Perhaps most amazing is that while trying to grow his far-flung company by any means necessary, Turner would leave regularly to race his boats, eventually leading to a win in the America's Cup. And all of this while Turner was still in his 30s! As Turner says, he has energy to burn.
Call Me Ted also offers sidebar insights from a range of personal and professional contacts from throughout his life (including Bill Gates, Jane Fonda, and more), something I can't remember having seen in an autobiography before. These are fun to read, because Turner's take on his life and behavior can come across as somewhat low key, with only the occasional "maybe I behaved a little poorly that time" confession. His colleagues, on the other hand, regularly show up to say how crazy they thought he was, and give examples to prove it, including Turner crawling on the floor in a meeting, saying "Whose shoes do I have to kiss?"
While Turner's life story is amazing and inspiring in many ways, one aspect is a little disconcerting - how little time and attention he gave his family along the way. Married twice with five kids, Turner is a rare presence in their lives, between the business and the sailing. While he offers some regret about this, you don't get the feeling he would do it any differently if he had it to do over again. Maybe his kids (and former wives) don't hold it against him these days, but it's hardly a badge of honor. To his credit, Turner is at least honest about it.
So, while I wouldn't suggest emulating Ted Turner to the letter, if you want an entertaining story, as well as one that will inspire you to "go for it" in your own life, Call Me Ted is a great read.
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