Martha Inc.: The Incredible Story of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

by Christopher M. Byron

Book Overview

Martha Stewart has generated an enormous following by establishing herself as the leading authority for all things domestic and in the process created a multimillion-dollar enterprise and a personal net worth of nearly $2 billion. As one of the most successful self-made female business owners in American history, Martha Stewart is a topic of interest for fans, business professionals and would-be entrepreneurs alike. Martha Inc. tells the compelling...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471123005
• ISBN13: 9780471123002
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 405 Pages
• Weight: 1.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The Best and the Worst in a Unique Combination

Byron does indeed tell an "incredible story" about one of the most successful businesswomen in the world. How much of it is credible? Is she really as brilliant and resourceful as he suggests? Is she also as spiteful and mean-spirited as he suggests? As I read this book, I sometimes had a difficult time determining what Byron makes of the material he shares. His attitude seems ambivalent as indeed do those who have worked for and with Stewart over the years. Much of the material was provided by friends, enemies, acquaintances, business associates, and employees. He and most of those interviewed seem to admire what she has achieved. However, he and many of them also seem to deplore her values, attitudes, and (especially) her mistreatment of others. Byron met Stewart in Westport (CT) and knew her only casually as a neighbor whom he encountered infrequently. At that time, he was advancing his career as a journalist, writing for the Wall Street Journal. He became intrigued by the rapid development of her own career and decided to write a book about her. Initially Stewart agreed to cooperate with him but later reconsidered. At no point in the narrative does Byron express any animosity toward her (or about anything else, for that matter) but many others do, notably Kathy Tatlock and Norma Collier. Along the way, Byron also examines Stewart as wife and mother. He observes: "As Martha's fame grew, and she became increasingly absorbed in making it grow still more, she seemed to have less and less time for her personal relationships -- not just with [husband] Andy and [daughter] Alexis, but with her employees, her neighbors, and anyone else she might encounter day to day. A brusque efficiency began to take over her conversations." Eventually her husband left her and other personal relationships deteriorated further as she continued to pursue and achieve her various business objectives. Today, she owns Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. (How she regained control should guarantee her immediate induction into the "Business Hall of Fame.") She is among the wealthiest and most influential people (male or female) in the United States and, if consumer markets continue to expand in underdeveloped countries, it seems certain that both her wealth and her influence will increase exponentially. Throughout his book, Byron shares lots of opinions and evaluations of Stewart (his and others') as he attempts to understand her character and personality, her life and career. He seems to try very hard to be circumspect. The Stewart who emerges by the end of the book reminds me of what Walt Whitman once said of himself: "Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes." For whatever they may be worth, here are a few of my own reactions to the material in this page-turner of a book. First, I wonder how much criticism of Stewart there would be if she were a male. Is she held accountable to the same standards as, for example, Jack ("Ne

A real page-turner

Walk your dog BEFORE you start reading, because you're going to want to read just one more chapter, and then just one more. And then another. Martha's a great topic, but it's really the author Byron's style and attitude that make this such a great read. I didn't want to put it down.

Fascinating Exposee

Byron's work in uncovering and exposing one of America's most visible figures is, simply put, BRILLIANT. Through his dependable and accurate sources, the author opens the deep, dark, murky, Martha, the Martha nobody knows, and nobody wants to know, and shows her to the world at large. With the deftness of the master flower arranger herself, Byron stacks the dark secrets of her life and rise to fame and fortune, exposing quite a bit about the American consciousness as well. Simply brilliant!!!!! (****1/2)

The good, bad, and ugly...not a hatchet job

I thought that this was a great example of what one can accomplish with the proper drive and ambition. Although the author portrays Stewart as an egocentric control freak, you never get the impression that he is trying to do a hatchet job on the subject. He seems to be trying to present an honest account. Martha willingly provides a ton of ammunition which makes the book very entertaining. Although quite possibly brilliant, she seems to be trying to exorcise some sort of demon from the past. You get the strong sense that she is never satisfied and that she is harder on herself than those who are close to her-that is certainly saying something. She seems to care little about people, looking upon them as pawns to be leveraged for her own personal gain. The author also tries hard to present the reader with her personal upside-its just not nearly as interesting as the dirt.All in all, a very fun read about a fascinating, albeit troubled, American "success" story.

Brilliant and Compulsively Readable

This book rocks! I literally couldn't put it down. Byron managed to get all this great detail on Martha Stewart herself -- juicy tidbits as well as insightful "fly on the wall" descriptions of Martha's business acumen and tough negotiations. Martha created her empire with the knowledge that she'd tapped into something unique and didn't let anything stand in her way. She truly is a woman ahead of her time, and I found myself often in awe at what she accomplished while reading ths book. But after reading MARTHA INC, I know I wouldn't ever want to work for her or fall victim to a "Martha Moment"! What a complex creature. What a great read!