EDITORS: Photo available on request.

ANN ARBOR—At the beginning of the 20th century, cartoons often captured the events of the time allowing a population to cultivate its grasp of current affairs. And so it was with Henry Ford.

While many knew the exploits of Ford, they learned even more about the auto baron’s life from the myriad cartoons depicting him that appeared in newspapers and magazines. From his beginnings as a farm boy to his run for the presidency, cartoons helped create the myth of this complex and enterprising man.

With more than 100 illustrations, many of which have never been reprinted since their initial publication, “Drawing Conclusions on Henry Ford,” published by the University of Michigan Press, is the first and only volume of its kind. The cartoons illustrate the emergence of many of the popular myths surrounding Henry Ford, as seen and understood by the average citizen during the opening decades of the 20th century.

The reader can trace the evolving images of Ford from a time period when caricature images of public figures were a primary source of information about those persons. Sometimes funny, sometimes sharp and critical, these cartoons are entertaining in themselves. Viewed as a whole, they create a new view of the Henry Ford story.

This biographical history through cartoons was put together by Rudolph Alvarado, a freelance writer and museum consultant, and Sonya Alvarado, professor of English at Eastern Michigan University.

“Drawing Conclusions on Henry Ford” is available at bookstores in cloth at $47.50 or paper for $23.95. It is also available through the University of Michigan Press by calling (734) 764-4388.

Drawing Conclusions on Henry Ford