Outskirts Press, INC.

The Inside Scoop on the Auto Industry

Robert “Blue” Bluestone started working at National Motors in 1964, when he was still in high school. At that time, The Plant was a city within a city, full of its own secrets, dangers, and rackets. Liquor was readily available from well-stocked bars (martini with olive, anyone?), gambling was a common occurrence, and prostitutes entertained their clients in the “All-American Room.” It was also a dangerous place to work, with many Plant Rats injured or killed, and it was a place where no one cared about racial differences. Black and white didn’t matter in this city—it was all about brotherhood. Blue had to quickly learn about the movers and shakers, who to cross and who not to cross, what to say and how to say it. But he caught on quickly and spent the next 40-plus years at The Plant. His witty and engaging book is the story of his life, with an insider’s view of the automotive industry as it evolved over the years.