Howard Hughes was one of the most amazing, intriguing, and controversial figures of the twentieth century. He was the billionaire head of a giant c...
read full description
reviews
May 21, 2010
Alex
rated it: 
I got interested in Hughes after reading a number of James Ellroy books (Hughes is an important figure in White Jazz, American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand, and Blood's A Rover), and thought it would be interesting to see how much reality there was to Ellroy's larger-than-life depiction. It turns out Ellroy did his homework quite well—no surprise there. This biography is an amusingly lurid account of Hughes' lurid life. From the airplane crashes, to the movie starlets, to his descent into the
More...
Nov 03, 2010
Anastacia Knits
rated it:
I've been obsessed with Howard Hughes since I was little - yeah, I was a weird kid. I just couldn't imagine anyone living the way he did in later years. This is a big book, and goes into depth about Hughes personal & professional lives. Most of the time, you got enough detail, and the book moved along well, but a few times I would have liked to have known more (though the lack may have been due to the fact that so little is known about some details of Hughes life). It's such a sad story about
More...
Jan 26, 2010
Bryan
rated it: 
The bizarre life of Howard Hughes is brought to life in this book. The authors tell most of the story of Howard’s life through his accomplishments and follow a time line by who he was dating at the time. This book places a heavy emphasis on his obsessive compulsive disorder, and how today it could have easily have been controlled. Throughout his life people thought that his strangeness was just the dark side to his genius. The authors make the case that throughout his life he tried to reach
More...
Sep 03, 2011
Andrew
rated it:
This book tells the story of one of the great icons of the twentieth century. The wonder of Hughes' life is that he had such a many faceted personality, which ultimately led him to insanity and a tragic end at the hands of the aides he hired to protect him in his reclusive state.
The biography is comprehensive, enlightening and fascinating. The tragedy of the final stages of Hughes' life is all too often what he is remembered for, rather than the immense achievements he made in film, av More...
The biography is comprehensive, enlightening and fascinating. The tragedy of the final stages of Hughes' life is all too often what he is remembered for, rather than the immense achievements he made in film, av More...
Aug 08, 2011
Charles
rated it:
While I knew a little about Hughes (founder of Pan Am, aviation pioneer, movie maker) I found this book to be really good in terms of dealing with Hughes personality and what happened to him near the end of his life. If you are interested in the paradoxical Howard Hughes life than this is the book for you. Well researched and easily read.
Jun 02, 2010
Christi
rated it: 
Howard Hughes did some amazing things in his life. It's too bad his life ended like it did. It's so sad to me that someone who was such an important figure in American history only had a few people show up to his funeral. I don't think I have ever read a story that was more sad than his life. I really felt bad for him by the end of the book.
Jan 29, 2012
Godzilla
rated it:
I approached this with slight trepidation: you never know how these biographies are going to go. Some are whitewash jobs, whilst others don't give you the detail you crave.
I knew little of Hughes going into it: his aviation feats, his reclusiveness and his womanising.
The book unlocks all of these in great depth, and whilst it doesn't paint him in a great light, it gives an insight into his formative years which goes a long way to explain the results.
The salaci More...
I knew little of Hughes going into it: his aviation feats, his reclusiveness and his womanising.
The book unlocks all of these in great depth, and whilst it doesn't paint him in a great light, it gives an insight into his formative years which goes a long way to explain the results.
The salaci More...
Jul 10, 2010
Lisa
rated it: 
Everything you ever wanted to know about Howard Hughes. I generally like biographies of successful people and I have always been interested in characteristics of successful and happy people. Hughes was successful in so many things, but I don't think he was happy.
This book is extremely long and detailed.
This book is extremely long and detailed.
Jan 21, 2009
Jeff
rated it:
Another tits-and-ass effort by two entertainment writers. In terms of sheer volume of women discussed, this is the top book by far. The authors had access to Hughes's "security chief" (actually, more like Director of Surveilling Women) Jeff Chouinard (who, mysteriously, is not mentioned in any other book as far as I can recall,) and he provided piles of details on the chick scene from the late 1940s onward. The authors are fairly critical of Bill Gay and the Mormon Mafia. This book att
More...
Apr 07, 2010
Don
rated it:
I read this in 1 1/2 weeks, after watching "The Aviator". Fascinating life. Pathetic death -- held captive and starved by his Mormon handlers. The book suggests that he was killed by them, rather than having the Feds find out what they had done.
Dec 14, 2008
Kipchirchir
rated it:
Tons of funding for science research comes from Howard Hughes. If you want to find out the details of how this happened, this is your hand book. Quite interesting read which just shows that with $$$, anything is possible.
Dec 09, 2008
Steph
rated it:
This was a pretty long book that took awhile to get through it but I thought it had a good insight to what HH's life was like. I learned a lot more about him than the fact that he was quite an eccentric billionare.
Dec 01, 2007
Joan
rated it:
I loved this. Based on a recommendation for a gentleman friend, I brought the audio-book home and listened with intrigue to this book that reads much like fiction. I was shocked to learn many of the unknown details of his life, including......he was the topic of the minutes of missing tape from the famous Watergate tapes. Nixon's secretary erased the tape because of the implications it would have suggested with Hughes! After learning of his role as an aviation pioneer, I loved hearing the spe
More...
Jul 29, 2011
I really enjoyed this book, I'm so glad I picked it to read in a rare time off from scool! I found it to be very informative about Hughes without being critical. Turns out he wasn't crazy!!
Jul 10, 2011
Ed
rated it:
Amazing, never believed what he accomplished in fight, engineering and in the bedroom.
Jan 15, 2011
Yuto
rated it:
The life of the notorious millionaire will not be as normal as the other noveau riche. In this book the paradoxical relation with his success and blunder are virtually depicted. If you are the one who tends to think about breaking loose from any restraint which might be opposed by the others or in the process of living our daily lives, it is really worth reading once. Because one apspect of his dark life is all about emanicipating from the unsubstantial germs or virus phobia which of both are re
More...
Sep 10, 2009
Wpilart
rated it:
I felt particulary sorry for the end days of Howard Hughes when he was the captive of disreputable characters. His billions didn't save him from a fate that haunts many American seniors -- pernicious neglect.
Dec 02, 2007
Jan
rated it:
Once I get started on a subject I often follow through with more than one book. This was my second Howard Hughes book. Very interesting to learn about the history of Las Vegas and the connection between a wealthy businessman, the mafia, and politicians of the time. Fascinating dude who had a huge impact on the landscape of America.
Aug 21, 2008
Liz
rated it:
Howard Robard Hughes was indeed a very strange fellow from early childhood until death. The older he got the stranger he became. He died a recluse with long hair and fingernails, who was unable to touch anything with his hands unless he had papertowels. How weird is that. Very interesting book. I would certainly recommend.
Mar 24, 2008
David
rated it:
After watching the Aviator I was interested in reading a biography of Howard Hughes. The movie glosses over many facts and changes events. The true story is even more engrossing. You have to wonder if in our current society he would have been as successful at avoiding scandal.
Dec 31, 2007
Hannah
rated it:
This book is total sensationalist journalism, and paints an entertaining, if not entirely true, portrait of the eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes. I found that it satisfied my curiosity, but for a true fan of Hughes, I would recommend something a little better researched.
Aug 20, 2008
Barbara
rated it:
Currently about 1/4 way through, but I am really enjoying it. The author seems to have done a great deal of research into HH's life, including interviewing people who knew him, which adds depth to this biography.
Jul 06, 2007
Betty Rose
rated it:
I don't usually like biographies - I find them dry and hard to get through. But Hughes was an interesting enough character that I read the entire book in a few sittings.
Nov 09, 2007
Roberta
rated it:
what an interesting, tormented life this man had! very entertaining to read about the young playboy hughes and then the reclusiveness in his later years.
Dec 17, 2009
Shannon
rated it:
a great read to learn more about the recluse that was Howard Hughes - it was a bit too long, but a worthwhile read if you're a Howard Hughes fan!
