William Hesketh Lever – soap-boiler, social reformer, MP, tribal chieftain, multi-millionaire and Lord of the Western Isles – was one of the most extraordinary men ever to leave his mark on Britain. Beliefs far ahead of their times – the welfare state, votes for women, workers’ rights – jostled in his mind with ideas that were fantastically bonkers – the world's problems could be solved by moving populations from country to country, ballroom dancing could save the soul and the only healthy way to sleep was outdoors in the wind and the rain. Adam Macqueen traces Lever's footsteps from his humble Bolton boyhood to a business empire that straddled the world, visiting the homes and model towns from the Mersey to the Congo that still bear the mark – and often the name – of William Lever. It is a hilarious and touching journey that shines a spotlight on a world and a set of beliefs long gone, and asks several vital questions: where does philanthropy stop and social engineering begin? Is it right for an employer to dictate how his workers spend their weekends and hire private detectives to make sure they are doing it properly? Are the length of a lawn and the curve of a bannister of vital importance to the great scheme of things? And why would a multi-millionaire with half a dozen homes and property on four continents chose to sleep on the roof?
The King Of Sunlight: How William Lever Cleaned Up The World
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Trade in The King Of Sunlight: How William Lever Cleaned Up The World for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Card, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more
|
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
A one man soap opera … a crazy story, crazily told. -- Russell Davies, Sunday Telegraph, May 2, 2004
Adam Macqueen has accomplished an affectionate portrait that brings this extraordinary character fully to life in joyously funny detail. -- Waterstones Quarterly, Issue 12, 2004
Exquisite images … Written with wit and verve, managing to be both inspirational and a cautionary tale. -- The Times, May 15, 2004
Like Longitude or The Surgeon of Crowthorne, it’s always entertaining… great popular history. -- Simon Mayo Show, BBC Radio Five Live, May 13, 2004
Macqueen stuffs the book with humorous detail, humorously told -- Daily Telegraph, May 1, 2004 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Adam Macqueen has accomplished an affectionate portrait that brings this extraordinary character fully to life in joyously funny detail. -- Waterstones Quarterly, Issue 12, 2004
Exquisite images … Written with wit and verve, managing to be both inspirational and a cautionary tale. -- The Times, May 15, 2004
Like Longitude or The Surgeon of Crowthorne, it’s always entertaining… great popular history. -- Simon Mayo Show, BBC Radio Five Live, May 13, 2004
Macqueen stuffs the book with humorous detail, humorously told -- Daily Telegraph, May 1, 2004 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
The life story of one of Britain's most successful businessmen and social reformers.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
As a great-granddaughter of Mary Lever Tillotson, sister to William Hesketh Lever, aka "The King of Sunlight", I was delighted to be given this book as a "special birthday" present earlier this month. Before opening the cover, I had no idea how highly entertaining and fascinating it would be. Leaving aside the family connection, Adam Macqueen's descriptions of a clever, down-to-earth and visionary entrepreneur had me in fits of laughter, although in contrast, a chapter relating what is thought to have happened to William's younger brother, James, was sensitively handled and in many ways a contrast to much of the rest of the book. Some of William Lever's late 19th and early 20th Century ideas of the "duties" of an employer would be regarded as nothing less than expected in the 21st Century, and this book gives a witty and perceptive insight into his life and times. In my childhood, I felt that over the years, my family had been blessed with somewhat more than its fair share of what some might label "eccentrics". Thanks to Adam Macqueen's book, I feel others now have an insight into one of these, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys being entertained whilst reading a biography - and challenge anyone who thinks biographies are boring old tomes to say this of "The King of Sunlight" once they have read it. I found it a hard book to put down.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By I. Curry
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The premise of this book is the story of a soap company that would eventually become Unilever and its founder and directing mind, William Lever. It doesn't sound promising, but, like many obscure corners of history that have been illuminated by fascinating, lucid and readable biographies and histories, this is the window to a wide and startling vista.
I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.
As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.
In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.
And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.... Read more ›
I came to read the book after hearing excerpts of it on BBC Radio 4's `A Good Read'. It sounded interesting in the round, but what really made me pay attention was the detail on Rivington. Rivington is a village in the moorland above Chorley and Bolton. It has medieval tithe barns, a quaint village centre, strange follies and the most amazing terraced gardens, ornamental lake and Roman ruins.
As a child I was taken there for Sunday walks, climbing the stone steps to a strange grotto that, in my mind, was permanently winter. The waterfall would be petrified, frozen solid in mid-tumble, and the landscape glistening as a pallid sunlight reflected from a thick and universal spread of frost.
In short it seemed a magical and strange place. So I was much obliged to the author of this book for providing some illumination as to how Japanese gardens and intricate terraces had been transplanted to this windswept and remote corner of Lancashire.
And once I had started reading the book it was clear that not only would my interest in a local beauty spot be satiatied, but that this was a wide-ranging and interesting book which, although having William Lever and his soap business as the central focus of attention, also covered the British Empire, the Liberal Party, old age pensions, garden cities and much more.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By book mallard
Format:Paperback
The book takes you through the life of William Lever starting from his middle class background in Bolton. He soons becomes a larger-than-life character, starting life as a salesman. He becomes sympathetic to the lot of the working class and, after developing Port Sunlight, he goes on to address socialist interests in Parliament and beyond. His international and Scottish influences are fascinating.
A good read for aspiring entrepreneurs!
A good read for aspiring entrepreneurs!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The King of Sunlight: How William Lever Cleaned Up the World
This is by no means an academic biography, and is an easy, somewhat lightweight read. Whether you enjoy it or not depends on what you want to get out of it.
The author is obviously fond of his subject, but was unable to make me feel strongly about him. It is a potentially interesting subject, but I was left with no strong desire to learn more about Port Sunlight or William Lever. I found this book a little too insubstantial and shallow for my liking, which was a bitter disappointment as I had really wanted to like it, having heard it recommended on Radio 4.
It reads more like a novel than a "serious biography". The writing style is very relaxed, and informal, more like a conversation than a work of non-fiction, but still does not really leave you very enlightened about the man behind Port Sunlight.
If you are just after something different to read about a different subject, then this is possibly the book for you. If you want something to get your teeth into that will leave you wanting to learn more about the history of Port Sunlight or the motivations of the man behind it, or even about the end of the Victorian era, then I suggest you carry on searching.
This is by no means an academic biography, and is an easy, somewhat lightweight read. Whether you enjoy it or not depends on what you want to get out of it.
The author is obviously fond of his subject, but was unable to make me feel strongly about him. It is a potentially interesting subject, but I was left with no strong desire to learn more about Port Sunlight or William Lever. I found this book a little too insubstantial and shallow for my liking, which was a bitter disappointment as I had really wanted to like it, having heard it recommended on Radio 4.
It reads more like a novel than a "serious biography". The writing style is very relaxed, and informal, more like a conversation than a work of non-fiction, but still does not really leave you very enlightened about the man behind Port Sunlight.
If you are just after something different to read about a different subject, then this is possibly the book for you. If you want something to get your teeth into that will leave you wanting to learn more about the history of Port Sunlight or the motivations of the man behind it, or even about the end of the Victorian era, then I suggest you carry on searching.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I would recommend this as a great read to learn of the vision and determination of the founder of Lever Brothers which became Unilever, a multinational corporation with enormous global reach. All started by two men, sons of a man with a drapery shop. Amazing how William Lever lived, sleeping outdoors at all times, adventuring far into Africa to find original ingredients to make good soap, and how he shared the corporate wealth with the employees raising their standard of living. Winning tips for how to successfully lead a truly great business. Well written by Adam MacQueen.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see the review
5.0 out of 5 stars
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Left wanting more
Fully agree with Claire Topping's review. It's an easy, lightweight read and a good introduction to the man but a superficial biography. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kirky
5.0 out of 5 stars
Port Sunlight
The book was in excellent condition and the subject matter was very entertaining. Having spent the last year studying for my Blue Badge for the Merseyside region with a lot of time... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Anthony Curley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gift for friend
Having visited the Portsunlight estate on the Wirral, this was an ideal gift for a friend who has also been to the Victorian housing complex. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. Margaret Gornall
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Witty and Highly Readable Account of this Fascinating Man
This is a highly readable and quite funny biography of William Hesketh Lever, the immensely successful industrialist and purveyor of soap to the world. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Dr. R. Brandon
1.0 out of 5 stars
A founder who would support terrorism and murder
All sounds lovely and dandy, But Unilever have become a company known to support terrorism and a murderous regime, and they are proud of it! Read more
Published 15 months ago by salwa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top Marks
I enjoyed reading this informative book about William Lever's life and business empire. I also bought several copies for friends and family - all of whom commented on how good a... Read more
Published 23 months ago by AByer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny and readable
This book is written in very crisp, lighthearted way, not a dry academic tone or tome.It zips along, but manages to give a good portrait of the man and the times. Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2011 by Pattycake
2.0 out of 5 stars
A ripping yarn? Perhaps, but not history.
While this particular version of Leverhulme's biography is entertaining, the somewhat creative narrative style is typically journalistic; unsurprising given that the author seems... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2010 by Maurice Halton
4.0 out of 5 stars
A True Lancashire Man
As a frequent visitor to Rivington ,this book regails the life of local philantronphist and fills in the gaps of the life of the enigma that was William Lever. Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2007 by L. Barrow
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography > Historical > Social & Urban History
- Books > Biography > Political
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Biographies & Histories > Biographies & Memoirs
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Biographies & Histories > Business & Economic History
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Careers > Community Services
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Economics
- Books > History > Cultural History
- Books > History > Social & Economic History > Health & Welfare
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Social Issues > Social Welfare & Services
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
