The changes which brought the city of Miami of today are delightfully described in this book of personal reminiscences, written by one of Florida’s earliest settlers in collaboration with his life-long friend, Vincent Gilpin. Ralph Munroe first went to Biscayne Bay in 1887. Soon after that time he and his friends built his home, The Barnacle, in Coconut Grove, where he has lived ever since. From this center his influence has been felt for almost fifty years—during the vivid and exciting period of early exploration and settlement,—during the slow development which led up to Flagler and the railroad,—through the boom, the disastrous hurricanes against which the Commodore’s warnings went unheeded, down to the present time. No one interested in southern Florida or in the sea can afford to miss this picturesque story of a Biscayne Bay pioneer who is today so widely and affectionately known. One of Florida’s earliest lovers, the Commodore has been unswervingly devoted to the best interests of the region and has been close to the most significant incidents of its growth. Beautifully illustrated throughout with photographs from Ralph Munroe’s private collection, the earliest on the Bay.

This book tells the story of Commodore through first-hand accounts by former Commodore engineers and managers. Reliving the early years of an icon in the personal computer revolution turns out to be a fascinating and improbably hilarious journey. This gripping tale of ambition, greed, and inspired engineering gives readers a front row seat at the dawn of the personal computer. Engineers and managers relate their experiences through personal first-hand accounts, vividly recalling the most important moments of Commodore's entry into computers in 1976 until its demise in 1994. The Commodore years are tumultuous, owing to their volatile founder, Jack Tramiel. He pushes his team to extreme limits, demanding that they almost kill themselves to meet his lofty expectations. Against all odds, his engineers deliver more color, more character, and more value than either Apple or IBM. While other companies receive more press, Commodore sells more computers. They cut a path of destruction through the competition, knocking out Sinclair, Tandy, Texas Instruments, and Atari and almost mortally wounding Apple. Unfortunately, Tramiel's cut throat tactics also prove to be his undoing. He uses up his managers and employees like disposable ink cartridges, producing the highest employee turnover rate in the industry.

"In The Commodore, the Navy in 1942-1943 is fighting a losing battle against Japan for control of the Solomon Islands. Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey is tasked to change the course of the war. Halsey, a maverick, goes on the offensive and appoints a host of new destroyer commanders, including a wild-card named Harmon Wolf. An American Indian from a Minnesota reservation, Wolf has never fit in with the traditional Navy officer corps. But under Halsey, Wolf's aggressive tactics and gambling nature bring immediate results, and he is swiftly promoted to Commodore of an entire destroyer squadron. What happens next will change Wolf's life, career, and the fate of his ships forever. An epic story of courage, disaster, survival, and triumph that culminates in the pivotal battle of Vela Gulf..."--

Filled with first-hand accounts of ambition, greed, and inspired engineering, this history of the personal computer revolution takes readers inside the cutthroat world of Commodore. Before Apple, IBM, or Dell, Commodore was the first computer manufacturer to market its machines to the public, selling an estimated 22 million Commodore 64s. Those halcyon days were tumultuous, however, owing to the expectations and unsparing tactics of founder Jack Tramiel. Engineers and managers with the company between 1976 and 1994 share their memories of the groundbreaking moments, soaring business highs, and stunning employee turnover that came with being on top in the early days of the microcomputer industry. This updated third edition includes additional interviews and first-hand material from major Commodore figures like lead engineer Jeff Porter, engineers Bob Welland, Michael Sinz, Hedley Davis and Electronics Arts founder Trip Hawkins.

Armed with a trove of previously unreleased archives, Edward J. Renehan Jr. offers a compelling portrait of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who built large shipping and rail enterprises into cornerstones of the American economy, and amassed one of the greatest fortunes the world has ever known. This is the definitive biography of a man whose influence on American business was unsurpassed in his day -- or any other.