The Book

In this candid memoir, A. Alfred Taubman explains how a dyslexic Jewish kid from Detroit grew up to be a billionaire retailing pioneer, an intimate of European aristocrats and Palm Beach socialites, a respected philanthropist and, at age 78, a federal prisoner.

With a unique blend of humor and genius, Taubman shows how selling fine art and antiques really isn't that different from marketing root beer or football, and offers penetrating insights into that quintessential palace of commerce, the luxury shopping mall. Alfred Taubman may not have invented the modern shopping center but, in the words of The New Yorker, "he perfected it".

"Identifying the barriers to a transaction and getting over them has become Mr. Taubman's trademark."
The New York Times Taubman's life has been a storybook success, with its share of unique challenges. A pioneer builder and innovative real estate developer, he was also a brilliant land speculator, operator of a quick-serve restaurant chain, and owner of a major department store company. But what seemed like the pinnacle of his career, buying and reinventing the venerable art auction house Sotheby's, would lead to his conviction in an international price fixing scandal.

Despite the twists and turns, Taubman's life and business philosophy can be summed up in one evocative phrase: Threshold Resistance. Understanding and defeating the force - breaking down the barriers between art and commerce, between shoppers and merchandise, between high culture and popular taste - has been his life's work.

Peek Inside

Reviews

Wall Street Journal | Tales of a Retailer: Doing Business With Conviction
by Alexandra Peers
Five years ago this month, at the age of 78, Detroit real-estate tycoon A. Alfred Taubman was sentenced to prison for a year and a day. In "Threshold Resistance," his slim but juicy memoir, he writes of walking into jail: "Most people have to think a moment before they can point to the worst moment of their lives. Not me." Mr. Taubman goes on to argue, not surprisingly, that he was framed. What is surprising is that he presents a better case than his lawyers did...
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Fox News | Taubman Sheds Light on Sotheby's Scandal
by David Runk
A. Alfred Taubman, ignoring all of his instincts, stayed silent during the price-fixing trial that would end with a prison sentence for the former owner of Sotheby's auction house.

It was a decision that the luxury mall developer and philanthropist sees as a critical mistake as he reflects on a career in retailing that began as a discount store salesman and eventually put him at the center of an art world scandal.
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Retail Traffic | Book Review: A Pioneer's Tale
Despite having no lack of colorful characters, the retail real estate industry has been shorted when it comes to business publishing. While you can find biographies of past banking tycoons, steel giants and research histories of numerous industries, the real estate section of any bookstore is typically dominated by “how to” books aimed at homebuyers...
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The Oakland Press | Taubman's book looks at success and prison
by Vaughn Gurganian
Born and raised in Pontiac to German Jewish immigrants, A. Alfred Taubman turned a $5,000 loan into a $579 million enterprise...
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Flooring the Consumer Blog | A. Alfred Taubman: Overcoming Threshold Resistance
The New York City Chapter of the Luxury Marketing Council held an event titled Overcoming Threshold Resistance: Luxury Retailing Pioneer Alfred Taubman Shares His Secrets to Getting Shoppers Over Your Threshold...
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Charlie Rose Interview | A conversation with Alfred Taubman
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Yule Heibel's Blog | An unusual book by an unusual individual: A. Alfred Taubman is a real estate developer (who has been accused of “malling” America); an art collector; former part-owner of Sotheby’s; a family guy; philanthropist; major booster of Detroit (Detroit!);... the list goes on. At times I wondered whether I’d like Taubman if I met him; other times I was sure I would...
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