Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

 In the 1960's Phil Knight did a senior project for his entrepreneurship program in college about importing a new line of atheletic shoes from Japan.  This was a bold idea because just 15 years earlier Japan and the US had been mortal enemies.  Soon after graduation, Knight went on a world ramble, that included contacting a manufacturer in Japan, Tiger Shoes, about opening a market in the US.  That is how Knight started his life long adventure as head of what finally became Nike. Along the way, Knight faced many roadblocks and threats but he powered through them with indominable will and unflagging faith in what he was trying to build.

This is a candid, warts-and-all, memoire that I found totally captivating.  It gives the reader a peak into the mind of one of the US's top entrepreures, and also into the world of big corporation intrigue and power struggles. I gained a lot of insight into the process of starting a successful manufacturing business, and was amazed by how often Knight was kind of "shooting from the hip." I appreciate that Knight admits his own weaknesses and shortcomings, especially when it comes to his relations with his family and co-workers.  He seems to have realized, in hindsight, that he was a bit of an jerk in his younger years, and regrets it. The unsung hero in his story is his long-suffering wife, Penny, who sticks with him through years of neglect, financial instability, and her husband's mercurial moods. As I was reading this book I couldn't help talking about it with my friends and family, and I am sure I will be recommending it to patrons often in the future. (2016, 400 p.)