity cases across the world. Newman proved that he did not care about the money and that he was a true humanitarian.
After the first salad dressing sold like crazy, Newman developed more and more dressings to accompany it. On each bottle was his movie star face with a wacky label on the back telling a humorous, fictional story of how the dressing came to be. He even went on to develop other foods like salsas and ice cream which all sold very well. As his food empire began to grow larger and larger, he realized he needed to do something extra-special with his profits. He decided to develop The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. This camp was specially designed with the help of contributors such as the owner of Anheuser Busch and other rich contributors to help kids with chronic and terminal illness. The idea was for kids to come to the camp every summer and leave their worries behind. Kids would come from all over the country to be with other kids like themselves, to have fun first and worry about sickness second, and to live a life as normal as possible.
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was a huge success as everything else Paul Newman did in life, and other similar camps started emerging all over the world. The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was designed as a wild west town with dozens of buildings, camp houses, a food hall, and state-of-the-art hospital so kids could receive their treatments while at camp. Investors and young people from all over the United States, the United Kingdom, and even Africa called Newman to ask for their own camps. Kids all over the world now can leave their worries behind and go to summer camp for a few weeks out of every year. Newman and his associates saw first hand how kids would open up to each other and tell stories of their sickness and pain that they had never told anyone before. These kids were truly forming special bonds that made their lives much more pleasant and easier to cope with.
While approximately half of this book is about salad dressing and how Newman built his food empire, the other half is primarily about The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. Most people will remember Paul Newman for his acting in both movies and Broadway and his delicious food and salad dressings, his most important contribution is the camps he helped design and build. The impact he has had on thousands of kids across the world is immeasurable and the way he did it is nothing short of amazing. If you want to read a book about one of the most philanthropic business people who ever lived, this book is for you. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5.
Review by Daniel Breedlove
Article Source: Book Review - "In Pursuit of the Common Good" by Paul Newman and AE Hotchner
Paul Newman and one of his best friends, A.E. Hotchner set out to write a autobiography/biography about Newman and his famous life. The book focuses more on the food empire he created and rarely mentions his acting career. His book In Pursuit of the Common Good: Twenty-Five Years of Improvising the World, One Bottle of Salad Dressing at a Time, shows how he created his empire from a very modest and far-fetched beginning into a company profiting tens-of-millions of dollars a year.
For Christmas every year, Newman liked to make salad dressing for his closest friends and family and give it to them as gifts in used wine bottles. His recipients liked the dressing so much, that Newman and his friend Hotchner decided they should try to produce the dressing on a large scale and sell it to local stores. His salad dressing was different than all of the other dressings available because he used only natural ingredients and had a strong dislike of chemicals and ingredients that were artificial and simply used to preserve. Many dressings that dominate grocery store shelves to this day contain dozens of artificial ingredients simply meant to give the dressing the ability to sit around longer before selling. Newman's dressing could not sit around very long due to the lack of preservatives, but that was completely fine with him.
One of the largest difficulties with his desire to sell dressing in the grocery stores was finding a bottler. He went through numerous bottlers and food companies before finding a bottler that would treat him and Hotchner fairly and bottle for a fair price. The two men hired several chemists and food technicians to test different arrangements of ingredients for the first salad dressing. Newman was very picky about taste and ingredients and finding the right combination of ingredients was always very time consuming. However, when he did find the right combination and pushed his first bottles into stores, the outcome was surprising. He did not expect a salad dressing by a movie star with his face on the bottle to do very well, but the dressing was an instant hit. Grocery stores started ordering thousands of bottles and the profits started rolling in.
Profits were useless to Newman. He had made a substantial amount of money in his life and knew that he wanted to give back to the world in a big way, so he decided to donate all of his profits to various charities. This was not only a very generous gesture, but helped his salad dressings gain even more popularity. People seemed to want to buy the dressing not only because it was delicious, but because their money was not going to a greedy corporation. All of the money people spend on the dressing would go directly to helping people with chronic diseases, kids in need, and various charity cases across the world. Newman proved that he did not care about the money and that he was a true humanitarian.
After the first salad dressing sold like crazy, Newman developed more and more dressings to accompany it. On each bottle was his movie star face with a wacky label on the back telling a humorous, fictional story of how the dressing came to be. He even went on to develop other foods like salsas and ice cream which all sold very well. As his food empire began to grow larger and larger, he realized he needed to do something extra-special with his profits. He decided to develop The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. This camp was specially designed with the help of contributors such as the owner of Anheuser Busch and other rich contributors to help kids with chronic and terminal illness. The idea was for kids to come to the camp every summer and leave their worries behind. Kids would come from all over the country to be with other kids like themselves, to have fun first and worry about sickness second, and to live a life as normal as possible.
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was a huge success as everything else Paul Newman did in life, and other similar camps started emerging all over the world. The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was designed as a wild west town with dozens of buildings, camp houses, a food hall, and state-of-the-art hospital so kids could receive their treatments while at camp. Investors and young people from all over the United States, the United Kingdom, and even Africa called Newman to ask for their own camps. Kids all over the world now can leave their worries behind and go to summer camp for a few weeks out of every year. Newman and his associates saw first hand how kids would open up to each other and tell stories of their sickness and pain that they had never told anyone before. These kids were truly forming special bonds that made their lives much more pleasant and easier to cope with.
While approximately half of this book is about salad dressing and how Newman built his food empire, the other half is primarily about The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. Most people will remember Paul Newman for his acting in both movies and Broadway and his delicious food and salad dressings, his most important contribution is the camps he helped design and build. The impact he has had on thousands of kids across the world is immeasurable and the way he did it is nothing short of amazing. If you want to read a book about one of the most philanthropic business people who ever lived, this book is for you. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5.
Review by Daniel Breedlove
Article Source: Book Review - "In Pursuit of the Common Good" by Paul Newman and AE Hotchner
September 19, 2014
I wish I could have liked this book more. There were some very beautifully poignant chapters and then there were chapters that were just fell flat; they listed the names and contributions of all people that were ever involved in the Hole in the Wall Camps, the philanthropy or the company itself as if it were an acceptance speech. If you are looking for an understanding as to how these feats were accomplished, you will be hard-pressed to find anything more than "it was dumb luck" as an explanation. Quite honestly, it felt like faux modesty.
Obviously Newman's notoriety played a substantial role in the success of his ventures following the impressive success of Newman's Own. I can personally attest that the salad dressing and pasta sauce are both quite tasty when compared to the products of the competitors. The longevity of Newman's Own was definitely due to the superior quality.
I let the rest of this review stew for almost 3 months:). I am left with a perception that both authors were just in love with their own ingenuity. I know I know - they have helped many kids and have donated all of their profits to charitable causes. However, the arrogance was practically dripping off the pages.
I cringed each time I had to read one of those narrative legends written by Paul Newman. These legends are written specifically for each type of dressing, sauce, etc. Here is the legend for the Caesar Dressing:
"In summer stock, 1953, I played Caesar. One matinee, as I felt the phony rubber knife in my ribs, I uttered the memorable line, "Et tu Brutus?" and slumped to the floor. The assassins shuffled backward as they surveyed the bloody scene. The house was as quiet as the night before Christmas. Suddenly, without warning or explanation, the stage manager's phone in the wings rang. All the way to the back row, it could be heard, "Rrrrring!". Togas stopped rippling. Blood stopped dripping. Eyes were riveted in their sockets. "Rrrrring!" The audience grew restive. "Rrrrring!" And then an actor in a stage whisper heard in Mexico City said, "My God! What if it is for Caesar?" , Bedlam. The curtain slammed shut! I knew then that I would create another Caesar. I had no idea it would go on lettuce. - P. Brigando Newman"
It was clear that it was meant to be clever... I don't get it. Had they only included one or two narratives, I would have overlooked it. But the authors didn't stop there, they included every narrative. Painful...
So I guess in short - I agree with my original 3 star rating.
Obviously Newman's notoriety played a substantial role in the success of his ventures following the impressive success of Newman's Own. I can personally attest that the salad dressing and pasta sauce are both quite tasty when compared to the products of the competitors. The longevity of Newman's Own was definitely due to the superior quality.
I let the rest of this review stew for almost 3 months:). I am left with a perception that both authors were just in love with their own ingenuity. I know I know - they have helped many kids and have donated all of their profits to charitable causes. However, the arrogance was practically dripping off the pages.
I cringed each time I had to read one of those narrative legends written by Paul Newman. These legends are written specifically for each type of dressing, sauce, etc. Here is the legend for the Caesar Dressing:
"In summer stock, 1953, I played Caesar. One matinee, as I felt the phony rubber knife in my ribs, I uttered the memorable line, "Et tu Brutus?" and slumped to the floor. The assassins shuffled backward as they surveyed the bloody scene. The house was as quiet as the night before Christmas. Suddenly, without warning or explanation, the stage manager's phone in the wings rang. All the way to the back row, it could be heard, "Rrrrring!". Togas stopped rippling. Blood stopped dripping. Eyes were riveted in their sockets. "Rrrrring!" The audience grew restive. "Rrrrring!" And then an actor in a stage whisper heard in Mexico City said, "My God! What if it is for Caesar?" , Bedlam. The curtain slammed shut! I knew then that I would create another Caesar. I had no idea it would go on lettuce. - P. Brigando Newman"
It was clear that it was meant to be clever... I don't get it. Had they only included one or two narratives, I would have overlooked it. But the authors didn't stop there, they included every narrative. Painful...
So I guess in short - I agree with my original 3 star rating.
January 19, 2011
my abhorrence of the phrase "the common good" aside, I absolutely adored this book.
so much so that I started it around 7pm last night and finished it around 10:30pm last night.
that's right.
it's a read all in one night it's so good you can't put it down kind of book.
I love everything about this man.
his movies.
his blue eyes.
his food (as I sit here eating his pretzels)
his sense of humor.
his charity work.
so to hear in his own words how, and why, he and his partner a.e. hotchner decided to give conventionality the proverbial finger, produce all natural foods without those pesky preservatives, and then give every single cent of profit to charities is pretty darn neat.
add to that the whole back story (and continuing story) of their Hole In The Wall Gang Camps (which apparently are now all around the world, something I didn't know) and you have a pretty compelling book.
and if the letters from campers to paul and hotch thanking them for their camp experience at the end of the book don't make you tear up a little bit, you have no soul.
and if the letters from consumers to paul and hotch about the various other uses for their salad dressing and a few just telling paul he has nice eyes don't make you giggle, [see above].
and, there are recipes in the back!
what more could you want?
if you love good food and good people, you'll like this book.
but fair warning, it'll make you really really miss paul newman...
so much so that I started it around 7pm last night and finished it around 10:30pm last night.
that's right.
it's a read all in one night it's so good you can't put it down kind of book.
I love everything about this man.
his movies.
his blue eyes.
his food (as I sit here eating his pretzels)
his sense of humor.
his charity work.
so to hear in his own words how, and why, he and his partner a.e. hotchner decided to give conventionality the proverbial finger, produce all natural foods without those pesky preservatives, and then give every single cent of profit to charities is pretty darn neat.
add to that the whole back story (and continuing story) of their Hole In The Wall Gang Camps (which apparently are now all around the world, something I didn't know) and you have a pretty compelling book.
and if the letters from campers to paul and hotch thanking them for their camp experience at the end of the book don't make you tear up a little bit, you have no soul.
and if the letters from consumers to paul and hotch about the various other uses for their salad dressing and a few just telling paul he has nice eyes don't make you giggle, [see above].
and, there are recipes in the back!
what more could you want?
if you love good food and good people, you'll like this book.
but fair warning, it'll make you really really miss paul newman...
August 24, 2014
If I recall correctly, I had the opportunity to pick up this book for free from a used book store. I've sometimes bought Newman's Own products (and again: free book!) so I figured I'd read it someday.
The chapters are delightfully short and manageable, making this amusing light reading. Newman and Hotchner write alternating chapters that tonally range from mockingly ceremonious to deliberately irreverent to thoughtfully determined. The book chronicles the origins of Newman's brand, the decision to make the product their way (no preservatives, give all profits to charity), and then the development of Hole in the Wall camps. It's easy to be moved by the description of these camps and the experiences that are provided for children with terminal and/or serious illnesses that would otherwise make attending camp impossible.
As an added bonus, the book contains transcripts of letters from happy campers (pun intended), and recipes that won prizes (of course they all incorporate Newman's Own products). Since the book was written in 2003, and Newman is deceased, I sincerely hope that this company is still operating in the same spirit over a decade later. I try to be a conscientious consumer where I can, and knowing what this company does (or at least did) makes a good argument for buying their products.
Who should read this book: fans of Paul Newman, consumers of Newman's Own products, aspiring entrepreneurs, philanthropists, folks looking for light reading.
The chapters are delightfully short and manageable, making this amusing light reading. Newman and Hotchner write alternating chapters that tonally range from mockingly ceremonious to deliberately irreverent to thoughtfully determined. The book chronicles the origins of Newman's brand, the decision to make the product their way (no preservatives, give all profits to charity), and then the development of Hole in the Wall camps. It's easy to be moved by the description of these camps and the experiences that are provided for children with terminal and/or serious illnesses that would otherwise make attending camp impossible.
As an added bonus, the book contains transcripts of letters from happy campers (pun intended), and recipes that won prizes (of course they all incorporate Newman's Own products). Since the book was written in 2003, and Newman is deceased, I sincerely hope that this company is still operating in the same spirit over a decade later. I try to be a conscientious consumer where I can, and knowing what this company does (or at least did) makes a good argument for buying their products.
Who should read this book: fans of Paul Newman, consumers of Newman's Own products, aspiring entrepreneurs, philanthropists, folks looking for light reading.
January 27, 2012
Love, love, love, love, love this! Love it as much as I love Paul Newman- and my love for him was only deepened through this book :) It was hilarious and original and taught me a lot about starting a company from scratch, deviating from the norm; about the birth and success of Newman's Own; and even taught me a lot about celebrity food marketing. I learned a lot about Newman's Own's charitable contributions- I'll admit, I teared up often while reading about the camps.
Overall, a well-done, quick read homage to PL. What he and Hotch built, and how they built it, is an amazing success story for those interested in good, whole foods.
Overall, a well-done, quick read homage to PL. What he and Hotch built, and how they built it, is an amazing success story for those interested in good, whole foods.
April 13, 2015
I had such a wonderful experience of reading this book. I laughed, I cried, I grew outrageously hungry, I got inspired. Quick, fun and sincere.
December 29, 2016
Glad I read it. I didn't know the company was a partnership with a longtime buddy of his, writer A.E. Hotchner - I'd only known of Newman's involvement - or how the whole salad dressing thing got started. Very glad that PL and Hotch decided to health up the condiment and then snack food market; we're probably all better off today because of this. I knew before reading the book that Newman's products' profits went to charity, but I'd forgotten about their wonderful summer camp for seriously ill kids. And I didn't realize there was not just the one Hole-in-the-Wall Gang Camp, but the one original that had become many (with probably several more camps today - the book was published several years ago). Here's a link to the camp's "about the founder" page: http://www.holeinthewallgang.org/abou... Here's the parent organization's page. I was right - now they're up to 30 similar camps! http://www.seriousfunnetwork.org/about
Book was written in a much folksier style than I'd expected. As a kid and growing up, I'd seen a few of Newman's movies - my mom always liked him - and knew he wasn't completely straitlaced but not to the extent that this book revealed. I didn't know much about him personally other than his longtime marriage and his interest in racing cars when he was a little older. I thought he - and his book - would be a lot more formal and proper and considered than they turned out to be. What a surprise to find that he was kind of an of-the-moment guy with a really goofy sense of humor! Not at all what I thought he - or the book - would be like.
The appendix, letters from kids and eaters, and cartoons at the end are all integral parts of the book and not to be skipped.
Book was written in a much folksier style than I'd expected. As a kid and growing up, I'd seen a few of Newman's movies - my mom always liked him - and knew he wasn't completely straitlaced but not to the extent that this book revealed. I didn't know much about him personally other than his longtime marriage and his interest in racing cars when he was a little older. I thought he - and his book - would be a lot more formal and proper and considered than they turned out to be. What a surprise to find that he was kind of an of-the-moment guy with a really goofy sense of humor! Not at all what I thought he - or the book - would be like.
The appendix, letters from kids and eaters, and cartoons at the end are all integral parts of the book and not to be skipped.
March 23, 2021
This is a very good book about Paul Newman and his best friend's endeavors in the food industry, initially into the salad dressing business. The book is about the establishment into this business and then contributing the profits to various charities. He also started the first Hole in the Wall camp for sick children and now there are many camps of this type all over the US and throughout the world. It's impressive that he has helped so many children and various charities with all the profits. I always liked Paul Newman as an actor but learning all that he did with his food business profits just raised my opinion of him greatly. He has made a great difference in this world for so many.
May 7, 2009
A fascinating and humorous view of the history of "Newman's Own", so far. If you have an interest in Paul Newman, food, or philanthropy, this is an easy read that endears me to Paul Newman & A.E. Hotchner more fully than prior to reading this book. I highly recommend it!
January 30, 2022
Get ready to laugh out loud and sob into your pillow! This book is at once uproariously funny and sainthood sacred. Two buffoons in Westport, CT manage to establish a multi-hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue company and donating all the profits to charities.
Yes, it began with salad dressing - which was the only salad dressing I bought in the mid and late 1980s. The food branched out to popcorn, pasta sauce, salsa, and ice cream. But what I learned from this book was that this was actually a small segment of the charity work run by Paul Newman. His camps for sick children is by far the larger project.
Although it wasn't extensively pondered in the book, the mystical aspect of pure goodness of intent was mentioned repeatedly throughout. Similar to stories of the saints of the Church and of Corrie ten Boom, an invisible force prompted the way of Paul and Hotch. My favorite story was the disappearing check made out to a charity that Paul misplaced. Turns out there was no charity and they were about to be the victims of a fraud. "Something" protected them.
Anyway, this is the best book I've ready in while - humorous with an incredibly powerful message. Buy it, borrow it, read it. You will never forget it!
Yes, it began with salad dressing - which was the only salad dressing I bought in the mid and late 1980s. The food branched out to popcorn, pasta sauce, salsa, and ice cream. But what I learned from this book was that this was actually a small segment of the charity work run by Paul Newman. His camps for sick children is by far the larger project.
Although it wasn't extensively pondered in the book, the mystical aspect of pure goodness of intent was mentioned repeatedly throughout. Similar to stories of the saints of the Church and of Corrie ten Boom, an invisible force prompted the way of Paul and Hotch. My favorite story was the disappearing check made out to a charity that Paul misplaced. Turns out there was no charity and they were about to be the victims of a fraud. "Something" protected them.
Anyway, this is the best book I've ready in while - humorous with an incredibly powerful message. Buy it, borrow it, read it. You will never forget it!
January 20, 2021
An entertaining account of how PL and Hotch accidentally created an food empire and donated millions to charities. Half the book is about how they built the business, with a focus on getting a high quality product and not listening to the experts. Not sure sure the balance between making the right decisions and luck. The whole charitable aspect is written up as a whim, though the second half suggests this perhaps wasn't the case.
The second half is an account of building camps. Definitely less funny, but the accounts from those who attended are touching. Overall, not sure I learnt much but I was certainly entertained along the way.
The second half is an account of building camps. Definitely less funny, but the accounts from those who attended are touching. Overall, not sure I learnt much but I was certainly entertained along the way.
November 9, 2018
I chanced upon this book and boy am i glad i picked it up!
I could identify with the subject right away being in the F&B industry - only am jealous of the success Paul Newman and his team had right from the word Go!
Lucidly written, appealing, simple with insights into what worked for them as entrepreneurs in completely different field! It evidences how profit motive is NOT / NEED NOT be a driving force and gave me insights into building a business for common good!
I could identify with the subject right away being in the F&B industry - only am jealous of the success Paul Newman and his team had right from the word Go!
Lucidly written, appealing, simple with insights into what worked for them as entrepreneurs in completely different field! It evidences how profit motive is NOT / NEED NOT be a driving force and gave me insights into building a business for common good!
April 6, 2021
Enjoyed this easy read on how Paul Newman and his friend started their Food empire. Paul Newman was quite the character but knew what he wanted and were able to get there. It was nice they included some recipes . The book inspired me to look for his products in our local store, to which unfortunately there are only a handful. We tired the Medium Original Salsa and really enjoyed it. On to find more items and support our local charities.
May 21, 2020
I finally finished another book! And on my phone, no less.
This book was fun to read, with the personalities of both Hotch and Newman really shining through. It was fun learning how their charity work and their food and their camps took off, and I definitely cried reading some of the stories from the campers.
This book was fun to read, with the personalities of both Hotch and Newman really shining through. It was fun learning how their charity work and their food and their camps took off, and I definitely cried reading some of the stories from the campers.
March 26, 2021
Written in an anecdotal and relaxed style, this was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and could see Paul Newman going through each adventure. My guess is that Hotch did most of the writing. What these two did, along with friends, families, and acquaintances is nothing short of amazing. They made me cry. Superb!
April 7, 2022
Paul Newman what a man! There truly is no one like him and they broke the mold when he was born….This book is a lovely read and invites you in like a warm cup of sweet tea. Told in alternating voices, Newman and Hotchner have written a zany tale that is a business model for entrepreneurs, an inspirational book, and just plain delightful reading. I highly recommend!
July 13, 2022
Yes! I finally found a fun business book my 11-year-old child agreed to read, after I showed her some hilarious song lyrics and food labels featured here. While Newman’s Own’s success once again proves Mickey Drexler’s aphorism that “marketing only works if the product does,” the marketing copies of this brand almost outshine its foodstuff.
September 6, 2020
A delicious book. I savoured every single page. I love Paul Newman as an actor but I also admire him as a person and I feel privileged to have been allowed insight into the way he ticks. My only regret is that the book wasn’t longer!
February 18, 2021
If you haven't cried in a while, this book will fix that problem for you. That's particularly true for the part the focuses on Newman and Hocthner's philanthropic work, which I highly recommend anyone to read. The rest of the book was slightly boring or a bit of scope to my taste, though.
June 7, 2018
While the book started well, it limped to the finish line. I admire the man and his legacy.
November 20, 2018
Hilarious and informative account of how a batch of salad dressing made in a basement washtub turned into an amazing company.
May 10, 2020
Upbeat, humorous in parts, very interesting and warm hearted. I highly recommend.
June 8, 2020
Slows down as do most business books, but a fun start and a meaningful finish.
March 8, 2023
Jolig boek over twee koppige en eigenwijze vrienden (waarvan een een beroemde filmster is) die eigen dressing op de markt brengen en mooi zomerkampen voor gehandicapten organiseren.
January 18, 2017
I went into this book just knowing the basics of the Newman's Own brand: all profits to charity. That was enough to pique my interest, and it did not disappoint.
I honestly did not know the extent of the generosity of Paul Newman and A.E Hotchner.
It is a breath of fresh air in world where it seems the only philanthropists are donating money for tax deductions and buildings named after them.
Such a novel concept too, that is unfortunately not more popular: take a successful business, and instead of distributing profits to shareholders, give them away!
Everyone wins. Having a superior product is the icing on the cake.
I can certainly say I will not hesitate to pay an extra 50 cents or so next time I'm shopping to support this wonderful brand.
Especially powerful is the work they have done for so many children with life-threatening ailments. I had no idea the extent of that.
As a book, this certainly isn't perfect. The jokey attitude is fun, but leaves you wanting a more comprehensive and thorough history of the company.
The content is more than enough to warrant a four star rating though.
I honestly did not know the extent of the generosity of Paul Newman and A.E Hotchner.
It is a breath of fresh air in world where it seems the only philanthropists are donating money for tax deductions and buildings named after them.
Such a novel concept too, that is unfortunately not more popular: take a successful business, and instead of distributing profits to shareholders, give them away!
Everyone wins. Having a superior product is the icing on the cake.
I can certainly say I will not hesitate to pay an extra 50 cents or so next time I'm shopping to support this wonderful brand.
Especially powerful is the work they have done for so many children with life-threatening ailments. I had no idea the extent of that.
As a book, this certainly isn't perfect. The jokey attitude is fun, but leaves you wanting a more comprehensive and thorough history of the company.
The content is more than enough to warrant a four star rating though.
Read
January 18, 2016I have no idea how much Newman contributed to this book, but in reading it my "man-crush" on the actor has only grown. He was committed to the ethical production of food products before it became hip. And he donated all the proceeds from his sale of salad dressing, pasta sauce, etc. to charity. It's almost too good to believe, but everything checks out. This is something of an insider's story of the Newman's Own food company and the affiliated charity camps for kids with chronic illnesses told in a self-deprecatingly humorous manner. The narrative doesn't take itself too seriously, but does treat the social ills that both Newman's food company and kid's camps try to ease with an appropriate seriousness, striking the perfect balance in tone. After finishing I definitely went out and bought a bottle of spaghetti sauce with Paul Newman's face on it. I bet you will too.
February 9, 2016
The agreements today - this was a light read - Paul Newman was gorgeous and seemed like a nice guy - juvenile humor never dies. The book variously provided enjoyment or annoyance for the group, but as usual provoked a good discussion.
Take aways?
Children facing health challenges really need to just feel like a normal kid, run around and take risks.
The Newman's Own company did do things their own way and challenged business as usual in many instances, both in the food company and in getting the camps built. But we did feel that a lot of it happened because it was PAUL NEWMAN.
Newman managed to keep his private life private even while writing this book. One of the uses of humor in the book was to keep readers at arm's length.
And Paul Newman was gorgeous.
Take aways?
Children facing health challenges really need to just feel like a normal kid, run around and take risks.
The Newman's Own company did do things their own way and challenged business as usual in many instances, both in the food company and in getting the camps built. But we did feel that a lot of it happened because it was PAUL NEWMAN.
Newman managed to keep his private life private even while writing this book. One of the uses of humor in the book was to keep readers at arm's length.
And Paul Newman was gorgeous.
October 7, 2008
I read this very quickly -- enjoyed it for the humorous style of writing as well as the chronicle of a successful start-up which eschewed conventional wisdom along the way. The section focusing on the development, lessons and impacts of the Hole in the Wall Gang camps was very moving. Fun tidbits -- the authors' fishing boat named Caca de Toro; the sign in Newman's Own office ('if we ever have a plan, we're screwed') and Newman's pride in being on Nixon's Enemies List.
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