Ford Bryan worked at the Ford Rouge plant for over 30 years and then went on to volunteer at Greenfield Village & Henry Ford Museum upon retirement. In addition to all this, he was a distant relative of Henry Ford, so it seems almost natural that he would write a couple books about Ford- however he wrote more than a couple.
It's worth noting he also wrote for "The Dearborn Historian" a publication of the Dearborn Historical Society in Dearborn, MI. In fact those articles provide the basis for a few of his books. When he passed away in 2004, Ford Bryan made a sizable monetary donation to the Henry Ford Estate to help with the preservation of the Estate.
Any of his books are worth picking up and adding to your Ford bookshelf. I have all of them and they are frequently cited sources of information during my research.
Titles include-
Rouge Pictured in it's Prime- covers the years 1917-1940 and contains lots of previously unpublished photos.
The Fords of Dearborn- more of a genealogical book, it covers the entire Ford family from the early days to modern times. Also has a few interesting chapters on Fair Lane estate, Model T travel in the 1920s, Early Ford dealers, Old Fashioned Harvesting and more.
Beyond The Model T- Covers some of Henry's 'hobbies' such as farming, Employee Housing, Radio Broadcasting, D. T. & I Railroad, and lots more.
Friends Families, Forays- More Genealogical stuff, his friendships with Edison, Firestone, Burroughs. Also covers some of the luxuries such as Huron Mountain Club, Yachts, The Mangoes. The book encompasses much more than listed here. I highly recommend this one.
Clara, Mrs. Henry Ford- Mainly deals with Clara Ford but also has some info relating to Henry. Foodies will appreciate the recipes towards the back of the book, most in Clara Ford's own handwriting.
Henry's Lieutenants- Another excellent book! Gives short articles on over 30 Ford Motor Company executives. A well researched book.
Henry's Attic- A book about some of the various donations to the Henry Ford Museum, as well as various items that were found when Fair Lane was cleaned out.
This isn't meant to be an actual book review, there's plenty of other sites for that. What it is intended for is a chance to view some titles if you are looking to expand your bookshelf or just want some fresh reading material.
As always comments & questions welcomed.
