Sam Walton: The Inside Story of America's Richest Man

Presents the rags-to-riches tale of billionaire Sam Walton, founder of the discount chain Wal-Mart and America's richest man, as a study in old-fashioned values such as honesty and hard work

Readers curious about what makes billionaire Walton run may be disappointed by this folksy biography. The only "warts" Trimble describes about the founder of the Wal-Mart stores are Walton's frugality (the company's headquarters offices, housed in a warehouse building, have been described as "early bus station"), his antipathy to labor unions, and the destruction of small "mom and pop" retail businesses in many communities where Wal-Mart operates. While Walton (who was working on his still unfinished autobiography when Trimble began working on this book) and his family declined to cooperate with the author, they did not attempt to obstruct the work either. The result, from interviews with associates, friends, and some relatives, as well as published sources, is a readable, mostly objective, but bland biography. This is most appropriate for general and business collections in public libraries. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/90.
- Sue Kamm, Los Angeles P.L.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.