4 out of 4 stars
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The Will to Do, The Soul to Dare is an autobiography by Zsolt Rumy. In his story, Rumy includes what his life was like in Hungary, his family’s move to America, his career path, his wife and their life together, the trials of founding and staffing his own company, and his politics. Rumy explains that the title of his story was the exact quote selected to appear next to his senior high school yearbook photo.
Born in Budapest, Hungary during World War II, Rumy and his family escaped to Austria at the end of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. His father spent many years in communist prisons, often leaving his mother to raise Rumy and his older brother. The author describes their standard breakfast or dinner as sourdough bread with lard spread (occasionally they could put honey or powdered sugar on top).
In 1957, Rumy and his family arrived in America, and they became citizens in 1962. After obtaining his chemical engineering degree, he began an inspiring and colorful career path. When he determined that he was not a great fit for corporate America, he founded his own company, Zoltek. Finally, in 2014, he sold Zoltek to Japan’s Toray Industries for $600 million. He writes, “I am not a billionaire, but I am only one decimal point removed from being one, only in America!”
The author’s passion for wanting to improve his standing in life and to carve out his unique niche in the industrial world was what I especially liked. He demanded the best from himself and from those that he employed. Readers will enjoy the wide range of jobs that Rumy held- from working in McDonald’s to being founder and CEO of Zoltek. He includes a frustrating moment when he walked out of a job without giving notice (and who hasn’t wanted to do that at least once in their career?).
As someone learning the game of golf, I particularly enjoyed reading of his golfing adventures and of his golfing struggles. My favorite golf story was when, as payback for an earlier prank there, he was falsely introduced by friends at Augusta as the Hungarian national golf champion. Much to his embarrassment, spectators had lined up at the first tee to watch him. Did I mention that I really enjoyed Rumy’s sense of humor?
Since I wasn’t familiar with carbon fibers, these references were the least interesting part of his story (as it was a bit technical at times). However, the author does do a thorough job of explaining these fibers and gives numerous examples of their applications. Given the reasons stated above, I am pleased to award The Will to Do, The Soul to Dare by Zsolt Rumy 4 out of 4 stars. Additionally, with only a few errors, the book was well edited.
At 468 pages, his story is extremely detailed and not for those looking to enjoy a light read. I do recommend this book to chemical engineers or anyone interested in the carbon fiber industry. Also, this story should appeal to readers wanting to learn more about life in Hungary or as an immigrant to the United States. CEOs and other top-level executives will enjoy reading Rumy’s business successes and candid failures. Any reader who dreams of a socialist America will benefit from learning of Rumy’s experiences under such a government. Readers may just enjoy Rumy’s engaging story as he rises from the despair of Hungary to realize his dreams in the Land of Opportunity. Only in America!
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The Will to Do, The Soul to Dare
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