Inscribed first edition of the McDonald's founder's memoir of his empire-building reign of hamburger dominance — specially-bound and stamped (naturally) with the golden arches.
Near fine or better.
Price: $5,000.00
"Now a hamburger patty is a piece of meat. But a McDonald's hamburger patty is a piece of meat with character."
At the "still green and growing" age of 52, Chicago-born piano player and Multimixer salesman Ray Kroc became the first franchise agent for the McDonald brothers. Seven successful years later, in 1961, he bought them out but retained the name, ascending to further heights of fast-food glory over the coming decades as McDonald's chairman: founding Hamburger University (not accredited) to teach the art of Hamburgerology to eager new franchise operators; standardizing french fry production; inventing the Egg McMuffin; introducing Ronald McDonald to the nation ("Even the sophisticates at ESQUIRE magazine loved him"). Along the way, Kroc grumbles about OSHA regulations and labor unions, buys the San Diego Padres, and donates a quarter of a million dollars to Richard Nixon's presidential campaign. Kroc's memoir was a major source for the 2016 acclaimed film THE FOUNDER, starring Michael Keaton. Screenwriter Robert Siegel described his continuing ambivalence about his subject: "Sometimes I watch and all the way through I kind of strangely admire him, [and sometimes] I just think he's a complete bastard. So I think the truth is probably both." A deluxe edition (likely produced for employees, executives, and prominent franchisees) from one of the 20th century's most successful CEOs and entrepreneurs.
Read more: Taunton, "Head Honcho Ray Kroc Was a Bully, and Other Things We Learned From Grinding it Out," National Post; Napoli, Ray & Joan: The Man Who Made the McDonald's Fortune and the Woman Who Gave it All Away; Siegel, "The Founder Follows Salesman's Genius Idea to Franchise McDonald's," NPR.
First edition. Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, (1977). 9'' x 6''. Original gilt-stamped brown leather. Gilt spine lettering. All edges gilt. 201, [1] pages. Inscribed in year of publication by Kroc on front free endpaper: "June '77 / to Michael Berman / Best Wishes / Raymond Kroc." Touch of rubbing to one corner. Else bright, sharp, and sound.
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