Book launch - 99 apt observations of Tomas Bata

The reader thus has a unique opportunity to get to know Tomáš Baťa through a lens other than a brilliant, timeless and visionary entrepreneur.

The novelty of the book offers the reader the opportunity to complete his own mosaic from which each individual picture of Tomáš Baťa is composed. It is not entirely possible to separate his entrepreneurial, national economic and political achievements from his personality. To move away from the notion of being exceptional and to perceive him as an ordinary man with errors and shortcomings, who sometimes regret his actions. The book of 99 apt observations, however, does not represent Tomáš Baťa only through stories but also photographs.

“Since Tomáš Baťa was not a very posing type of man, it is not easy to create a comprehensive collection of his photographs. There are only a few pictures of his personality that are representative in nature and not just moments. Even those photographs that we call snapshots are with Tomáš Baťa truly private. While working on the book, it was more difficult to create a set of photographs than a set of stories and observations, ”said Gabriela Končitíková, the author of the book.

The book introduces 99 short apt observations of Tomáš Baťa, which are set in the stories or memories of colleagues who have met Tomáš Baťa for some time.

The boss the colleagues appreciated

“The source of previously unpublished or lesser-known memories was mainly the archive of Dominik Čipera, one of Tomáš Baťa's closest collaborators. After the death of Tomas Bata, Dominik Cipera called on his first and oldest colleagues to write down their memories of working with the boss. A collection of letters was created containing rich information about how Tomas Bata behaved in everyday factory life and about the factory itself. Last but not least, we also drew on the memories of Josef Vaňhara and his unpublished book Tomáš Baťa close up II., ”Added Gabriela Končitíková.

The book is, by its concept, the second half of the recently published book novelty of the Tomáš Baťa Foundation - the successful confectioner of 99 sweet dots by Marie Baťová. Martin Jarolím, a member of the CREAM Group Board of Directors, first came up with the idea of ​​creating a duo of books that represent the legacy of Tomáš Baťa from a different perspective.

“I perceive Tomáš Baťa not only as a quick visionary, but mainly as a person who achieved success mainly due to his morally free qualities and good family background. This dimension of the Baťa legacy has not been published anywhere. I am glad that Gabriela put on both books in the Baťa region and today we can hold two beautiful books in our hands, full of human nature, mutual respect and great determination, ”said Martin Jarolím of CREAM.

"We not only stood at the birth of the idea, but also supported the publication of both books significantly, which we perceive as supporting the foundation and spreading the Baťa's view of life and business not only in the region but mainly beyond its borders," Martin Jarolím concluded.

The book will be officially presented on November 27 at 5 pm in Tomáš Baťa's villa. The ceremony will be attended by prominent Czech actor Pavel Rímský, who will give Tomáš Baťa his voice. The role of godfather of the book was accepted by the Zlín theater actor Gustav Řezníček, who played the role of Tomáš Baťa in the play Baťa Tomáš živý.