06/ 02/ 2004
Peterman Rides Again, by John Peterman (Prentice Hall Press, $25). Here's a breezy read for anyone who loved the Owner's Manual (as Peterman called his catalogues of clothing and curiosities from around the globe) or followed the J. Peterman character on the television show Seinfeld. At it's heart, Peterman's story is that of a businessman who started with a $500 investment and just one product, an ankle-length duster coat that he bought on impulse in Jackson Hole, Wy. From there, Peterman built a $75 million mail order company -- then watched it sink into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. What makes this book such a fun read is Peterman's globe trotting adventures and his unsinkable attitude. He truly is an optimist, currently having reinvented himself as an e-commerce business at www.johnpeterman.com. His life philosophy, sprinkled throughout the book, can seem a bit naive or cliche, but it becomes obvious that the good life the J. Peterman catalogue promoted was exactly what Peterman the man believes is possible -- and continues to pursue.
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