Book · 1987 · Business & Economics
Made in Japan
Akio Morita and Sony
Why people recommend it
Made in Japan by Akio Morita, Edwin M. Reingold, and Mitsuko Shimomura is a compelling corporate memoir that traces the remarkable rise of Sony through the eyes of its co-founder. David Rosenthal and Ben Gilbert enthusiastically recommended the book on Acquired during their dedicated Sony episodes and holiday specials, with Gilbert praising it as the definitive business biography of the 1980s and explicitly comparing its narrative power to Shoe Dog. Ben Gilbert highlighted the book's striking opening paragraph, in which the author recalls discussing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima while having lunch with naval colleagues, and noted that the text contains incredible historical anecdotes that every listener should read. David Rosenthal also referenced the book to explore the author's complex personal background during World War II, including details about his younger brothers training as kamikaze pilots. The hosts repeatedly underscored the exceptional quality of the writing and the profound lessons entrepreneurs can learn from the iconic industrialist's visionary leadership and global expansion strategies.
Who recommended it
- Ben Gilbert Recommended
- David Rosenthal Recommended
Ben Gilbert — 4 mentions
“yeah listeners david and i both read a couple books to prep for this but one of them is the excellent made in japan co-written by akio morita himself who we're about to introduce here”
“he writes this this is literally the opening paragraph to the book to made in japan quote i was having lunch with my navy colleagues when the incredible news of the atomic bombing of hiroshima arrived”
“and there's a whole story that i didn't put in the notes here but is in the book everybody should go read the book it's it's really really great it's the shoe dog of the 80s truly it is”
“everybody really should go read the book made in japan it's it's very very very good”
David Rosenthal — 2 mentions
“made in Japan and made in America”
“i think they even say either in the sony book by john nathan or in akio morita's book that his younger brothers were actively sort of training to be kamikaze pilots like that would have been his future”