5 comments about John Jacob Astor: America's First Multimillionaire.

1. Perhaps I should not write a review of this book as I did not finish it. I found the subject--Astor, who he was, what he did, and how and why he did it--very interesting, but Madsen's treatment an example of biography at its worst. Why? Because we are presented with the data of Astor's life, but where is Astor? There is virtually nothing communicated as to what type of person he was, WHY he was so ambitious, what he felt and thought about the various activities he undertook, his successes, relative failures, etc. In many instances of course the available data of his life do not necessarily communicate the subjective life of the psyche, only the objective actions. But it is the very task of a biographer--in my view the most vital task--to artfully connect the various "dots" of data so as to reveal the subjective life within, the drama of the mind and heart reacting to events as the events unfold. You don't get that here.



2. Madsen takes the reader through an interesting account of the early fur trade and the opening of the American West. There are interesting anecdotes from Astor's deaings with historical and political figures of the time. However, if you are looking for information on his later business dealings and the development of Astor into New York's largest property owner and landlord then you will be disappointed. Nine tenths of his book is devoted to the development of the American Fur Company and the travials of those who forged through the wild countryside on Astors behalf. There is nothing in this book about how he dealt with tenants, advertised properties, developed systems of management for properties, financing, leverage, nothing.
   So buy it for an interesting histort of the time but don't buy it if your looking for information on how one of the great Real Estate investors of his time developed and managed his system of success.



3. I bought this book to learn about Astor and how he made his fortunes. The book goes into almost too much depth in regards to the fortune made in fur trading and shipping. Out of the 25 chapters, 23 were discussing nearly every detail of Astor, his men, indians, and his competition in regards to trading and shipping. In chapter 23, the author finally gets to where he claims Astor made his largest fortune, real estate. Since that is where he made the bulk of his fortune, then why did the author only devote one chapter to this topic? Most people who buy this book will do so to learn how Astor made his fortune, that is not explained well enough. I have to give the author credit, though, he did uncover many details that the other Astor biographers failed to see.



4. John Jacob Astor led the life most people do not even dare to dream about. He was a serial entrepreneur at a time when most of the world was composed of farmers. He was so successful at his businesses that when he died he controlled one-fifteenth of all personal wealth in the United States! Among many other things it is safe to say he was a very driven man.

   Born in relative poverty in Germany, he immigrated to the United States via England, arriving just after the Revolutionary War ended. Marrying the daughter of the woman who ran his boarding house in New York, his business career moves from the importing of musical instruments to the exporting of furs. So successful is he in the fur business that he is able to finance the establishment of the first American fort in Oregon and supports this effort with his own ships via Cape Horn. Returning east overland, his employees discover the route that subsequently becomes the Oregon Trail!

   This is a swashbuckler of a story which spans not just the North American Continent but the global economy as it existed in his day as well. Besides furs, he traded tea, seal skins, opium and assorted other commodities through global wars and economic recession on a scale to match the great trading houses of England, the British East India Company and the Hudson Bay Company. He was a man who took huge business risks. A key focus of the book is naturally the fur trade, the dominant wealth generator of its time. This was his first truly big score, one that he engaged in for over 20 years and the primary venture through which he amasses the fortune that provided the investment capital for all the endeavors which would follow.

   Alex Madsen does an excellent job of fitting Astor within the economic and political time period in which he lived. I have found information here on the fur trade I have found nowhere else. This is a very well researched book; one that not only reports on the biography of the life lived but the history of the time as well. There is a lot to appreciate here. It is a book well worth the time.




5. AN INTERESTING BOOK, BUT VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HUGE AMOUNT OF WORTH GENERATED BY THE REAL ESTATE OWNED BY THE ASTOR FAMILY AND THE CRATION OF THE WALDORF ASTORIA ONE OF THE FAMILY MOST FAMOUS LANDMARKS. IT DID GIVE A LOT OF INSIGHT TO AMERICAN POLITICAL LIFE IN THE EARLY 1800'S WHEN JAMES MADISON AND JAMES MONROE WERE PRESIDENTS.

5 comments about 52 McGs.: The Best Obituaries from Legendary New York Times Reporter Robert McG. Thomas.

1. Regular readers of The New York Times will have noticed that while the paper's style has a certain consistently, some of its writers stand out anyway. Robert McG. Thomas was one of those writers. He made his mark not with flash, but with grace, and he did it in the most unlikely place of all: the obituary pages. Thomas (who died in early 2000) had an eye for detail, and an amazing touch in telling not just a life story, but the story behind it. Many obit junkies picked up on and actively sought Thomas's obits between 1995 and 1999; one was Chris Calhoun, who has pulled together this excellent collection of 52 of McG's finest offerings. They aren't stories of the most famous figures who passed on during his tenure. Quite the opposite, these are often people you hadn't heard of, but who, thanks to Thomas's style, won't want to forget. He could be serious, and he could be funny. He's as good writing about the South Vietnamese officer who famously executed a Viet Cong prisoner on camera as he is with "The Goat Man." He's as insightful on the woman who helped create soap operas as he is on the Greenwich Village icon who created nothing but a hipster reputation. Every miniature profile here entertains and informs, as the cliché goes. This is a great little collection; one could only wish for more.



2. An enjoyable collection of obituaries written my Robert McG. Thomas Jr. These short (2-3 page) obituaries will make you smile and wonder what would be written about yourself. Some of the people you will recognize, most you will not, but you'll gain an understanding and appreciation for their time on this planet.

   Recommended




3. When this book was first recommended to me by a friend, I must admit I was a little put off. A book of obituaries? Now there's a fun read! Although I know there are "die-hard" obit enthusiasts out there, I certainly don't count myself among them. All of this is leading to the further admission that I ordered the book with some trepidation. I needn't have worried. This book is an absolute joy. To say that it is well-written would be an understatement of Homeric proportions as Mr. Thomas had a subtle way with words that hints at Twain (I know! I know! They're "just" obituaries, but this gentleman could turn a phrase with the best of them!). Far from being ghoulish or depressing, these 52 McGs are fascinating celebrations of everyday extraordinary lives. Most importantly, each humorous account is filled with such warmth and respect that you don't get the feeling you're snickering at some poor dead guy "behind his back". 52 McGs falls into the category of "little discoveries that you can't wait to share with other people." Heartily recommended as an addition to your library or as a gift to anyone that enjoys highly skilled writing.



4. This was given to me as a present. I had never heard of the book before, and indeed, when I told people about it, I always got strange looks. But the 52 capsules of people's lives--not all of them well-known but they're people you should know about--are fascinating. Some personal favorites are the guy who invented the U.S. zip code and the founder of an AIDS group in a small town.



5. I have always loved obituaries. They are a guilty pleasure. To have a final, brief synopsis of a person's life is intimate, touching, and fascinating. Robert McG. Thomas' collection of New York Times obituaries, 52 McGs., is an interesting look at his best work. I found, however, that the book was a bit too brief to justify its $20 price tag.
   
   One of the nicest things about 52 McGs is that the obits here focus on obscure people who enjoyed, at most, 15 minutes of fame. You'll read about a fascinating set of people you've never heard of before. Some of the most-memorable portraits feature a Holocaust survivor who spent his life planting flowers in New York City, a 1950s hipster who was friends with the legendary Beats, and a foul-smelling man who traveled America's back roads with his goats. The book closes with Robert McG. Thomas' own New York Times obituary; this is a poignant, memorable close to the book.
   
   Thomas was also a very fine writer. In 52 McG's you find wit, tragedy, and (in especially large doses) irony. Though subtlety is increasingly rare in our world, you will have to pay attention while reading Thomas' work (or you will fail to appreciate fully some great material).
   
   My only real complaint about this book is that it is too brief. We learn in the introduction that McG wrote over 600 obits for the Times. But 52 McG's is a thin book with those 52 obits and fewer than 200 pages. I felt as though the publisher should have given me much more for $20.
   
   In the end, I do recommend 52 McG's. But I recommend that you look for it at your local library or used bookstore.

5 comments about Chanel (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications).

1. Well worth your money. Beautifully done. Not only is it a lovely coffee table book, it is a book you will look at many times.



2. I couldn't disagree more heartily with those who recommended this book as a "beautiful coffee table book." At this price and with this subject matter this could have been a truly amazing look at the history of the House of Chanel and it's transition from the early years of Coco to the present leadershiop of Karl Lagerfeld. The text is mediocre and the photos are terrible. The general visual quality of the book is absolutely reprehensible.The dresses are all reproduced in a poor quality "Liz Taylor in the White Diamonds commercial" fake fuzzy lens. There is not one really great photo of an actual garment in this entire book. As someone who saw the actual exhibit the book is based on, I feel the Metropolitan really missed on this one. The exhibit itself was magnificent, this poorly concieved book is a complete dud. Save your money for one of the many other books detailing the life and work of Coco Chanel.



3. I bought this book after seeing the Chanel exhibit at the Met. The pictures are nice, but I wish they showed more pictures of real people wearing clothes as opposed to the eccentric mannequins they used in the exhibit. A couple of blank pages here and there. I wish there was slightly more history behind the clothes. Still not a bad coffee table book on Chanel



4. This is a beautiful book and one you would love to have in your home. Of course, since I work for the company it is dear to me. I have given this book to three different people and they all have loved it. If you want to give something special to someone-- this is it.



5. I am a couturiére to follow my passion and, of course, I already own a bunch of "Mademoiselle Chanel" books. Let's say that I own a couple of meters of fashion monographies and that I love this one.
   If you are interested in feeling the details of the artwork of both, Coco+Karl, you will get a number of details to learn about.
   Even though it is supposed to be a catalogue, what it is, it can be in the handbook shelf of a loving seammistress.
   On Chanel, at this price, you do not get more than the far feeling of her style.
   The forewords cover quite well her meaning and her significancy.
   As a gift it is quite showy also thanks for the transparent chemise.
   it always depends on what you are looking for.

5 comments about Howard Hughes: Aviator.

1. Oh gosh, this is a good read. Buy it! Take it with you when you go to see Leonardo playing Howard on the big screen, so you can keep the airplanes straight and also remind yourself that, for all his genius, Howard Hughes was a rather shabby pilot. (A ***** stick, as they say in the Air Force.)
   
   To save money on aeronautical charts, he flew with the road maps handed out free by oil companies. He ignored air-traffic controllers, filed misleading flight plans, identified himself with the name of his co-pilot, flew under visual rules in bad weather, and cut off the pilot ahead of him in the pattern. Even as a passenger, George Marrett writes, Hughes could turn a routine flight into a debacle. His big ambition was to outshine Lindberg.
   
   Of course Howard Hughes was more than an aviator: he made movies, ran an airline, designed the half-cup bra, founded aerospace companies, made billions, and was the country's most famous hypochondriac. But those are incidentals as for a fellow pilot like George Marrett, who flew a rescue Skyraider in Vietnam and wrote about it in Cheating Death, and who afterward became a test pilot for Hughes Aircraft. By concentrating on the aviation side of his former boss, Marrett has written a short, readable, and fascinating biography. In his hands, Howard Hughes turns out to have been a lot more interesting than Charles Lindbergh, though he never came close to him as an aviator.
   
   -- Dan Ford



2. This is a good book and it reads pretty well. The story often deviates from Hughes (especially in the second half) to go into stories about many of the pilots and engineers that worked with Hughes. This isn't unreasonable because these are the people that the author had access too and they also have interesting lives. However, I feel that this distracts from the Hughes story and I suspect is done to fill in the many gaps when no one knew what Hughes was actually doing. If you are interested in the aviator side of Hughes I feel its worth the purchase.



3. This was the first Hughes book I've read, although I've chased down several more since. It's probably impossible to write a full bio of Howard Huges, given the extra large size of his life and all of his accomplishments... and the extra deep depths of his fall.
   
   George Marrett has probably realized that, and limits the bio to some of the larger events of Hughes life, centered around aviation. He does a great job there, with inside stories (from extensive interviews of Hughes contemporaries) that are fascionating, and inspiring (for Hughes accomplishments - which were many and unique).
   
   Don't buy this book expected to see the full story of Hughes life... or a more detailed view of The Aviator movie (which apparently took more than a few liberties). Buy it to more fully understand Hughes great aviation contributions... and the times in which he lived.
   
   Fortunately, the book stays classy to the end, and avoids the tabloid view of Hughes life (and his end). We can get that type of view elsewhere.. if we want to waste our time. For now lets focus on the great persona of Hughes, and the the fascinating times in which he made his greatest contributions.



4. Well written and well documented book tells about Hughes life from the aviation perspective. Although it probably wasn't the author's primary intent, I was shocked to read how bad a pilot Hughes was with questionable flying ability and certainly flawed judgement. By 1948, Hughes had had 9 major head injuries with at least 5 of them in an aircraft (which may explain his erratic behavior in his later years). A must read for flying buffs.



5. Written from a test pilot's perspective, this is the real story of an unusual man who was a magician with lots of money. Hughes was a true pioneeer in aviation, constantly on the newsreels. He had a fascination with planes, even those which could float on water. There is a picture of the Hercules after it was brought of storage in 1980.
   
   The pictures of so many airplanes brought the story so much better than words could do and Hughes contribution to the war effort. He was truly the Aviator of all time, better then the celebrated Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh. I'm glad he had Bruce Burk at his side to aid in this quest.
   
   After he changed TWA to TransWorld Airlines, he ran into conflict with PanAm president who told him in the Coconut Grove, where a lot of the personal interaction took place, that no airline should have a monopoly on international travel.
   
   There were scandals with the women, though he appeared to enjoy touching planes more than women. He "interviewed" many young starlets under contract to him. He was clear at the end that aviation was the great love of his life. He was dubbed as capricious and eccentric, but mainly he was afraid of people -- paranoid, thinking there were spies in his midst to learn his secrets.
   
   If he loved any woman, it was Kate Hepburn who left him for Spencer Tracy, He visited her family in Conn. but felt alienated, and she tried to dominate him. He wanted to control Ava Gardner and asked her to marry him. Both women appeared in his delusion to prepare for the Senate hearing. He was alo involved with Rita Hayworth and Terry Moore, who claimed to be his wife when he died. The senator accused him of producing a dirty movie and making airplanes which don't fly.
   
   At the hearing, it was promoted that the whole world will see what he has become. The Hercules (later dubbed the Spruce Goose) became Howard's folly, the sixty-ton white elephant with a wing span the length of a football field. It was meant to fly 200 tons of army equipment. When he successfully got that plane out of the water, it proved his ability to overcome his tarnished reputation. The senator charged Hughes with defrauding the government for accepting millions of dollars for spy planes he never delivered.
   
   George Marrett wrote CHEATING DEATH: COMBAT AIR RESCUE IN VIETNAM AND LAOS in 2003. This is the real story of Howard Hughes contribution to aviation, his first and last love.

5 comments about Soros: The Life and Times of a Messianic Billionaire.

1. If you want a quick and easy broad overview of Soros then this is your book, but I would recommend Soros on Soros as being more useful at understanding the man.
   
   Also if you're a trader, don't even waste your time on this book. Get Alchemy of finance. This book is a fairly quick read but as you can imagine with a man like Soros, any authorised book is going to be mostly flattery.
   
   But it has it's amusing moments and some good pictures. I wouldn't pay more than $5 though for it. Then you can chuck it like a magazine when you're done.



2. Soros is an enigma, and you'd expect to know more about this man when you bought this book. Indeed, you would, this book gives you a clear history of this man, from his childhood to his vision to his philantrophic reasons.
   
   However, if you buy a book on Soros, you'd probably want to know a lot about what made Soros famous in the first day: The Black Wednesday, in which Soros gambled on the depreciation of British Poundsterling against the Bank of England and won US$1 billion, making his known as "The Man Who Broke the Bank of England."
   
   Unfortunately, there is only a short chapter on this, even though I would bet people would be more curious on this than Soros's childhood days.
   
   The author also speculated that the Queen of England profitted from the loss of the Bank of England, but it sounds more like a rumor because he could not confirm if there was some truth in it.
   
   Anyway, this book is still good if you want to know abot Soros, but moves very slowly.



3. This should be the real title. How many people does George have to screw over before the world wakes up and realizes that this guy is just one big rat!



4. If you have read any of Chernow's biographies, such as JP Morgan or Rockefeller, and love history, then read this book. This is not a book to learn how Soros invests.
   
   This is not a book that will teach you about fixed income, equities, derivatives, or how to hedge. If you want to sell short...go to the finance section of Amazon and buy a finance book.
   
   This is a brilliant biography about George Soros. You learn about his life, how he grew up, where he went to school. How his character was formed...the events that helped form his work ethic, his philosophy about world markets and peak into how he may think.
   
   You aren't going to get under the hood of his brain, but you will get to the core of what matters to this famous man and why. Brilliantly done!



5. I did not get very far into this book before deciding that it was one of the most boring accounts I have ever read. I will donate my copy to a charity book sale and seek information elsewhere.

5 comments about The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America's First Family for 150 Years.

1. While there is some merit to Edward Klein's books, they read like tabloid journalism. More importantly, there are passages which raise eyebrows, such as his alleged interview with Dave Powers. Read with a skeptical eye.
   Vince Palamara-JFK/ Secret Service expert (History Channel, author of two books, in over 30 other author's books, etc.)
   Pittsburgh, PA
   
   BEST JFK ASSASSINATION BOOK: ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
   BEST JFK SECRET SERVICE BOOK: SURVIVOR'S GUILT BY YOURS TRULY :)



2. This book is not boring... easy to read...good insight to the Kennedys... would recommend for anyone who likes real life..



3. In Edward Klein's The Kennedy Curse: Why America's First Family Has Been Haunted by Tragedy for 150 Years, there isn't much new here except for pure gossip, rumor and innuendo.
   
   Klein starts off to make this a pseudo-scientific study of facts contributing to the Kennedy curse including lots of psycho-babble, genetic factors, etc. He claims his book is a detective story. He tries to show how "the Irish immigrant experience of poverty and humiliation developed into an obsessive lust for power and dominance over others at the expense of all ethical behavior." Throw in domineering fathers, cold mothers, alcohol, drugs, sex, thrill-seeking behavior, ADHD, restlessness, boredom and impatience, and you get a prescription for tragedy. Many people believe a black cloud has followed the Kennedy family for many generations. It actually appears that the Kennedy's followed the black cloud on their own.
   
   In trying to prove his curse theory, Klein spotlights seven family members including immigrant Patrick Kennedy, Joe Kennedy, Sr., Kathleen (Kick) Kennedy, JFK, William Kennedy Smith, JFK, Jr., and JFK's maternal grandfather, John Honey Fitz Fitzgerald. He barely mentions other Kennedy's that have suffered tragedies including Bobby Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, and Joe Kennedy, Jr. It was interesting to read about the immigrant experience of the Irish, as well as some of the lesser known family members including Kathleen Kennedy and Honey Fitz. But overall, there isn't much new here, and what is new seems mostly rumor and innuendo. For instance, Klein accuses JFK of having "chronic venereal disease" and claims it is possible that this caused the death of his pre-mature son, Patrick. This is a pretty serious allegation to make without proof. He also tells how Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's friends destroyed her drug stash after that fateful plane crash. I don't believe the Kennedy's are saints and I know they've done some atrocious things, but give us hard facts.
   
   Overall, my recommendation is to skip The Kennedy Curse. If you want to read more about this fated family, there are much better and more comprehensive books to be had. It is hard to believe this book was written by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.



4. Edward Klein covered John F. Kennedy's 1960 Presidential campaign and later served as foreign editor of Newsweek and editor-in-chief of The New York Times Magazine. He has authored countless articles and several books, including two others on Kennedy family members. He's a good writer and meticulous researcher. However, despite his resume and, sadly, in concert with virtually every other biographer and historian, he reverses cause and effect.
   
   As discussed in by books, How to Spot Hidden Alcoholics: Using Behavioral Clues to Recognize Addiction in Its Early Stagesand Alcoholism Myths and Realities: Removing the Stigma of Society's most Destructive Diseasealcoholism mimics virtually all the Personality Disorders, particularly Narcissism. A diagnosis of this Disorder requires any five attributes out of a menu of nine, including "a grandiose sense of self-importance," "a belief he is `special,'" "a sense of entitlement" and an "arrogant and haughty attitude." These, as well as the other five attributes, are all classic symptoms of alcoholism or severe codependency, especially in children of alcoholics.
   
   According to studies cited in my first book, Drunks, Drugs & Debits: How to Recognize Addicts and Avoid Financial Abuse70-80% of recovering addicts with two or three months of sobriety who were diagnosed with a Personality Disorder when drinking are found to have been misdiagnosed. While most Disorders clear up or become far less of a concern after two to three years of sobriety, experience shows that what most consider normal behaviors usually don't return for five to ten years.
   
   Klein includes vignettes on a potpourri of Kennedy clan members, some alcoholics and several children of alcoholics. The manifestation of narcissism in apparent non-alcoholic members of the family, including Joe Kennedy's favorite daughter Kathleen, suggests the power of familial alcoholism. Extraordinary tolerance to alcohol makes the disease all but invisible in many, including Joseph P. Kennedy, even while numerous behavioral indications of the disease are evident (I counted two dozen such clues in the 45-page chapter on Joe, from attempts at blackmail to hyperbole and a public display in which he flouted long tradition). The fact that narcissism can be so obvious in non-alcoholics, as well as in those who defy the diagnosis, may account for the fact that alcoholism is overlooked as the most common root of the Disorder. However, the likely underlying cause becomes more apparent when we realize that a confluence of narcissists is found in families in which alcoholism is epidemic.
   
   The Kennedy Curse is billed as a "detective story". Unfortunately, Edward Klein helps to perpetuate the myth that most character flaws are inherent, when they are instead usually rooted in alcoholism. While including some interesting and telling depictions in the lives of alcoholics and their codependents in what may be America's most famous family, Klein's book fails in its most fundamental goal.



5. This story is very interesting. It details the lives of some of the famous Kennedys/Fitzgeralds and tells how "the Kennedy Curse" affected them in their life. The author even has a timeline of major things that have happened to the extended familie for 150 years.
   
   The first to be aflicted with the Kennedy Curse was Patrick Kennedy in the 1850's. He was an Irishman who immigrated to the United States, married and had children, but 9 years after arriving died leaving a widow with an infant son.
   
   The next to be cronicaled is Rose Kennedy's father John "HoneyFitz" Fitzgerald. He was a polition in Boston and Massachutes before being forced to give it up when the competion found out about an affair he had with a woman the same age as his daughter.
   
   The next person cronicaled is Joe Kennedy himself. He wanted to be President of the United States of America and shortly after leaving his post as Ambassador to the Court of Saint James during World War Two he gave an interview that ended his career and his dreams.
   
   The next two people cronicaled are Joe Kennedy's children Kathleen and John. Kathleen fell in love with two Protestants during her life. The first she married but he died during the war. The second was married, but wanted a divorce. They were on there way to meet Joe in Paris when the plain that they were on crashed killing all on board. John of course was President of the United States and partily due to his lacks rules about his safty he was assassinated on November 22, 1963.
   
   The next people are JFK Jr who like his father was taken too soon and William Kennedy Smith who was on trial for rape.

5 comments about Fuqua.

1. J. B. Fuqua is a very inspirational businessman. I enjoyed this book, but he gives very little detail. He mentions these big business deals but thats just it. He ONLY MENTIONS them!!! No doubt in my mind there could be a great book written about Mr. Fuqua, but in my opinion this is not it!



2. Words of wisdom from a man with the experience to back it up. Though not always deep into the intricate details, Fuqua writes enough to let you have an understanding of how he got where he is today. What I learned from this book is that in business almost anything is posible if you are open to suggestions and can think of innovative ideas. I did not expect a step by step how to book but more of an outline for success and that is what I got. I would recommend this book.



3. Considering the era in which we live, when it is better to make money than be honest, a truly principled man is a rare and valuable thing. J. B. Fuqua is just the kind of man we need in these trying times. He is one of the best examples we have today of a man who came from meager means to become one of America's top business minds. His philanthropic work alone merits attention, from establishing the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University to The Atlanta Botanical Garden. A book about a true American original!



4. Yes, this is definitely a well written and informative biography of Mr. Fuqua. It is unfortunate though, that it has the word "how" in the title, as it does not tell you "how" he made his fortune, rather it tells you how HE made HIS fortune, (and that was by using other people's money). It is nevertheless a very good book, that has many smart ideas, as well as moves that he made in his life, which could be imitated, or expanded upon, by others, to fit their situation, and thereby they could possibly make their own fortune. (Case in point: living out in the sticks, nowhere near any library, he figured out a way to get knowledge about subjects otherwise closed to him -by borrowing books through the mail- and this was at a time when phones were almost a luxury!). It may not tell you just how to make a fortune, but it will probably give you a few ideas, or, pointers, to help you in that quest.



5. I was given a signed copy of this book that I promptly shelved for about a year. Such was fortunate, I believe, because when I finally picked it up, the timing could not have been better.

   Reading J.B. Fuqua's memoirs may not give you a "how to" guide to making money, but it most definitely gives you an idea of why Fuqua succeeded: drive. You learn in this book that Fuqua never read books for pleasure though he constantly read books for knowledge. Though I don't subscribe to this particular ideology 100% (maybe more of a 50% knowledge, 50% pleasure mentality), it's easy to see the underlying one-mindedness that such an attitude requires. Fuqua had a goal of being financially successful. I believe he accomplished that goal because he could not busy himself with any other ideas and his thirst was never quenched for success - this easily comes through in his book.

   Everything told, Fuqua's story is enchanting because it is the story of a poor Virgina boy becoming a "mover and shaker" who runs huge companies and befriends Presidents. Read it and feel the urge to find a similar passion that would drive you so far ...

5 comments about House of Hilton: From Conrad to Paris: A Drama of Wealth, Power, and Privilege.

1. This book is totally mis-named. It gives very little inside about the 'House of Hilton' as the public and hotel professionals would see it. It seems as if the author was indeed influenced by the powers-that-are, and it appears strongly that he changed course on more than one occasion for reasons known/unknown.
   
   As the published product comes across, the author picks mostly on Paris Hilton's grandmother (Big Kathy), which is no longer amongst the living, and then on Conrad's oldest son, Nick, which is also amongst the dead. Other than that Nick would be the great-uncle of the current media 'bore', there is no connection whatsoever between these two (2) main characters of the book.
   
   That Conrad Hilton liked the girls has never been a secret at all. He made his pursuits with humor, charm and much class. That he is made out as a cheapscate, which he was not at all, must have come from the line of 'Big Kathy'; but then again, good, old Connie is dead as well...
   
   Erich E.



2. House of Hilton
   By Jerry Oppenheimer
   
   Do you want to know why Paris is the way she is? Then this
   book may be perfect for you because it explain the Hilton history.
   However to be honest, House of Hilton was not my favorite book. I got
   this book because I wanted to learn more about Paris and since the
   cover said from Conrad to Paris, I thought there would be quite a bit
   of information about her in it. I was disappointed they spent so much
   time on other people in the family. This was an unauthorized biography which talked about all of the Hiltons and it spent more time talking about the rest of the family.
   
   Paris is one of my favorite stars and I wanted to learn more about
   her. This book showed that most of her family is wild and it is in her
   blood. Conrad Hilton was the businessman who made the Hiltons what
   they are today - rich hotel people. Her grandmother was a stage mother
   and her grandfather an alcoholic. Her Uncle Nick made Paris look calm
   since he had affairs, used drugs, and got drunk and got into fights.
   Most of the Hiltons married more than once. The book talked about
   other people but it was hard to follow who was who at times.
   
   I did learn Paris went from school to school and was allowed to run
   wild a lot. She got into trouble when she was young and she barely
   got a degree. However she is a good business person and managed to
   make money modeling and singing but she got famous from her sex tape.
   
   Jerry Oppenheimer has written a few biographies about a few famous
   people some authorized, some weren't. In this book Jerry Oppenheimer
   spoke to many people who knew the Hiltons and used a lot of periodical
   resources to research this book.
   
   This book explained a lot about the family but I had wanted to read
   more about Paris and her sister. This book really went into everyone
   else in the family more then them. I did not care about some of the
   extended family and was disappointed because of this.



3. When I first picked up HOUSE OF HILTON to read, I thought it was going to be a juicy tell-all about Paris Hilton and her family, especially her parents and the famous lineage back to her great-grandfather who started the whole Hilton Hotel chain. Though some of that is in the book, there is a lot missing and the stories aren't as interesting as I thought they might be.
   
   The book is divided into two major parts. The first section looks at Paris' family on her maternal side while the second section of the book examines the lives of Paris' great-grandfather Conrad and her great-uncle Nick Hilton. The work is bookend by some stories about Paris and a few anecdotes about her sister Nicky. It then follows the life of Paris' mother Kathy Richards and her grandmother "Big" Kathy Dugan Avanzino Richards Catain Fenton. The second half of the book examines how Conrad Hilton built his hotel empire and his very eccentric lifestyle, including his contrary religious devotion and playboy lifestyle. The last part of the book takes an in-depth look at Conrad's son, Nick who lived a lifestyle that parallels Paris'.
   
   I can understand why the book looks at the Paris Hilton's maternal heritage because by examining the lives of her mother and maternal grandmother one can see where Paris learned her sense of entitlement and her gold-digging ways. I realize that much of this information about Paris Hilton's maternal legacy has never been collected together, but I found much of it to be repetitive and not all that interesting. The second half of the book held my attention better. However, as with the first part of the book there is a great deal lacking. The last fourth of the book is all about Nick Conrad, Paris Hilton's great-uncle. Nick was a flagrant playboy and gained fame much the same way that Paris has, simply by using his wealth to become famous. Nick Hilton lived a very wild and interesting life and it makes for a good read and also serves as an example of the heritage that Paris has been given. However, Nick was Paris' great-uncle. The book hardly mentions Paris grandfather Barron, her other great uncle, or even her father. I don't know if it's because their lives were so much more mundane than the other members of the family or what. However, I would have really enjoyed reading something about them because they are more closely related to Paris than Nick was.
   
   The book includes some pictures that help put faces to many of the people the book talks about including several of family member (such as Big Kathy) that most people have never heard of or seen before.
   
   Overall, HOUSE OF HILTON is an okay read. It is filled with facts and tidbits about the Hilton family. It starts off quite slow, but picks up in the second half. Yet, it's not as juicy as I was led to believe. Recommended for people who have a major or invested interest in the Hilton family or anyone who enjoys reading about families of the rich and famous.



4. The house of hilton does give justice on depicting the characters of Paris' Grandmother and great uncle (Nick Hilton - the one that married Liz Taylor) however it does not shed a lot of light on Paris Hilton and her Parents' life. We see that she gets her "I need to be the center of attention and in the spotlight at all times" demeanor from maternal grandma Big Kathy. All in all, I thought the book was a really easy read. I'm just curious as to how Paris would fill in her occupation on her tax forms. Is there an option for 24/7/365 days party animal socialite. I am fascinated by how she made a marketing brand for herself. The going rates to have Paris make an appearance at your party approx $200K..As to how she got to be so marketable? -- being a victim of a popular sex video that was fuzzy and was a popular download? I'm not sure I'd be proud of that.



5. This book is about Paris Hilton's grandparents, parents, and aunts. It includes the grandparent's ex-wives and husbands as well.If you want to know the history of the Hiltons then you should definately by this book. It mentions Paris in the book, but it definately isn't just about her. This is a good book.

No comments about The Patriarch: The Rise and Fall of the Bingham Dynasty.

5 comments about The Way of the Wiseguy.

1. I must be discreet. I don't want to get "whacked."
   You know.....this guy "Pistone" must have grown up in my old neighborhood. I used to think movies influenced this stuff but after 50 years, I think this stuff could be real. This book seems like it could be a training manual for upcoming wanabe gangsters. It's pretty well written and makes numerous references to Donnie Brasco, but I guess this is what the author is famous for. If you consider the fact that this man "Pistone" was engaged in the same crimes as the men he helped incarcerate, it only makes sense to me that he is just as guilty as them. I guess taking these created criminals off the streets leaves more room for the real criminals. (Pedohiles, CEO's,Politicians.) What Pistone does and trains people to do is a sad pathetic game that ruins a lot innocent people' lives. Save your money and go to Disneyworld. Spend time with your family and love your children. Don't give people like Joe Pistone your hard earned money. He would do the same thing to you and have a clear conscience. You gotta lot of blood on your hands, Joe.



2. This is the first Donnie Brasco book I have read so I can't complain about it being repetitive. Although the book didn't have me on the edge of my seat (those I give 5 stars) I felt it was a good, quick read.
   
   Unlike most books today which have a story that could be told in twenty pages, but which are filled with 200 pages of boring ramblings just to make it a book, this book is made up of short chapters of different topics.
   
   Some chapters are a page long which I liked because they were quick and to the point. This also allows you to pick it up and read for only a few minutes at a time without having to remember where you were in the story when you last stopped reading.
   
   I almost didn't get this book based on some of the negative reviews here. To play it safe, I got it from the library so didn't have to worry if the short length made it a good value. In the end I was glad I picked it up.
   
   If you are looking for a long book that is going to take two weeks to read, this is not the one. I finished it in one day. However if you want some quick light reading to last a few hours, this is a good book.



3. you will love this book whether your a mob book lover or not. Excellent book.



4. Great fast read, full of little bits of information that was left out of Donnie Brasco. If you're looking for a book that takes you to the core of what it is to be a wiseguy, this book is for you.



5. Good book. Lays things out as they really are. No sugar coating. An inside look by an insider that makes you glad you are not affiliated.