In 2008, Trek Bikes co-founder Richard Burke passed away due to complications from heart surgery. Burke’s son John, current president of Trek, shares his memories of his dad in One Last Great Thing: A Story of a Father and a Son, a Story of a Life and a Legacy.
I picked up this book hoping to learn a bit about how Trek was started and how it became such a success in the bike industry. The first few chapters provide a great account of the company’s founding in 1976 and cover the explosive growth that followed in the 1980s and 1990s.
Ultimately, though, John Burke uses One Last Great Thing to codify his father’s life lessons and to ensure his legacy lives on. While he was alive, Richard Burke was a very generous man but rarely took credit for his giving and this book reveals some of his contributions over the years.
Parts of the book are very emotional and may be tough for some to read as it deals with the reality of life and death. But in the end, the lessons the reader gleans from Richard Burke’s life are overwhelmingly positive.
Thanks to publisher Simon and Schuster for providing this book for review.
