Kindred Spirit by David Callahan

Book review of “The Kindred Spirits” By David Callahan

This story is about the extraordinary class of 1949 of Harvard Business School. There are a lot many special things about these class members which makes it very special. To start with most of the 49ers were war veterans of 2^nd world war. Thanks to GI bill which helped them to enter HBS.

They are molded by the hardship of great depression and further war has made them stiffer. They belong to the time when values had meaning. They ran businesses by values and made the crippled American economy back on the feet and in the process created a lot of wealth patiently without cutting the corners. These conscientious leaders have contributed a lot to strengthen the American economy. 

This class included Marvin Traub who turned the Bloomingdales’ Into trendsetter, James Burke who made the Johnson & Johnson company a household name, Peter Mccolough of Xerox corporation fame, Bill Ruane who founded Sequoia Fund which has a record of having a record of being profitable for continuously for 23 years.

Members of this class have created wealth in all the different sectors but hardly anyone of the 49er has sought after money in their life. Most of them became friend for life and their friendship lasted long then them.

If anyone wants to know about how great leaders forms and can contribute, this is a very good book. This book has been written on the basis of exhaustive interviews of the 49ers themselves so has the true fact flown from the great leaders themselves.