Bags to Riches
The Story of I. J. Wagner

Don Gale

6 x 9, 202 pp. Cloth $25.95
978-0-87480-885-8
Autobiography/Biography/Memoir

The life of I. J. “Izzi” Wagner mirrors the development of Salt Lake City during the twentieth century—from poverty and obscurity to affluence and prominence. Wagner was born in poverty, but through hard work, wise management, and good luck, he built a fortune. He also changed the city for the better—leading the movement to eliminate overhead signs on Main Street, opening the southwest quadrant to controlled industrial development, ridding the city center of railroad tracks, funding the Rose Wagner Center for Performing Arts, and using his substantial influence to promote tolerance.

His sense of humor was legendary. His tenacity in pursuit of goals was unwavering. His grasp of past, present, and future opportunities was profound. Bags to Riches shows the personal side of an “outsider” who became an “insider” through congeniality, good humor, and integrity.

Praises and Reviews
"After reading this biography,...you'll wonder why the city hasn't erected a statue in Wagner's honor. Because, as Gale argues persuasively, the story of Wagner's life and the history of 20th-century Salt Lake City are almost one and the same."
-Brandon Griggs, The Salt Lake Tribune

“When I was a young lawyer, I. J. Wagner became my mentor—a role he played for many in the community. The understanding, wisdom, and vision which he so freely shared were invaluable to me. I owe him much. I know others would echo that statement.”
—Louis H. Callister, past chairman, Callister, Nebeker & McCullough