Iacocca: An Autobiography by, Lee Iacocca

Book Summary

Originally published in November 1984, Iacocca: An Autobiography is co‑authored by Lee Iacocca and writer William Novak. It soared to become the top‑selling non‑fiction hardcover in both 1984 and 1985 . The book is structured into three parts: Part One charts his immigrant upbringing in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and his education at Lehigh and Princeton before joining Ford; Part Two chronicles his meteoric rise at Ford, including masterminding the Ford Mustang and navigating corporate politics that culminated in his firing at age 54. Part Three details Iacocca’s dramatic turnaround of Chrysler: securing a government-backed $1.2 billion loan guarantee, implementing layoffs and cost-cutting, launching the minivan and K‑cars, and repaying the loan early to restore Chrysler to profitability by mid‑1980s . The final chapter, “Straight Talk,” offers Iacocca’s unfiltered views on public policy, seat belt legislation, trade competition (especially from Japan), labor costs, and corporate leadership—emphasizing his trademark mix of candor, patriotism, and managerial conviction .

About the Author:

Lee Iacocca (Lido Anthony Iacocca; October 15, 1924 – July 2, 2019) was a legendary American auto executive and public figure. Born to Italian immigrant parents in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he rose from industrial engineering at Lehigh University to earn a master’s in mechanical engineering at Princeton. He joined Ford Motor Company in 1946, transitioned into sales, and eventually led key initiatives such as the iconic Ford Mustang and Continental Mark III before becoming Ford President in 1970. His growing friction with Henry Ford II led to his ousting in 1978 ◆. Soon thereafter, he took over the faltering Chrysler Corporation and executed a high-stakes turnaround: negotiating governmental loan guarantees, restructuring operations, and introducing new vehicle lines like the minivan—all culminating in Chrysler repaying its loans ahead of schedule and earning public acclaim as a corporate savior . Iacocca’s frankness, charismatic public persona, and leadership style made him an American folk hero. He devoted much of his post-retirement years to the Iacocca Family Foundation—focused on diabetes research—and authored additional works including Talking Straight and Where Have All the Leaders Gone?