How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (book)
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Books |
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: The Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune is a satirical work published in 1952 by Shepherd Mead. This book served as the foundation for the acclaimed 1961 musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which was subsequently turned into a film in 1967.
Description
Presented as a parody of a self-improvement guide, the book humorously critiques American corporate culture and office dynamics. Its subtitle reads "The Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune".
Inspiration
Mead’s own career at Benton & Bowles—where he advanced from a mail-room clerk in 1936 to vice president—informed the content of the book. He authored it during his leisure time, and it achieved best-seller status.
Musical adaptation
The 1961 Broadway production, adapted by Dr. Jacob Weinstock and Willie Gilbert with Abe Burrows as co-author and Frank Loesser composing the music, greatly elaborates on the book’s central themes. The storyline follows J. Pierrepont Finch, a window washer who swiftly ascends the corporate hierarchy, reflecting Mead’s satirical view of business advancement. The original cast included Robert Morse as Finch, Rudy Vallee portraying company president J.B. Biggley, and Charles Nelson Reilly as Bud Frump.
This show ran for 1,417 performances from 1961 to 1965, earning eight Tony Awards along with the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1962. The 1967 film adaptation featured Morse and Vallee reprising their roles, with Anthony 'Scooter' Teague playing Frump. Subsequent revivals took place in 1995 starring Matthew Broderick, in 2011 featuring Daniel Radcliffe, and in 2012 with Darren Criss followed by Nick Jonas until its closing in May of that year.
Classification
The Library of Congress categorizes the 1995 edition as non-fiction within the "business books" section, using subject headings such as "Success in business," "Management," and "Career development."
Editions
- Mead, Shepherd. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1952.
- London: Cedar Book, 1955 (reprint)
- New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995 and 2011 (reprints)