Ωνάσης

by Peter Evans

Η ζωή του Έλληνα μεγιστάνα, ενός ανθρώπου που ήδη εν ζωή πέρασε στη σφαίρα του μύθου, και που η φήμη του απασχόλησε και εξακολουθεί, χρόνια μετά τον θάνατό του, να απασχολεί την παγκόσμια κοινή γνώμη.

"Ξυπνάω κάθε μέρα για να κερδίσω".
"Λένε ότι δεν έχω ποιότητα. Ευτυχώς οι άνθρωποι που έχουν, δεν έχουν συνήθως αντίρρηση να παραβλέψουν αυτό το μικρό ελάττωμα, μια και είμαι πολύ πλούσιος".
"Κάθε γυναίκα που πλησιάζω, την πλησιάζω σαν μελλοντική ερωμένη".
"Είμαι τόσο πλούσιος όσο μόνο εγώ ξέρω να γίνομαι".
"Η Τζάκι πρέπει να μάθει να συμβιβάζεται με το γεγονός ότι είναι Κα Αριστοτέλη Ωνάση, γιατί το μόνο μέρος που θα βρει τη συμπάθεια από δω και πέρα είναι στα λεξικά ανάμεσα στις λέξεις σκατά και σύφιλη".
"Οι κανόνες είναι ότι δεν υπάρχουν κανόνες... Δεν μπορείς να δικάζεις κάποιον γιατί είναι έξυπνος".
"Οι όμορφες γυναίκες δεν αντέχουν τη μετριότητα. Χρειάζονται μιαν ανεξάντλητη πηγή υπερβολής".
"Τα εκατομμύρια δεν είναι πάντα αυτό που χρειάζεται ένας άνθρωπος από τη ζωή".

Genres: Biography, Memoir, History, Nonfiction, Business

432 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

Reviews

[Paul Mamani · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there`s man who inspired me to live my life as my life`s last day, that was Ari Onassis.
"...behold, I`m not a Greek god but I am not wasting my lime complaining against it.."
I idendify with his life...really he was charismatic and hardworking guy that could sell ice to skimo.

One morning his mates repeated him " sorry Ari, you can try it again next year" (because the young Onassis did not pass the final exams of his school). "Stupids...you`re so small, even this city is too litle to me...one day I`ll prove it..." he replied to them.

He`d great friends like sir W. Churchull...
When I`m bearish about my next step I like to read this wonderful book on the life of a wonderful man.

[Man Os · Rating 1 out of 5]

Το μόνο θετικό που βρίσκω σε αυτό το βιβλίο, είναι ότι τελείωσε επί τέλους!

Το ύφος του συγγραφέα και γενικότερα η γραφή του, ταιριάζει πιο πολύ σε κοσμικό περιοδικό παρά σε βιογραφία. Άπειρες αναλύσεις και σελίδες επί σελίδων για φορέματα και στυλιστικές παρατηρήσεις. Γενικά πολύ κουραστικό βιβλίο που σε συνδυασμό με τις πολλές ανιστόρητες παρατηρήσεις του συγγραφέα (π.χ. οι Κύπριοι της ΕΟΚΑ ήταν τρομοκράτες που μάχονταν την νόμιμη αγγλική κυβέρνηση στην Κύπρο) το έκαναν ακόμη χειρότερο.

Και σαν μην έφταναν όλα αυτά, το αποτελείωσε η κακή μετάφραση με τα άπειρα μεταφραστικά λάθη και η κακή επιμέλεια κειμένου!

Στα 10 χειρότερα βιβλία που έχω διαβάσει και σίγουρα στις 3 χειρότερες βιογραφίες!

[Stephen Masri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written book, and well told narrative. Mr Onassis gave me my first job on an inspiration over late (very) night cocktails with my father at Annabels. It was a summer job on one of his ships, preceded by lunch at La Grenouille with Mr Gratsos, the unsung hero who made Olympic Maritime the success it was. Mr G was serious and drove a hard bargain in business, but was always gentlemanly; he was a paterfamilias to his staff; he took great care of Christina Onassis, but no one was able to help her over her abiding depression. What emerges in the book is how many people were made unhappy by Mr O's single-minded ambition, and that makes this story less pleasant. Would that he had made his children happier.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Έχω τη γνώμη ότι πρέπει να διαβάζεται σαν μυθιστόρημα...Μπορει όμως να γίνει κι ένα καταραμένο θρίλερ." είχε πει ο Ωνάσης για τη βιογραφία του.
Πραγματικά καθηλωτικη εξιστόρηση της ζωής του μεγιστάνα.
Από τη ζωή στην Σμύρνη, την προσπάθεια επιβίωσης μετά τη μικρασιατική καταστροφή, το ταξίδι στην Αργεντινή, η προσπάθεια να απελευθερωσει τον φυλακισμένο πατέρα του και να αναδειχτεί ως ο προστάτης της οικογένειας Ωνάση, καθώς και τα πρώτα του επιχειρηματικα βήματα έως την δημιουργία της αυτοκρατορίας του, η βιογραφία του Πίτερ Έβανς ρίχνει φως σε άγνωστες και γνωστές πτυχές της ζωής και της ιδιοσυγκρασιας του Ωνάση.

[Giorgos · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a great, interesting, educative and entertaining book. Since it was my first biography, I enjoyed it very much. I know that there are plenty of stories and quotes (from Aristotle Onassis) missing from the book, however it still was a nice read. It becomes a little complicated, with the reference of so many names and situations and you need to re-read it to understand it.

[Tralala Tralala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the French version.
Didn't enjoy it as much as Nemesis, but this one talks more about the intricacies of his business, which was nice.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book, with drama and big business and also sadness in the end.

[Huguette Larochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow the life of rich peoples.
Money cannot get you happiness.

[Savvas Malakondas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Εxtremely chatty. Too many useless details about his love life.

[Aslanbek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find this book much better than the second one, Nemesis, which is more about who fucked whom how many times and some far-reaching claims about killing Bobby Kennedy, and was obviously written to be as scandalous as possible long after all of the actors were dead and could not deny anything. (An interesting reading, nevertheless.)

This one concentrates on business methods and life philosophy of Ari, as well as provides complete timeline of his life. So, although it's a very sad life story, I would categorize it as a business book, and one of the most "plausible" I've read so far.

[Constance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few sons, indeed, are like their fathers. Generally, they are worse; but just a few are better....Homer, Odyssey

Peter Evans is the master of biographies. He did not disappoint with Ari.
I found this book to be fascinating, filled with history and details of what really happens in the world of shipping tycoons. This was more about deals & steals than women & wine. Of course that was mentioned because it was a part of Ari's life. He was a genius and a true Greek.

The story was of Ari and as expected there were pages devoted to his children, but Mr. Evans did not go into huge detail about Alexander or Christina. He told just enough to keep the story alive.

I know a book is great when I continue to think about it days after I finished it.

[Kent Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't say the biographer's writing was bad, the writing was quite good. It's the subject matter. I made it a little over half way, (page 215 out of 329)and I just couldn't stand Onassis. The man seemed to wander through life screwing up women's lives by constantly wanting to have an affair with someone who in reality was perfectly happy.

The book brushed over the details of the shipping business and his ascension into the ranks of the truly wealthy and concentrated on his affairs, the way he threw money around to get what he wanted, the neglect of his own children, his drinking and petty rivalries. A despicable man who really doesn't deserve a book written about him.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not big on biographies, but I enjoyed this one - great book! He led an interesting life for sure!

[Gregory Broderick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was insightful in so far as being exacting in the definition of Onassis as a MAN!

[Antonis Tzortzakakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The extraordinary journey of a lifetime!

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok but nemesis, his later book reveals inaccuracies in this book.