First review of new Ross Perot biography by Dave Lieber

ROGER SUMMERS

Lieber calls his book, “Searching for Perot.”

Our conclusion:

He found him.

By Roger Summers

Title: Searching for Perot: My Journey to Discover Texas’ Top Family

First Edition || Hardcover || 192 pages || 60+ photos

The fascinating Ross Perot story continues.

Maybe more meaningfully, more purposefully than before.

More timely.

Told with the blessing, the tutorial of careful reflection, examination.

Told a bit further down the Perot historical road.

Told with chapters added, closely explained.

Told from the fresh, personal perspective of a proven journalist/author/playwright, who came this way when the story of Senior was well underway and who covered the story up close and personal, especially as carried on by the Perot scion, Ross Perot Jr.

Yes, the Perot stories that comprise the overall Perot story have been oft-told, hashed, rehashed.

For the most part, it is the story of Old Ross, Big Ross.

Senior, Junior.

It is the story of Senior running for president and upsetting the political apple cart.

Showing IBM how the cow ate the cabbage.

Taking on, tarnishing a bit some of the shiny GM brass.

Outgunning those who imprisoned some of his people and others.

And, why, the nerve of him, buying an original, rare, signed copy of the Magna Carta.

He did what?

Over decades, the stories settled down.

Even faded somewhat.

Gathered a little dust.

Off the front pages.

Missing, for a quarter century or so.

Rested, so to speak, awaiting a new look-see, a new study, a new approach, a new perspective.

Fresh set of eyes, thoughts, judgments.

Sometimes, peeking behind the curtain.

The story, of course, is not as much known by those of recent generations.

But now comes Dave Lieber to call the stories up again, review them, add meaningful, updated and new information and give them additional context.

The Perot story is bought to life again, via Lieber’s book and accompanying play approach, a format he has conceived, honed and successfully proven via his initial, well-received, highly-commended offering on Amon Carter Sr.

Surely this Perot book/play is timely, given the entrepreneurial rush of this era, of so many in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Texas, the nation, the world.

This seeming, euphoric, I-must-start-my-own-business age of Shark Tank.

An incalculable number of people want to be the next Jeff Bezos, the next Bill Gates, the next Steve Jobs, the next Mark Cuban and others like them.

Even those who aim to bring the best food truck to town, the best taqueria, the best craft brewery.

Those who take their business ideas not so much into the family garage, as in the past, but, these days, into the growing, convivial, entrepreneurial centers, a.k.a. business incubators – newly-built spaces, repurposed spaces – so mainly young people and some a little older can set up, think, imagine, work, go full throttle for the prize.

Put everything on the line.

Mortgage the house.

Max out the credit card.

Summon the courage.

Believe in themselves.

Surely the ways, the words, the examples of Perot offer guidance to getting there.

What Perot did then is instructive now.

Especially now.

Instructive in reaching the goal.

Making your mark.

Seeking, earning the reward of business ownership, independence, fulfillment.

Another aspect of the American Dream.

You probably know the story.

Perot had a thousand bucks his teacher wife had put back. That was when a thousand bucks was serious money.

Senior and Margot put their belongings in the family vehicle, drove to Dallas from Texarkana, got a place to stay.

Began their adventure.

Perot wasn’t one to settle.

He not only saw opportunity, he made opportunity.

Then took it.

Billionaire status was not even in the cards at the start. Success in the genesis of the Perot story was still measured in mere millions.

It took time.

Hard work.

Imagination.

Courage.

Finding ways to say yes when others said no

And while some uttered: No Way.

Even as some laughed at him.

Mocked him.

But who was the winner here?

Perot, of course.

So was Perot’s son, Ross Perot Jr., plus Senior’s family, whom Senior always put first.

The son early on learned from the father and has taken the business to new places, new heights, new possibilities. 

And has done it more quietly, more unobtrusively than the dad, though Junior sometimes ran into business detours, even into the business ditch.

It is through Lieber’s personal dealings as a journalist with Ross Jr. that special flavor, context, explanation and clarity are added to the overall Perot story.

Lieber the journalist came down from Manhattan into a quizzical, sometimes confounding and yet promising Texas, and in time set up shop in Perotville, up close and personal, where eventually he would conclude:

“The (Perot) family is a force.”

Would-be entrepreneurs of today will want to read, absorb this story.

Know, feel, understand The Force.

Plus, entrepreneurs who have been around a while will want to review it.

Others will, too.

All will benefit enormously from doing so.

For there is incalculable insight, guidance – and encouragement! – to be gained from it.

Having read Lieber’s book/play on Amon Carter Sr. and now this one on Ross Perot Sr., we know it will not be his last.

Lieber calls his book, “Searching for Perot.”

Our conclusion:

He found him.

Roger Summers, the author, is a long-time, respected North Texas journalist.