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imyourmausoleum 's review for:
Crazy Rich: Power, Scandal, and Tragedy Inside the Johnson & Johnson Dynasty
by Jerry Oppenheimer
informative
slow-paced
The Johnson & Johnson company is a name that is well known all over the world. The company was founded in 1886 in New Jersey. Three brothers, James, Robert, and Edward, came together to create the company. They started off with fourteen employees, and manufactured medical supplies and household products. Currently, the company is ranked in the top 50 of the Fortune 500 list, so it is still doing quite well after all of these years.
The company manufactured the world's first sterile surgical products, baby powder, at home sterile birth kits, and diapers. They supplied surgical supplies during the Spanish American War, the Galveston hurricane in 1900, and the devastating San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. They even developed a mask to quell the spread of influenza during the post World War I Spanish Flu epidemic. They also developed the first prescription contraceptive gel, which was a huge deal in the 1930s. The company began producing various medications, such as Tylenol, antipsychotics (Rsiperdal), various vaccinations, and inhalant medications for respiratory issues.
The biggest takeaway from this book for me was learning about all the scandals that ensconced this family. They used the red cross symbol of Clara Barton without her permission. They used the name of Joseph Lister without permission. (Lister was a pioneer in sterile surgery and medicine. If you are interested, there is a book called The Butchering Art that goes into detail about Lister and his work.) James, one of the founding brothers, died at sea on the RMS MAJESTIC. Robert Johnson I died from a kidney disease. There were several affairs, divorces, childhood diseases and deaths. There were even several instances of sexual abuse, both male and female victims. Of course, as with all families, there were a lot of instances of bickering and disagreement between family members. This especially resulted in several lawsuits and backstabbing moments, which were pretty dramatic to read about. This family certainly had a lot going on in private, and sometimes in public. I really enjoyed this book.
The company manufactured the world's first sterile surgical products, baby powder, at home sterile birth kits, and diapers. They supplied surgical supplies during the Spanish American War, the Galveston hurricane in 1900, and the devastating San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. They even developed a mask to quell the spread of influenza during the post World War I Spanish Flu epidemic. They also developed the first prescription contraceptive gel, which was a huge deal in the 1930s. The company began producing various medications, such as Tylenol, antipsychotics (Rsiperdal), various vaccinations, and inhalant medications for respiratory issues.
The biggest takeaway from this book for me was learning about all the scandals that ensconced this family. They used the red cross symbol of Clara Barton without her permission. They used the name of Joseph Lister without permission. (Lister was a pioneer in sterile surgery and medicine. If you are interested, there is a book called The Butchering Art that goes into detail about Lister and his work.) James, one of the founding brothers, died at sea on the RMS MAJESTIC. Robert Johnson I died from a kidney disease. There were several affairs, divorces, childhood diseases and deaths. There were even several instances of sexual abuse, both male and female victims. Of course, as with all families, there were a lot of instances of bickering and disagreement between family members. This especially resulted in several lawsuits and backstabbing moments, which were pretty dramatic to read about. This family certainly had a lot going on in private, and sometimes in public. I really enjoyed this book.