In the Rings of Saturn

The Saturn Corp. was formed by General Motors in 1985 to build a quality American small car that could compete with the Japanese imports. Sherman ( The House at Shelborne Farms ) offers a step-by-step account of the progress of Saturn Corporation from its inception through the company's first two years of production. The most compelling sections deal with the widely publicized impact the building of the Saturn factory had on rural Maury County, Tenn., and on the town of Spring Hill in particular. Sherman covers fully how the people working at Saturn feel about what was supposed to be a company that would revolutionize American car manufacturing. This readable study is not for car nuts--although there is plenty of information about how the Saturn production process works--but rather for readers interested in the history of what so far seems a qualified modern-day industrial success story. While Saturn achieved many of its goals, its future within GM is uncertain and the company suffered a setback when approximately 380,000 cars were recalled this summer (the recall is not covered in the book). (Nov.)