Book Description

Fifty people never came home to Middletown, New Jersey after September 11th. Wall Street fathers, young Port Authority police, single working moms, the beloved coach of the championship girls traveling basketball team. Three toddlers in one church pre-school lost their daddies. Dozens of widows, young and beautiful girls in their 20s and 30s, some still nursing newborns, watched their dreams literally go up in smoke in that amphitheater of death across the river.

Gail Sheehy traveled to Middletown shortly after the disaster and began in-depth interviews with many of the bereaved.

Middletown, America was written as the year progressed, following parallel and intertwining stories of selected individuals and their families. A mother who was doubly bereft when she lost her only son as he tried to fill the shoes of her absentee husband; the sole survivor in an office of 67 people who escaped the 88th floor of Tower 2 seconds before the floor was decimated.

Here are the fire-fighters, rescue workers and front-line public health volunteers, now training to be soldiers in this new war.

Of equal importance, however, is the way these very real individuals dealt with this disaster and the trauma that followed. Middletown, America is also a story of recovery and of the ways people finally learn to deal with seemingly insurmountable grief and an incomprehensible physical and financial disaster.

... Read more

Reviews (15)

Dismayed by the nit-pickers
I finished reading this book around the same time the 9/11 Commission Report came out and am in awe of these women who, while still grieving and once considered "just housewives" to make the sure our country had ALL the facts and not just what the government or press wanted us to hear. That report is a result their preserverance and determination.

Tasteless, Misleading, A Waste of Time
With family and friends in NYC, as frequent visitors to the WTC, and most of all just as Americans, we too were devastated by 9/11. We had spent 3 hours with British friends there in August,on a beautiful clear day, perfect for countless photos. We recall they commented on how safe they felt because of the security procedures!!! Later, paying our respects at Ground Zero was necessary but painful beyond words. I thought Gail Sheehy's book would bring solace and comfort. But I soon found myself struggling to finish thinking it might get better. Don't bother. It doesn't. I was disgusted at her prying into (and psycho-analyzing!) private grief, early-on clearly from an elite-left perspective. It was disconnected, biased and just plain horrid.How unconscionable to publish this before the 9/11 report was done.The book deserves a minus star rating. I will never attempt to read Gail Sheehy again.

Creepy
A blatant partisan account by a creepy psychobabbler who injected herself into the lives of mourning 9/11 families for her personal gain. A societal parasite who should stop meddling in other people's lives.

Were there any "unmourned" spouses...?
I read Ms Sheehy's book and basically enjoyed her reporting.
Of course, I don't live in Northern New Jersey and so I didn't know about incorrect names of places and people that a reviewer from Rumson pointed out in another review of the book in this section.But, like her, the moment I find inconsistancies of fact in a non-fiction work, I begin to wonder about other facts, too...

However, what I was left with after reading Ms Sheehy's book was the reminder of arather tasteless joke by Joan Rivers about the men and women killed in the attacks of September 11th who were NOT mourned by their spouses as much as the those seemed to be in Ms Sheehy's reporting. Did Ms Sheehy not meet ANY one with a bad marriage who was secretly relieved when their spouse was killed?Did she meet them and not include any in her story?

I realize this is a niggling question, and probably in as bad taste as was Rivers' joke, but I'd like to have read about any ambivilance on the surviving spouses. Where ALL the marriages in this suburb as perfect as she portrays?

Just a small question. Other than that, the book was good reading.

Altogether terrible.
What a waste of time! This book is poorly written, redundant in the extreme, badly (if at all) edited, and replete with Sheehy's liberal bias. For example, all the Moslema/Arabs in Middletown are portrayed as victims of American bias--even when one of them repeats the canard about "2900 Jews staying home from work at WTC on 9/11." ... Read more

Book Description

Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl is among the most enduring documents of the twentieth century. Since its publication in 1947, Anne Frank's story has become familiar to millions all over the world, and remains a beloved and deeply admired testament to the indestructible nature of the human spirit.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

The Definitive Edition

Included in this Definitive Edition are diary entries previously omitted from the original, passages which reinforce the fact that Anne was first and foremost a teenage girl, not a remote and flawless symbol. She fretted over her emerging sexuality; often found herself in disagreement with the adults around her; and veered between the carefree nature of a child and the full-fledged sorrow of an adult living under extraordinary conditions and unbearable strain. Anne emerges more triumphantly and heart-breakingly human, more vulnerable, and more vital than ever.

Anne Frank and her family hid in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse for two years in an effort to escape the horrors of Nazi occupation. Only thirteen when her family went into the Secret Annex, she reveals her daily life as the world around them succumbed to the worst horror the modern world had seen, facing hunger, the threat of discovery and death, estrangement from the outside world, and above all, the boredom, the petty misunderstandings, and the frustrations of living in such confined quarters.

A timeless story rediscovered by each new generation, The Diary of a Young Girl stands without peer, and acclaimed actress Winona Ryder brings this unforgettable young woman to life in a stunning performance for listeners of all ages to cherish. ... Read more

Reviews (436)

The Diary of Anne Frank was a wonderful book.
I read the book, "The Diary of Anne Frank." I thought that it was not only a wonderful book, but it was very real. It is the captivating story of a young girl, told to her diary about her life, growing up under sone of the strangest, and saddest conditions. It was written in Holland in the early 1940's, during the anti-semetic movements of the Nazi party. Is is told from the innocent eyes of a child, forced to go into hiding to escape Nazi persecution. She lives under close quarters, with seven other people. I felt, because the book was so real, that I actually knew the characters in the book. I found myself relating to ideas that Anne had and things that she said. I think that everyone should read this book because is is an insight into life, love, and hate. I believe that this is a great book and could be enjoyed by anyone.

Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl
The book that I just finished reading is called Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl written by Anne Frank herself. It is one of the best book that I have ever read. It tells you about the life of a teenage girl who is trying to survive the awful times of the Holocaust while in hiding. Along with her, there are seven other people living in this hiding place. She learns how to cooporate with other people and how to live while all cooped up. The story takes place in Amsterdam and the hiding place is called the "Secret Annexe". There are two people who get them their food and take care of them. The end of this book is so heart-wrenching that it is unbelieveable. I would definately give this book nine stars out of ten. This book is so informative that is really makes you realize how fortunate we really are these days. It explains everything so well that you can't even believe that something this horrible could ever even happen. This book has definately made me think completely different in a good way and I hope that it will do the same for you.

Franco's Fabulous Book Review
Anne Frank, a 13 year-old, strong-willed, and courageous girl, is living in the Secret Annex during WWII to escape the Nazi regime. Anne, along with her family and close friends, are hiding from the Nazis because they are of the Jewish faith. Anne falls in love with Peter, a 15 year-old boy who is living with her in the Secret Annex. They become very close as they spend time in the attic trying to escape Peter's annoying mother. The group living in the Secret Annex has to be extremely careful. If they make too much noise, they have a chance of being caught. If they are caught, they will most likely be sent to a concentration camp. Any loud noise or movement could cost the eight tenants of the Secret Annex to die.
"Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" is an amazing book. It lets you realize how lucky we are to live in the world we live in today. The struggles that Anne and the group go through to live a "normal" life are nothing like anyone in today's world would be forced to go through. It allows people interested in WWII to gain information as to what is was like to live during the war.
"Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" is a must read. It is ver informative, yet allows the reader to learn about WWII in an interesting way. So, if you like WWII and are interested in learning what it was like to live back then, this book is for you. It is also a good piece of historical fiction. Pick it up today!

Julie Francolino

A diary that truly depicted War...
I earnestly almost cried after reading this book.I was 13,the same age as Anne's when she started writing her diary,whom she called "kitty".

For those who have no idea who Anne Frank is,she is a Jewish girl and the youngest of two girls.Her father was successful businessman...and the family led a happy and wonderful life after settling down in the bustling city of Amsterdam,that was until Adolf Hitler started the Nazis.The Nazis was an anti-Jew operation,where they would capture Jewish men and tortured them.The women and young and old were not let off either,many were sent to concentration camps,where living conditions there were so bad,many died of diseases rather than the slow torturings.

It was at this time that Mr Frank decided to go into hiding with his family.With some of his kind-hearted co-workers,they managed to perfect a secret hideout.Anne,her mother and sister Margot began moving into the hideout,which was located just behind the office.Joining them were the Van Dans (not sure if spelling is right)who had a son named Peter and a doctor.Life was very tough,for living behind the office with barely a bookshelf as a wall means not making loud noises.No one must know of their existense,so all everybody could do is to crept round their area softly,tip-toeing and even speaking in hush-whistle.

For almost 2 years,that's the life of Anne.A growing teenager,she could not go out to the streets to watch a movie,play with her friends or even talk to boys,for that means getting caught by the Nazis.It was also round this time that Anne had one true friend where she can confide everything to:kitty,her diary.

In her diary,she wrote of how talkative she was in class(she went to school before the hiding),how she hates her mother when the latter compared her to her sister Margot,how she detested Mrs Van Dam...and her deepest thoughts on growing up in a secret hideout.She also shared about her crush on Peter,who also liked her.

Anne,as we could see,was a normal girl,someone who detested writing,someone who likes a boy and someone who wants to grow up being an author.Well,you could say she is one now,with her diary published after the war, which was later translated to more than 50 languages and sold millions worldwide...but the young girl,unlike her diary,did not survived through the war,for she was captured from her hideout one fine day.Mrs Frank,Margot,the doctor,the Van Dams and Anne herself,all died.All except for Mr Frank himself,who survived...

By the way, a little unknown fact about her Anne:her real name is Annelies Marie Frank.

Anne Frank:The Diary of a Young Girl
The epic Adventure of Anne Frank, born in Germany Anne Frank spent two years of her life in Astonishing Circumstances. Anne faces adventure when the Nazis where murdering Jews. Anne, Mummy, Daddy, Mrs. Van Daan, Mr. Van Daan, and Peter. All hid in a secret passage in an old warehouse in Amsterdam. Anne and her diary explains of the fear of being discovered by the Nazis. Yet within it, a tender love story slowly unfolds-from her shy avoidances with peter to incessant glances and first kiss! Thus her diary is not a lament but a song to life, no matter the circumstances, no matter what the threats.
Great book for all ages, and you can't beat the low price. ... Read more

Book Description

Abridged, with an Introduction, by Bergen Evans, The Powell-Hill text ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Must buy. And read.
This book will redefine your concepts of biography, of philology and of intellect. However critically James Boswell is rated as a writer, the fact remains that his biography of Johnson remains the standard by which all others are judged, and by which they ultimately fall--flat on their condescending faces.

Who was Samuel Johnson? He was, in one sense, the first literary celebrity. His fabled dictionary of the English language was, a few years down the road, superceded and greatly improved upon by the dictionary written by Noah Webster. His tour of Scotland and the book that ensued from it hardly rank with the other literary giants of English. And his essays, indisputably brilliant, remain sadly that: forms of literature seldom read, and lacking the artistic force of the play, the novel, the poem.

What Boswell shows us about Johnson is that he was the sharpest conversationalist of his time in a society that cultivated the very finest of witty speakers. Living off the beneficence of friends, off a royally-provided pension, and leading what he readily acknowledged to be a life of idleness, Johnson was a sought-after personality invigorated by one of the brightest literary minds ever.

Boswell introduces the genius, his pathos, his melancholy, his piety, his warmth, and most of all his stinging wit. That he loved and respected Johnson, and sought to honor his memory, can only be doubted by an utter cynic or someone serving a lifetime of durance in academia.

"All intellectual improvement arises from leisure..." "You shall retain your superiority by my not knowing it." "Sir, they [Americans] are a parcel of convicts and ought to be thankful for anything we allow them short of hanging." "He was dull in a new way, and that made people think him great." "...it is our duty to maintain the subordination of civilized society..." "It is wonderful, when a calculation is made, how little the mind is actually employed in the discharge of any profession." Boswell: "...you are an idle set of people." Johnson: "Sir, we are a city of philosophers." "We should knock him down first, and pity him afterwards."

And best of all, and immortal to boot, is this: "No man but a blockhead writes, except for money."

Buy this book. Read it. It's humanity at its wittiest and most complex.

Great Book (Bad Edition)
Needless to say, Boswell's LIFE OF JOHNSON is one of the preeminent works of biography and should be read by anyone interested in Johnson or the genre. It is a great book (also great is W. Jackson Bate's SAMUEL JOHNSON [1st published 1975]which is a MUST for anyone interested in Johnson). But although I love the Everyman's Library, I do not recommend this edition of Boswell. Unlike the usual quality of the Everyman's Library, its Boswell is rife with typographical errors (there's even missing text!). Though it's the only edition of Boswell I've read, I regret that a correct edition is not on my bookshelf. That being said, if this is the only affordable hardcover version you can find -- and you buy only hardcovers -- go ahead and purchase the Everyman's despite the numerous and distracting errors.

An Epic Friendship
Charged with everything from homosexuality to hatred of his subject, Boswell gives us a great gift in this monumental work. What must be the greatest document of a friendship besides being a fine piece of biography and an important resource for social historians, The Life of Johnson should not be missed by any student of eighteenth-century English literature. Other than Johnson's literary opinions, you can learn about his days's thoughts on anxiety and religious doubts. So turn your TV off for a month and read a great book and become acquainted with some truly interesting and intellectual people.

Opens An Intellectual Window To 18th Century London
I chose the 1,000 or so page Wordsworth Classics paperback edition of The Life Of Johnson (ISBN 1 85326 797 x) and was very pleased I did. The book had a nice heft to it, and the print was large enough for a comfortable read. My only major beef with this edition is that Boswell's text is replete with quotations from a variety of languages including Latin, Greek, French, Italian and others, and very few of them are translated into English. Whether the editor assumed that the average modern reader is a polyglot, or was unable to provide the translations for some other reason, I feel deprived at not having had access to this portion of the book's material, particularly as the quotes are most often used to gild the lily of one of Johnson's witticisms. Nevertheless, the book rewards the diligent reader with a wealth of intellectual stimulation, and offers a fascinating look into the England of the period including: polite London society, Oxford University, and jaunts around the British and Scottish countryside. Johnson's somewhat eccentric life and personal habits are lovingly and affectionately relayed by his close friend Boswell, who somehow managed to preserve a vast amount of Johnson's conversation without the aid of a tape recorder. With everyday life as a backdrop, we see how Johnson, a self-described lazy man, managed to produce such an abundant literary legacy, not the least of which was his groundbreaking dictionary. I recommend this book highly to people with an interest in 18th century England, the literary society of the period, or who simply love a great biography.

nice but heavily abridged
I liked this but prefer the unabridged edition published by Oxford University Press (in their Oxford World's Classics series). If you're willing to read Boswell, spend a few dollars more for the OUP edition. ... Read more

Book Description

This book, the only biography ever authorized by a sitting President--yet written with complete interpretive freedom--is as revolutionary in method as it is formidable in scholarship. When Ronald Reagan moved into the White House in 1981, one of his first literary guests was Edmund Morris, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Theodore Roosevelt. Morris developed a fascination for the genial yet inscrutable President and, after Reagan's landslide reelection in 1984, put aside the second volume of his life of Roosevelt to become an observing eye and ear at the White House.

Coming and going with Reagan's benign approval ("I'm not going to ride up San Juan Hill for you"), Morris found the President to be a man of extraordinary power and mystery. Although the historic early achievements were plain to see--the restoration of American optimism and patriotism, a repowering of the national economy, a massive arms buildup deliberately forcing the "Evil Empire" of Soviet Communism to come to terms--nobody, let alone Reagan himself, could explain how he succeeded in shaping events to his will. And when Reagan's second term came to grips with some of the most fundamental moral issues of the late twentieth century--at Bitburg and Bergen-Belsen, at Geneva and Reykjavk,publicly outside the Brandenburg Gate ("Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"), and deep within the mother monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church,

Morris realized that he had taken on a subject of epic dimensions.

Thus began a long biographical pilgrimage to the heart of Ronald Reagan's mystery, beginning with his birth in 1911 in the heart of rural Illinois (where he is still remembered as "Dutch," the dreamy son of an alcoholic father and a fiercely religious mother) and progressing through the way stations of an amazingly varied career: young lifeguard (he saved seventy-seven lives), aspiring writer, ace sportscaster, film star, soldier,union leader, corporate spokesman, Governor, and President. Reagan granted Morris full access to his personal papers, including early autobiographical stories and a handwritten White House diary.

The pilgrimage climaxes in 1993, when, in a moment of aching poignancy, Morris escorts his aged and failing subject back up the stairs of his birthplace. "An odd, Dantesque reversal of roles had occurred, as if I were now the leader rather than the led."

During thirteen years of obsessive archival research and interviews with Reagan and his family, friends, admirers and enemies (the book's enormous dramatis personae includes such varied characters as Mikhail Gorbachev, Michelangelo Antonioni, Elie Wiesel, Mario Savio, Franois Mitterrand, Grant Wood, and Zippy the Pinhead), Morris lived what amounted to a doppelgnger life, studying the young "Dutch," the middle-aged "Ronnie," and the septuagenarian Chief Executive with a closeness and dispassion, not to mention alternations of amusement, horror,and amazed respect, unmatched by any other presidential biographer.

This almost Boswellian closeness led to a unique literary method whereby, in the earlier chapters of Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan,Morris's biographical mind becomes in effect another character in the narrative, recording long-ago events with the same eyewitness vividness (and absolute documentary fidelity) with which the author later describes the great dramas of Reagan's presidency, and the tragedy of a noble life now darkened by dementia.

"I quite understand," the author has remarked, "that readers will have to adjust, at first, to what amounts to a new biographical style. But the revelations of this style, which derive directly from Ronald Reagan's own way of looking at his life, are I think rewarding enough to convince them that one of the most interesting characters in recent American history looms here like a colossus."

Quotes from the back cover:

"So what did he see that night in the mirror of the Washington Hilton Hotel holding room, just before he turned to face his family and clicked his newly presidential heels? More to the point, what did the mirror see?

"A man just about to turn seventy, one inch taller than six feet, weighing about a hundred and eighty-five pounds stripped, broad as a surfboard and almost as hard, superbly balanced, glowing with health and handsome enough for a second career in the movies. Hair so dense and fine as to amount to a Marvel Comics helmet, slicked with Brylcreem and water to a blue-black sheen, diffusing any hint of gray. Teeth white, gums like a boy's dentists even praise the clarity of his saliva), breath sweet, fingernails naturally shiny, unribbed, lucent as seashells. No fidgety mannerisms; an air of always being comfortable in his clothes. Rather fewer wrinkles, especially about the jowl, than photographers remember seeing a few years ago. Absolutely no makeup--just a clear and sanguineous complexion that blushes the moment he sips alcohol, or fears a woman has overheard one of his ribald jokes." ... Read more

Reviews (279)

Pathetic as History....Poor as Biography!
Morris' literary technique is particularly maddening in the first half of the book (the years when Morris wasn't around and pretends he and other fictional characters were). Much of the information and characterization he intends to convey through this literary device could have been conveyed through the more traditional biographical narrative. In other areas his style is choppy and many ideas are left undeveloped. Events are often left hanging with no conclusion or evaluation. One would expect much better from a historian....Morris is really a disappointment. There is virtually no mention of Reagan's time as governor in California or his network of friends in high places from his California past. The coverage of Reagan's management (or lack of) and infighting within his presidential administration is almost non-existent. There are plenty of memoirs out there from people who worked with Reagan in Washington and Morris has no excuse for this lack of detail. For much keener insights, one should go to works by George Shultz or Frances Fitgerald's "Way Out There in the Blue."

The strength of the book is the portrayal of some of Reagan's personality quirks during the presidential years, the period when Morris was present to witness many of the president's actions and his interactions with those around him. A great deal of first hand information is presented that presents a rather frightening picture at times. Mr. Morris portrays Ronald Reagan with serious flaws, but in the end, admires him...although he has trouble convincing the reader exactly why.

I cannot, in all honesty, say that this book is not worth a try, but it is a big disappointment and clearly much better biographies will be forthcoming.

Flawed approach, but engrossing reading
In the interest of full disclosure, let me say up front that I was a Reagan supporter from his bid against Gerald Ford in 1976 through his presidency. Unlike many of my fellow Reaganites, however, I basically liked this book -- with a caveat.

Edmund Morris' biography of Ronald Reagan is a mixed bag. First, to the controversial "device" employs: His use of fictional characters in a biography. Morris uses these characters (primarily a fictionalized, 30-year older version himself, and a fictional lifelong friend, Paul Rae) to tell Reagan's story from a "we-were-there" perspective. This "device" is used extensively in the narrative of Reagan's childhood through his waning days as a Hollywood heavyweight, as we see the characters coming in peripheral and, occasionally, direct contact with "Dutch." Morris and his publishers aruge that htis is a bold experiment in biographical writing. Not really. It's historical fiction with footnotes.

And footnotes abound. Fully 200 pages of extensive notes (many culled from the author's abundant interviews with Reagan during his presidency and afterward) add considerable heft to the 600+ pages of narrative. Thankfully, the literary "device" mentioned above is not extended to Reagan. Every word he utters in "Dutch" is documented.

Morris' writing is superb. His style in "Dutch" reminded me somewhat of Don DeLilo (see "Libra" and "Underground"), making "Dutch" an engrossing read. In Morris' book, you see not only the historical Reagan, but to the extent it can be done in black and white, you "feel" Dutch in all his complexities, shades and hues.

The bottom line is, Morris did not need to employ fictional devices to tell Ronald Reagan's story. The fictional characters were sometimes annoying and often distracting. But putting them aside, you have a vibrant and sometimes critical portrait of a towering personality.

A disgrace, and a waste: A terrible book, great president
This book is unbelievably bad. The truly sad thing, however, is that Morris had a unique access to Reagan just before he became seriously ill. That is a missed opportunity that will never be repeated. What is stunning is the insistence of the writer that he is more imortant than the subject, and his weird mix of fiction, biography and anecdote. It flops completely - I have perhaps never felt this way about a book before. There are a few reviews here that talk about the book being honest - in fact, it is profoundly dishonest in its mix of truth and lies.

Ronald Reagan was a larger-than-life president who transformed the world. His economic and plitical and dilpomatic legacy lives on. His integrity and vision honesty and honor inspired millions. This book might have captured some of that - or at least tried. Instead, the author creates a book that is not even non-fiction. A disgrace.

A Man Who Likes the Sound of His Own Voice
I was challenged by a friend of mine, that if I really appreciated Ronald Reagan, I would have to prove it by wading through what is arguably the worst book on Reagan. I have to say that he was right. I am about half-way through, and I doubt that I'll be able to finish. It's like being cornered by the most boring person at a party, who likes the sound of his own voice--regardless of whether he is saying anything interesting or not. The way that he has hijacked a biography on Reagan, and placed his own history like a leach on the primary story, leaves me gasping for air. This is only surpassed by his repetitive and abusive use of foreign clichés, as if he was looking down his nose at the poor, illiterate peasant who has scraped together enough money to pay homage to Lord Morris by purchasing his magnificent tome. Save your money, and read a good biography on Reagan instead. Even for free, it's not worth the price.

Interesting, worthwhile, a elegant failure worth reading.
Edmund Morris's book is an unusual book. In short, I found it interesting, worthwhile and well documented.

Mr. Morris is apparently the first biographer writer ever to be assigned the task of writing about a sitting President in American history with the approval and access to the POTUS himself while in office.

First, my criticisms: Mr. Morris, despite unprecedented access to POTUS Reagan, was unable to get inside the man. Mr. Reagan was not an introspective person apparently. Although he was a gifted writer, Reagan was not possessed by great philosophical fervent. Simply, he believed what he believed. And, let's face it, his own children and advisers never go to know the entire men either!!! Thus, Mr. Morris was left with the choice of inserting fictional characters into the book as a sort of doppelganger device to move the narrative along. These characters observe Reagan during his college days, and go on through his presidency. An interesting choice, to say the least.

Does this device work? To a certain extent, yes. The device allows Morris to explain Reagan in an interesting manner. However, it becomes irritating because as fictional character, Morris must breathe life into people, whether based on real life people (for example Morris's own relatives) or not. At first, it is unintelligible to understand what is occurring. I asked myself many times whether Morris had lost his mind. By 150 pages into the book, I began to think Morris was some kind of genius. After all the insertion of the characters allows Morris to explore themes occurring in America that Reagan was either immune from, or unable to explain himself. Also, it allows Morris to explain things about Reagan that may not have worked in a conventional biography. For example, Morris uses people to explore the counter-establishment movement of the 1960's, the years of Reagan in Hollywood, and than Morris discusses himself during Reagan's presidency itself, and his reactions to some the key moments. While there is a correct viewpoint to arguing that Morris violates the wall of separation between scribe and subject, Morris was there, he saw these events and can react to them as an actor in the vast drama.

Morris also uses mock film scripts to play out scenes. A writer and another character mock Reagan in Hollywood and his films. It is a worthwhile device that gets muddled at times, irrelevant at other moments, and altogether weird at further moments.

Another criticism is how the book seems to gloss over periods of Reagan's life. Most of the book is about how Reagan came to the presidency itself, not the events of his presidency in a blow-by-blow account. This is both irritating and interesting, as Morris apparently seems to hint that Reagan the president was formed by his previous experience, and that the best clues about the man are his formative years, not the moments we all associate with Reagan, such as the Bitburg 'fiasco,' Normandy - 'The Boys of Pont du Hoc,' the Soviet summits, and the like.

To me the worst part of this book is the intellectual tripe Morris uses. As a writer myself, I have learned that the quickest way to turn off an audience is to insult them, talk above them, and to utilize foreign languages. Here Morris constantly uses French that is beyond my comprehension. I think Morris has a point to this, perhaps, but his use of the device is profoundly aggravating!

Also, I will say that Morris does use language that many readers of the book will find offensive considering that Reagan himself rarely used profanity.

The positive: The book is very well documented. The footnotes are very well-done. Morris is an excellent writer (who came the Reagan's attention for Morris' Pulitzer Prize winning biography of T. Roosevelt). After about a hundred pages, I found myself transfixed by this book. Reagan comes across as a greater man and leader than I had previously thought. Unfortunately, I think many critics of the book haven't read it at all.

Morris' Reagan is a great man.. Morris clearly respects Reagan. In fact, I think the point about the use of the fictional characters (who are always seeming to mock Reagan) is to make the point that intellectuals could never understand Reagan and his success in connecting with the American people. He mocks Reagan to make the point (in my opinion) not that Reagan was a 'simpleton,' and a non-intellectual, but a great man and an overwhelmingly successful POTUS. Morris seems to make the point that the intellectual sneering about Reagan contradict what Reagan actually accomplished in most aspects of his life.

Morris does not demean POTUS Reagan, but rather through the use of his device, makes Reagan more interesting and human. I understand Reagan's reasons for going to Bitburg, with its small SS troop plots, the reason Reagan believed so fervently that he witnessed the horrible uncovering of the Nazi war crimes in the concentration camps, and the impact of Reagan's belief system as devolved from his early religious education. (whether SDI or the 'shining city on the hill.') Morris has some keen insights here. I also liked the linking of Reagan the lifeguard on the Rock River (77 rescues, thank you) and President Reagan the 'Cold War warrior.'

Don't look here for the definitive biography of Ronald Reagan. It isn't here. However, this is a worthwhile and important book.

I think some of the other 'critics' here are motivated by blind worship of an undoubtedly important and great man and refuse to see flaws of the man or the worth of this book. Others, simply don't understand Morris' motivation for inserting fictional elements into this book as a literary device. While unsettling, it has a certain point.

Read the book with a critical eye, accept the flaws and admire what Morris has wrought: an elegant failure. Not all failure is absolute; here it is a failure of aspiration, not of scholarship. ... Read more

Book Description

Set in the cruel years of Hungary's Nazi occupation and subsequent Communist regime, SWIMMING ACROSS is the stunning childhood memoir of one of the leading thinkers of our time, the legendary Intel chairman.

The story of Andris Grof-later to become Andy Grove-begins in the 1930s, on the banks of the Danube. Here, in Budapest, young Andris lives a middle-class existence with his secular Jewish parents. But he and his family will be faced with a host of staggering obstacles. After Andris nearly loses his life to scarlet fever at the age of four, his family is forced to deal with the Nazi occupation of Hungary. Fleeing the Germans, Andris and his mother find refuge with a Christian family in the outskirts of Budapest and then hide in cellars from Russian bombs. After the nightmare of war ends, the family rebuilds its business and its life, only to face a new trial with a succession of repressive Communist governments.

In June 1956, the popular Hungarian uprising is put down at gunpoint. Soviet troops occupy Budapest and randomly round up young people. Two hundred thousand Hungarians follow a tortuous route to escape to the West. Among them is the author...

Combining a child's sense of wonder with an engineer's passion for detail, Grove re-creates a Europe that has since disappeared. From the Nazis' youthful victims innocently exulting in a "put the Jews in the ghetto" game...to a May Day march through Budapest under the blaring strains of prerecorded cheers...to the almost surreal scenes of young escapees securing the help of a hunchbacked peasant and his fantastically beautiful, colorfully costumed wife, he paints a vividand suspenseful, personal and cultural portrait.

Within these pages, an authentic American hero reveals his origins in a very different place during a very different time. He explores the ways in which persecution and struggle, as well as kinship and courage, shaped his life.It is a story of survival-and triumph. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The Antidote for CEO Excess
Consider this book your antidote for all the recent tales of CEO excess and duplicity. Andy Grove's story of his first 20 years in Hungary and New York City tells us how the events of World War II and the Hungarian Revolution shaped the integrity and inner drive of one man.

The story is compelling in its own right. But to read the story of Andras Grof and realize that this boy and his distant childhood turned into Andrew S. Grove...well, it's a journey of unfathomable proportions.

To his credit, Grove never oversells the story. He is quite forthright about his role in the Revolution - he was simply a bystander. Fellow Hungarians have read his story and lauded him for his accuracy and honesty.

Grove's writing style is sparse and direct. He recalls events with clarity and without extensive interpretation. He gives credit to a couple of editors who helped shape the story, most notably Norman Pearlstine of Time. But this is no ghost-written CEO treatise. These are obviously his words.

Some will read "Swimming Across" and conclude that it is a statement about the triumph of the American system. Grove notes near the end of the book "I've continued to be amazed by the fact that as I progressed through school and my career, no one has ever resented my success on account of my being an immigrant."

While there's an element of that, I think you'll see it more as a simple but brilliant testament to the Power of One Man.

Long live Andy Grove.

Life under communism as preparation for corporate success
Andrew Grove was a founder of Intel Corporation and is the company's CEO today. His memoir tells the story of his childhood and early college years in Hungary. Grove survived World War II and emigrated to the United States following the Revolution.
Andrew's parents seem remarkably strong. His family enjoyed a comfortable life as owners of a dairy business. His father survived, improbably, a stint in a prison camp during World War II and later saw the business dissolve into state ownership. His mother's spirit kept him alive during the War.

Both parents worked hard but gave Andrew what we would call "quality time." Even when money was tight, he had English and music lessons.

After reading so many stories of growing-up-in-wartime-Europe, I was surprised to find myself drawn into the story. I wanted to keep reading and actually wish the book had continued into Andrew's early years.

What works is Grove's straightforward, matter-of-fact style. He conveys a sense of, "I did what had to be done," with no time wasted on emotional fallout. As a result, his story can seem cold.

For instance, when escaping from the Austrian countryside to Vienna, Grove and his boyhood friend decide to leave early to avoid "procedures" of the local gendarmes. They do not awaken the two girls who traveled with them from Hungary, and these girls are never mentioned again. Indeed, the only women Grove mentions are his mother, his occasional dates and -- in two sentences -- his wife and daughters.

Apart from the compelling narrative, Grove's book shows how qualities of a future CEO emerge in childhood. Grove continually sought to learn and grow. At one point he even signed up for singing lessons. He had a clear sense of what he wanted and seemed to take for granted his success in school, particularly his talent for chemistry. Ironically, surviving in a Communist society turned out to be excellent preparation for capitalist corporate life. Both, for example, punish those who speak too freely.

Grove's teachers predicted his success. The book's title comes from a teacher's prediction that Grove would "swim across" the river out of Hungary to success. Grove did swim across, and eventually he was able to fly.

Read this book or the content, not for literary strength
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Grove some time back. He's an intelligent man, with a powerful persona and strong sense of character.

I was surprised then, when I picked up the text. Swimming Across did not meet my expectations from a literary perspective. The presentation is very simply written and seems to be directed at an individual with a 6th or 7th grade reading level. I nearly put the book down and opted for another as a result.

The story however, is compelling. Mr. Grof and his family found a way to survive, compete, and eventually excel despite very long odds in Nazi and Communist dominated Hungary.

Read this story for its content (it is stirring). Read this to understand the character development of a leader. It is likely that your respect for the individual (like mine) will have grown.

This Book is Humbling
I gave the book four stars because I thought that is what it deserves as a piece of literature. But of course his "story" is five stars. That goes without saying. He is the second best known computer guy after Bill Gates and a modern Horatio Alger.

Here is a person that leads by example. He has shown to have as superior intelligence and combined that with hard work, and outstanding communication and leadership skills. Obviously there are elements of luck in his success in computers and being at the right place - Intel - at the right time, but it is possible that if he had entered another field he still might be just as well known.

An awe inspiring and humbling story of an immigrant to America.

Jack in Toronto.

Stays with you
I loved this clear, accessible memoir about a boy (and later young man) who grows up in Hungary during the WWII and Revolution years, escapes to the West and comes to the United States to start a new life. I'm biased because my father is from Hungary and is of the exact same generation; he even had experiences similar to Mr. Grove's, going to preparatory high school, university, getting caught up in the Hungarian Revolution and escaping in the middle of the night to Austria. How wonderful to have some of the history and experiences of the times described in such an accessible way. The story is clear and straightforward and yet extremely moving, almost haunting. I loved how the title becomes clear when you read the book (an allusion to swimming across the lake of life and how not everyone makes it to the other side). How glad I am that Mr. Grove made it (across the Atlantic, at any rate) and wrote such a lovely book. It means a lot to at least one daughter of a Hungarian immigrant. ... Read more

Book Description

Candid, moving and insightful, Nancy is the most personal look at Nancy Davis Reagan ever published

Nancy Davis Reagan has led an extraordinary life; it has also been an extraordinarily private one. Now Mike Deaver, whose relationship with Mrs. Reagan dates back to the1960s, shares the side of Nancy that only her intimates know.

The woman portrayed in Nancy is far more complicated than the stereotype. No cardboard cutout, she is pure flesh and blood, a woman of immense will and fortitude. And in the Reagans' fifty-year marriage, Ron always received top billing. She is convinced that her husband was one of the great men of the twentieth century -- a rare world leader who changed the tide of history. Nancy has been no bit player in the story. Deaver believes that Reagan would not have risen to such distinction without Nancy at his side.

Reluctantly drawn into politics, Nancy gradually embraced her role. To the president, Nancy Reagan would bring discipline. She would ask the tough questions. When his image might be tainted, she would fervently guard it, even at the expense of her own.

To Ronald Reagan the man, who always had trouble expressing intimacy, Nancy gave the gift of her unrestricted love. Now to a man no longer capable of looking after himself, Nancy is everything there is left to be: caretaker, guardian, nurturer of the Reagan legacy.

Reviews (5)

A Touching Love Story
Mike Deaver was able to explain the relationship that Nancy and Ronald Reagan had from an insiders view. So little was ever written about the private side of Nancy Reagan, and he captures some of those moments very well. It was a pleasure to read also about their relationship then and even now. The public knew that they stood by each other no matter what, but I think Mike took care of both of them. He was as concerned about the President as he was the First Lady. I'm so glad to have read this book about a truly beautiful married couple, written by someone who has known them for 30 some years.

She Stood By Her Man!
Although too young to vote for him in either election Ronald Reagon was one of the best presidents this nation ever had. The book "Nancy" opened my eyes in so many ways. No matter what she was always right by his side every step of the way! They had the kind of marriage and relationship that was and still is an example to us all. I remember it like it was yesterday....the day Ronald Reagon almost left us due to John Hinkley's bullet. This book shows just how much she loved the man and would do anything for her and he for her. I thank God for people like Ronald and Nancy Reagon. Although the book is called "Nancy" you'll learn quite a bit about the "gipper" as well!

Should be autobiography of Michael Deaver
If I wanted to read a biography about Michael Deaver I would have bought his autobiography. Extremely full of himself and his feelings, accomplishments, etc.... I felt it seriously lacked the biography part for Nancy. Although occassionally he would throw something in about her. I was very disappointed.

The best portrait of Nancy Reagan in print
If you want to understand a president--and Ronald Reagan is a president worth understanding--you have to know something about the people really close to him. Including his wife, his First Lady. And long-time aide Michael Deaver.

From the time Deaver went to work for Reagan in 1966--when Reagan stunned the political world with his election as governor of California--one of Deaver's major duties, in connection with overseeing Reagan's schedule, was liaison with Nancy Reagan. It was a task that terrified most of the staff.

When Reagan's two terms as governor ended, Deaver and Peter Hannaford created a public relations firm with Ronald Reagan as their main client, travelling with him (and Nancy) around the country from 1975 through his election to the presidency in 1980. Again Deaver was Nancy's major contact and confidante, as he was in the White House.

Michael Deaver knows Nancy Reagan better, perhaps, than anyone. He knows things no one else knows, and in this book he provides the best portrait we yet have of the challenges she has faced as the wife of Ronald Reagan during his political career--and afterward--and how she dealt with these challenges.

It is a portrait far different from the impression many people probably have. And, true to his public relations skills, Deaver tells it all through stories about people and events, including all the difficult ones--the governor's mansion, the clothes, the ranch, the shooting, astrology, the long good-bye.

Deaver does less footnoting (in fact, none at all) than most authors, and there's no index. But it's a good read and has its own importance as a memoir of Deaver's long association with the Reagans.

A Lovely Portrait
The life of Nancy Reagan through the eyes of someone so well acquainted with her life through the last 25 plus years is a touching tribute to one of America's foremost First Ladys.

From her life at the side of Ronald Reagan to her contribution in public to things she was passionate about, like the Just Say No Foundation, Deaver discusses what drove Nancy Reagan and the effect she had on our President and our society overall.

Touching were the stories of the love the Reagans have for each other and the infective nature that their love and joy together had on Deaver and those around them. To think that the President missed his wife so when she travelled.

This is an important book at important time for the Reagan family. As one of the great Presidents of our time is close to end of his life, this is a fitting tribute to his loving wife whose life is an example to us all of what we can do for our family, for our nation and for our world. ... Read more

Book Description

On My Own at 107ÿ is Sarah "Sadie" Delaney's tribute to Bessie, her beloved younger sister and century-long companion, who died on September 25, 1995, at age 104.Just four years earlier, Bessie and Sadie, along with former New York Timesÿ reporter Amy Hill Hearth, co-wrote the bestselling Having Our Say,ÿ which told the story of the sisters' remarkable lives as witnesses to a century. Here, Sadie reflects on the first year following Bessie's death. Kirkus Reviewsÿ called the book "a bracing reminder that life, a rare gift, must be savored in the living." ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A celebration of a remarkable partnership
"On My Own at 107: Reflections on Life without Bessie" is by Sarah L. Delany with Amy Hill Hearth. Their text is accompanied by illustrations by Brian M. Kotzky. This book contains the reflections of 107-year old Sarah "Sadie" Delany after the death of her sister and lifetime companion Bessie at the age of 104.

A foreword by coauthor Hearth discusses the lives of these two extraordinary African-American women and the success of their book "Having Our Say," published in 1993 and adapted as a Broadway play. Bessie was a pioneering dentist, and Sadie a teacher; remaining unmarried, the two enjoyed a lifetime partnership that lasted over a century.

The main body of the text is divided into four parts, each with an introductory section by a 3rd person narrator. But the bulk of the text consists of Sadie's first-person reflections. Interspersed throughout the text are Kotzky's beautiful full color illustrations of the many flowers that longtime gardener Bessie loved: crocuses, tulips, rhododendrons, coral bells, etc.

This is a wonderful book about family, faith, growing old with grace, and surviving the death of one's life partner. Sadie's voice is wonderfully moving and sometimes funny. Ultimately the book celebrates the cycles of life.

This book is a touching tribute to Bessie Delany and a celebration of the enduring partnership she shared with her sister. Early in the book Sadie declares, "Why, I have been so blessed in my life!" Likewise are we readers blessed with this beautiful book. Recommended especially for those with an interest in women's studies, African-American studies, flower gardening, and issues related to the elderly.

an amazingly postitive look at life
i think this book would be a wonderful source of comfort for ANYONE who has lost a partner or loved one...it is so 'upbeat' and positive that it would help the survivor cope with loss. it is delightfully written and offers a perspective from 107 years of life that most of us will not achieve! i am giving this book to friends who need comfort and a new perspective on continuing with their lives.

A special book
How difficult it must have been for Sadie to live without Bessie after having her companionship for over 100 years. As someone who has lost many people in my life, I truly admire the strength of this woman. She was and is a true inspiration. You won't regret buying this book.

inspiring
The lives of the Delany sisters was made up of the stuff that made and kept African Americans strong...family.

Queen Bessie!
Bessie was my favorite sister. She had so much fire and flare. I'll miss her. This book really allows people that have lost someone to understand that a relationships still exists even though a person isn't physically here. Sadie has pictures of Bessie's favorite flowers from her garden on every other page. It is the best tribute to a person's life that I have ever read or seen. This book proves that it is the simple moments of compassion that make a life so great! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

God Save The Queen!
Knowing little about Queen Victoria, I was looking for a good biography. In "Queen Victoria" I hit the jackpot! This book strikes just the right balance between revealing the life of the private woman, wife, widow and mother and the Queen of her people, while giving the reader an insight into the public affairs of her time.

Victoria's life can be divided into four segments. The first is her youth during which she grew up with her mother after the death of her father. During this segment of her life, she was protected by her mother to the intense irritation of her uncle, King William IV. During this period, Victoria and her mother enjoyed a close relationship which was to terminate after Victoria's accession to the throne..

The second era of her life can be described as the Albert era. Although I greatly enjoyed the TV movie, "Victoria and Albert", I understood it much more after this movie. Albert, Victoria's first cousin and consort, is the one who really emerges as the star of the book. Although reluctant to marry Victoria, she clearly fell head over heels for him. After their wedding, Albert became Victoria's trusted confident and advisor, to the point of becoming the defacto monarch. Always "The Foreigner", Albert won the trust and admiration of British politicians, industrialists, commercial and social leaders. In domestic relations, Albert helped bring about a reconcillation between Victoria and her mother. As a businessman who reorganized Victoria's estates to multiply their return or a statesman molding Britain's foreign policy, Albert was superb. An example of the importance of his influence is found in his last diplomatic intervention during the Trent Affair. The Trent Affair was an incident in which the Trent, a British flag vessel, was stopped and searched by a ship of the United States Navy, which removed two Confederate agents. An incendiary protest was toned down by Albert to one which would lead to a peaceful solution, rather than to war. If Albert had died a month earlier, the United States may have either lost the South or won Canada.

The third segment of Victoria's life is her tragic widowhood. Totally dependent on Albert during his life, Victoria was devastated by his death. For years thereafter she almost totally withdrew from her royal duties, despite the efforts of her ministers to lure her back into public life.

During the fourth segment of her life, Victoria returned to public life as the mother of her country and grandmother of Europe. Emerging to the adulation of her people, Victoria resumed her rides through London, her tours of the Kingdom and the entertainment of her royal relations. During this period a major portion of her diplomacy was involved with her irritating grandson, Kaiser Wilhelm II.

This book certainly portrays Victoria as a Queen unlike those with which we are familiar. Not mere figureheads, Victoria and Albert were actively involved in public affairs. Among their surprising topics were dynastic relations and stipends for her children.

In this book we also get a glimpse at some of the political figures who Victoria loved and hated.

All things considered, this book is an excellent introduction to a most unique lady. ... Read more

Book Description

At age 87, Gloria Stuart became the oldest actor ever nominated for an Academy Award. Now, cowritten with her daughter Sylvia Thompson, comes her rich, candid, anecdotal memoir offering a panoramic view of old Hollywood and its personalities. Detailing her own inspiring history, she tells how she began her career back in the 1930s as a character actress. She fondly recalls her days as a political activist, and at roughly the same time, the role she played as one of the founders of the Screen Actors Guild and the Hollywood Anti-Fascist Committee. Over her extraordinary long career, Stuart has seen it all and known just about everyone there has been to know, and at long last, shares her nostalgic story here. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Hollywood Dish
I enjoyed this autobiography of one of the Classic Stars of Hollywood mainly because, although she didn't spend too much time discussing the Hollywood years in depth, she did tell a very interesting story of world travels and personal interests and hobbies that I found worth reading. Also, it seems that just when life seemed to be at a low ebb for her, along came a new experience that booted her back up again and that is called survival. In her own words, she refers to her youthful self as a Dish and I certainly agree. However, I think she still makes quite a striking Dish today. This is a fun read that all can enjoy.

Pitiful book
This has got to be just about THE WORST biography I've ever read.'I just kept hoping' it would get better, but no such luck.Sheeesh...apparently all this woman did during her lifetime was practice 'free love', get drunk, give silly dinner parties, spend money like she had some, half-assed took care of her kid, and complained about not getting great roles as an 'actress.'Well, maybe she never got the plum parts because she presented herself as a self-indulgent, egocentric, vain, petty, talentless ... Broads like her were a dime a dozen. I would hope that if I were fortunate to live such a long life as Ms. Stuart, I would be able to talk about SOMETHING worthwhile that I had done for someone other than myself.When I didn't know anything about her, I wished she had won that oscar.Now that I have read this piece of trash I praise Kim Basinger for beating out the old hag on oscar night.To me, Ms. Stuart came off as an extremely superficial, frivolous, none too bright, diva-wannabe from her beginning to the present day.

Weakest "Hollywood" Bio. in Many Moons
Gloria Stuart's name was known only to cinema afficiandos-mostly for her appearances in The Old Dark House, The Invisible Man & two John Ford 1930s films-until she was cast as the older Rose in the1997 film,Titanic.This provided anopportunity for her to join the ever-growingranks of Hollywood memoir-writers.Her book is one of the weakest of itskind in many years. Much of the reaction to the book has focused on herpassing mention that she enjoys masturbating, as if that were eitherstartling or egregiously evil.More pertinent to most prospective readersis the fact that the book contains little of substance.It is padded withsuch details as menus for dinner parties & the names of celebrities inthe same night club (not necessarily the same table) asMs. Stuart.Thereis almost nothing about the details of any of her films or their making; analleged filmographyprovides dubious classifications of many of them. There are also factual errors-for example, George Stevens did not win anacademy award for directing Alice Adams & the statement that Hollywoodwas not affected by the Great Depression is one of the all-time howlers. The book, in many ways seems to be one long whine-poor Gloria never gotroles that would have made her famous until Titanic.This reader was leftwith the impression that the roles were not there for her because moretalented people got them.It is generally gratifying to see success cometo a veteran player.Unfortunately, this book does nothing to make onebelieve that it was particularly justified in this case.

o.k biography
I found Gloria's biography to be a pleasant way to spend a few hours.Not great,but fairly interesting look at a forgotten movie star of the 1930's.Frankly,I was hoping she would provide more detail about two classichorror films she made in the 30's,"The old DarkHouse"&"The Invisible Man",but then again,it 's probablyhard to come up with amusing anecdotes about movies she made nearly 70years ago!I wasn't bothered at all by details of her sex life.Some peopleare probably just shocked to learn that people actually had sex in the1930's!

Refreshingly Honest!
At last a biography that is honest and to the point and doesn't whitewash anything. Those fans who spend their lives watching old movies in their basement and are shocked that their heroes and heroines ever had sex or alife off the screen will no doubt condemn it, but Gloria Stuart's integrityshines like a beacon! Brava! ... Read more

Book Description

Six years in the making--with unprecedented access to Nancy Reagan and the couples closest friends--here is the first volume in the definitive portrait of the remarkable, career-building partnership between Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis. Celebrity insider and Vanity Fair special correspondent Bob Colacello reveals the social history of Ronald and Nancy Reagan as no one ever has before, from the formation of their unique alliance through their rise to the heights of power. Colacello exposes facets of their marriage that have always been hidden from public view. Ronald, born into modest circumstances in rural Illinois, and Nancy, raised in a fashionable enclave of Chicago, both learned early on the value and importance of cultivating the right friendships. Over the years, they perfected their social skills into an art form, becoming one of the film industrys most talked-about power couples. But Hollywood was only the beginning.... ... Read more

Reviews (33)

4 1/2 stars. Fascinating
If you're looking for a good biography on Howard R Hughes, look no further, because this is the one you'll want. Richard Hack writes in an open and laid-back manner making it all easy to enjoy and absorb. The subject manner certainly makes for entertaining reading itself. This most noted of eccentrics will captivate you as well as disgust you. Hack takes you inside the Hughes empire and paints a very good picture of the how and why of his world. If not for Hughes inheritance from his father-owner of the Hughes Tool Co-you most likely will never have heard of Howard Hughes. Basically Howard himself had no business acumen. His life does read somewhat like a fairy tale in that most of the things he wished for he got. From movie starlets to hotels and casinos. Money can truly buy most things. Unfortunately he wasn't psychologically stable for the last half of his life and this caused him and those around him much misery. Form whatever opinion you like about Hughes, but after reading this biography, the opinion you form will be a strong one. It was a well-written biography that lagged just a little on the editing.

Highly recommended.

This would make a terrific movie
There has been a lot of writing about Howard Hughes. A lot of it was based on incomplete or just flat out false information, going back even to when he was living with the Clifford Irving hoax. If we are to believe the author of this book had access to thousands of never before available documents, and he's telling what he found factually, this would be the definitive Hughes biography to date. That he makes it a fat, juicy biography makes it great reading.

So I would nominate George Clooney to take this role to the big screen. There are remarkable similarities in their looks, and the public would just eat up this tale. Here we have a man who was lucky enough to inherit a big fortune early in life. But he didn't just sit on his money. He re-invested a lot of it into other industries, such as movies and airplanes. His resources greatly advanced the art of aviation in it's time, and his movie marketing greatly enhanced Jane Russell's breasts in their time. He was a hands-on, get involved manager who flew test planes himself, setting many speed records.

This dashing lifestyle also made him the darling of Hollywood. His string of glamorous conquests was a who's who of movie actresses, from budding starlets to major icons. He literally had the world in his hand for awhile.

Alas, something happens to people when they gain so much power that there are very few people or institutions that can tell them "No". We've seen this in the last 100 years with characters such as Hitler, J. Edgar Hoover, Elvis, and Michael Jackson. They get a few successes, and think they are infallable. This leads to bad decisions in life that either deteriorate them, or leave a mess for those that surround them. They also withdraw, always mentally, sometimes physically, from the world around them, as if they were surrounding the wagons to protect them from that world.

This also happened to Howard Hughes. We see early signs of where he's going when he was merely a ruthless young business man. The first thing he did upon inheriting part of a company was to immediately buy out all the other inheritors to give him total control. Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas mean nothing to him, and he calls upon his associates to work on these days to get more done. Marriage had it's uses, but none of them ever involved love.

So we get to see one side, which is this dashing young millionaire who becomes America's first billionaire. We see him as he lands at crowded airports after setting yet another air speed record. We see him with every hot babe on the silver screen, and a lot more hoping to get there. America even liked him thumbing his nose at the government when he felt they were digging into his private life too much. This would all have to be portrayed.

But we would need a director like Martin Scorsese to turn this into a "Raging Bull" type of hell. Yes, he had the women, but the feedback from them seemed to indicate a very selfish lover who often couldn't produce where it counts. Yes, he directed several films, but was such a control freak that the products went way over budget. And the volumes of instructions he wrote to his staff on how to guard against germs, real or imaginary, show a very disturbed mind.

And the movie would have to show how this increasingly lonely man deteriorated in his last ten-fifteen years of life. While it is true, as suspected, that his paid caretakers took advantage of his situation, and in fact sped up his demise, it is also surprising how much of his faculties remained in his later years. While he was well on his way to looking like the Walking Death he eventually became, he still had the ability to conduct a two-hour press conference to convince the world that the Irving biography was a hoax.

But the ultimate ending would have to show that all the money in the world cannot buy happiness. For the last several years of his life, he was surrounded only by people who were paid to be there. His hair, beard, and nails grew to extreme lengths. While obsessed with germs, he ended up living in putrid squallor, with jars of his own wastes stored everywhere. His body was stoked up with enough drugs to kill an average person, and he even had the remnants of five broken needs inside his arms.

This could be Oscar time for both Clooney and Scorsese if Hollywood lets them do it right.

A fine biography
A very good biography of a fascinating individual. Aside from some really lame analogies (especially in the first half of the book), the author's writing is crisp and his grasp of his subject is impressive. Overall, I enjoyed reading this biography and highly recommend it to other.

Do not miss this one.
Could anybody be more eccentric? Very well written
biography. I just couldn't believe it. Wow.

This guy is unbelievable!
Howard Hughes was born in 1905; he died in 1977. His mother had died in 1922 , his father in 1924 - thus, Hughes became independent at age 17 - with a guardian (Aunt Annette) and his inheritance (Hughes Tool Company) - valued at $626,000. He ignored his Aunt's advice to attend Rice Institute. He'd already identified his three main goals in life: to become the world's greatest golfer, the world's greatest pilot, and the world's greatest movie-maker. He entrusted the management of Hughes Tool Company (eventually acclaimed for having revolutionized the oil producing industry) to the same people his father had hired; thus, he enjoyed security and independence, a comfortable income, plus time and money to pursue his goals.
At 19 Hughes decides that a serious, young entrepreneur like himself needs a wife; he chooses Ella Rice, a pretty, socially prominent young lady in Houston. Though already in love with another 'promising' young man, Ella was persuaded by her mother and Aunt Annette that Howard - handsome and already rich - was a better 'catch'. After a 3-month honeymoon in New York City the newlyweds headed for California - where Hughes could launch his movie-making career. Soon Hughes was so involved in his golf (he eventually lowered his handicap to a respectable 2-plus) and movie making, that he had little time or energy left for Ella, who left him after 6 months.
In Hollywood Hughes hires an 'executive assistant'. Together they produce in 1926 one flop and one 'so-so' movie, then in 1927 they produce and Hughes directs "Two Arabian Nights" (with actors William Boyd and Boris Karloff ) - a film that wins for Hughes an Oscar for 'Best Director of a Comedy'. In 1928 Hughes begins "Hell's Angels" - a movie that includes 'dogfights' in Sopwith Camels and German Fokkers (78 of them!). Though the movie must eventually be totally re-made (converted from silent to 'talkie' version) , Hughes in the process discovers actress Jean Harlow and the movie establishes box-office records everywhere. The film's premier at Grauman's Chinese Theater was the 'best night of his life' - according to Hughes. Hughes goes on to make many other famous and profitable films (Scarface, the Outlaw), discover other starlets (Jane Russell), and in 1948 he buys a major movie studio - RKO - which establishes him as a major film maker.
Meanwhile, Ella has divorced him , thus freeing Howard to 'play the field'. He's still only 23 - but now richer, more famous and even more handsome than ever - ergo, a very eligible bachelor. Plus, he now has his own little air force, a movie studio and a 170-foot yacht. He thus has little trouble meeting and squiring the world's most beautiful women -like Lana Turner, Ginger Rogers, Ava Gardner, Ida Lupino, Olivia de Havilland, Katherine Hepburn, Terry Moore, Yvonne DeCarlo, Kathryn Grayson, Bette Davis, Rita Hayworth, Linda Darnell, Billie Dove, and Faith Domerigue - to name a few. Not infrequently he'd be engaged to two, even 3, women at the same time. His love life was in a word - hectic. In 1957 an aging Hughes finally remarries - to actress Jean Peters, a former beauty-contest winner from Canton, Ohio.
In 1927, prompted by the exploits of Charles Lindbergh, and Amilia Earhart, Hughes turns again to his third yet unachieved goal - to become the world's best pilot. He seeks out J.B. Alexander - an experienced pilot-instructor, who is also a 'barnstormer' and stunt flyer. Alexander reports that Hughes was a natural flyer. Soon Hughes was flying his own planes and conjuring up new goals related to flying. In the early '30's, when the depression was hurting Hughes Tool Company profits and Hughes' movie-making pursuits , Hughes takes a 11 month 'sabbatical'. He works temporarily (incognito) as an airport baggage handler, then , elsewhere, as a stunt pilot - for $250.00 per month. Later, Hughes employs a pilot-mechanic and tasks him with 'souping up' Hughes' recently purchased 8-passenger Sikorski S-43. Together they would make flights around the country with Hughes' movie-star girlfriends - and sometimes with 'best friend' Cary Grant and Randolph Scott - two famous actors who later were reportedly bi-sexual - which fueled the rumor mill that Hughes, too, was probably bi-sexual.
In 1934 Hughes and his team set about designing and testing a plane (the H-1) that Hughes wanted to use to set flight records that would establish him as a great pilot. A year later, after Hughes had personally flight-tested the plane, he started flying it to establish new records - speed records, long distance records, altitude records, and, in 1938, a new record for an around-the-world flight. These achievements won for Hughes other awards and recognition for flying : a congressional medal, the Harmon Trophy, and the Collier Trophy. He was also honored with a ticker-tape parade down Broadway in New York City. Hughes, now convinced that air travel had a future, eventually acquired an airline (TWA) that promised fast, comfortable air travel for the general public.
During World War II Hughes' enterprises expanded to meet war demands. Hughes' empire eventually became one of the government's biggest suppliers of aircraft, helicopters, aircraft parts, weapons, missiles and munitions. In 1966 Hughes was declared a billionaire and the richest man in the world. His latest interests now included Las Vegas, where by 1971 he controlled 17% of the city's gambling revenues and employed some 8,000 people. By now Hughes has 'done it all' and he's become a recluse.
Howard Hughes was a giant of his times. He was shrewd, but also lucky: the fields of endeavor that he chose to enter were all just 'taking off': real estate investments in California and Las Vegas, gambling in Nevada, air travel, golf, the movie industry, and the oil industry (which boomed when the auto industry exploded.). Hughes also profited immensely because he was well positioned when World War II began. Hughes' life reads like a fairy tale. Just unbelievable! Believe me! ... Read more