A richly illustrated look at the multifaceted history of American railways. It's no exaggeration to say that, in the nineteenth century, railroads completely remade the United States: geographically, economically, and-through the advent of standardized time zones-temporally. Though today their domination on transport and freight shipping has been superseded by automobiles and aviation, the railroad remains a vital piece of the nation's infrastructure and self-image. Drawing on the rich and diverse holdings of the John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, the St. Louis Mercantile Library, and select railroad historical organizations, Travelers, Tracks, and Tycoons showcases the profound changes the US railroad industry has wrought on the land and its people since the 1820s. The vast array of artifacts collected here includes early railroad prospectuses and reports, promotional materials from the country's first railroad projects, technical publications by engineers, ledgers from railroads like the New York Central, conductors' logbooks, and dispatchers' records. A wide assortment of plans, maps, and drawings presented alongside these materials helps illuminate the technological advancements brought about by the railroad industry, while posters, sheet music, and art show how trains quickly became an indelible part of the American social fabric. Published in conjunction with a 2022 Grolier Club exhibition, this book provides a multifaceted look at American railroads in all their locomotive glory.

HOW TO SELL TO AN IDIOT

Selling to customers looking to get the most bang for their buck is a difficult feat. The only customers tougher than hagglers are the ones so uninformed about what they are buying, they don't even realize when they are getting the deal of a lifetime.

In How to Sell to an Idiot, authors John Hoover and Bill Sparkman show you how to ignore your own inner idiot and start selling more by doing less of what doesn't work and more of what does. Along with a wealth of proven sales guidance and effective techniques, you'll learn how to: Use idiot-proof planning and preparation to make prospecting far more effective Use idiot-speak to connect with prospects and gather vital information that makes selling easy Spice up your sales pitch for faster closings and larger sales Wring referrals out of clients like water from a sponge And much more!

"Selling is an act of compassion. Sales professionals must believe that their products and services will improve the quality of their customers' lives. Hoover and Sparkman get that. Selling must also be fun--for the salesperson and the customer. How to Sell to an Idiot makes it clear that the first laugh of the day must be at ourselves."
--Roger P. DiSilvestro, former Chairman and CEO, Athlon Sports Publishing and coauthor of The Art of Constructive Confrontation

"How to Sell to an Idiot hits the bull's-eye. Great practical steps that will help anyone in sales reach the goal line. Truly a creative approach with fresh new ideas delivered with humor."
--Charles S. Dreyer, Director of Sales-Southern California Coastal Region, K. Hovnanian Homes, a Fortune 500 company

"How to Sell to an Idiot provides an entertainingand creative look at the formula for sales success. Insightful and fun, you'd have to be an idiot not to add this book to your resource library!"
--Chip Cummings, international speaker, marketing expert, and author of Stop Selling and Start Listening

"This animated business analogy is corny, outrageously unrealistic, and at times fiendishly clever. Much of the practical wisdom imbedded in it is right on target. . . . A good refresher course for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and others in management and leadership positions who may have become too set in the ways of doing things."--Cecil Johnson, "The Salt Lake Tribune
"At last, a fresh, new voice speaks out for organizational excellence in the free enterprise system. Who is this great leader who possesses the stature, the stamina, and the swagger to be called the consummate CEO? Step up, Bullwinkle J. Moose. And step up anyone seeking to reenergize a business or organization, big or small. In ten unforgettable episodes followed by easy to complete exercises, Bullwinkle reveals insightful, useful, and effective motivational secrets of a chief executive moose that can immediately be applied to real-life situations.
Bullwinkle and his better angel, Rocket J. "Rocky" Squirrel, are Chief Executive and Chief People Officer, respectively, of the Frostbite Falls Mitten Company. But Bullwinkle soon begins to believe his own press clippings and forgets who makes the business run and who the business exists to serve.
The antics of Bullwinkle's bungling and misguided management consultants, Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, only serve to propel the maladroit moose deeper into his own entropy. But Mr. Peabody and his adroit pupil, Sherman, use the WayBac Machine to monitor lessons learned from leaders throughout history. The Beagle and his adopted boy draw concise correlations to how Rocky helps his antlered friend learn that only enthusiastic people can energize an enterprise. By teaching Bullwinkle to unleash the collective wisdom, experience, and talent of his team members, Rocky transforms a moose with marginal managerial potential into a magni?cent motivator.
You won't want to miss a single episode of "Bullwinkle on Business."