What do you think?
Rate this book
The Final Addiction
Owney Hazman--a handsome and successful frankfurter salesman forever in search of his negligent mother--allows millionairess Oona Noon to involve him in a life of corrupt international trade and politics
296 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1991
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Richard Condon
87 books106 followersRichard Thomas Condon was a satirical and thriller novelist best known for conspiratorial books such as The Manchurian Candidate.
After service in the United States Merchant Marine, Condon achieved moderate success as a Hollywood publicist, ad writer and Hollywood agent. Condon turned to writing in 1957. Employed by United Artists as an ad writer, he complained that he was wasting time in Hollywood and wished to write a novel. Without Condon's knowledge, his boss, Max E. Youngstein deducted amounts from his salary then fired him after a year giving him the amount of money he had deducted in the form of a Mexican bank account and the key to a house overlooking the ocean in Mexico. Youngstein told him to write his book. His second novel, The Manchurian Candidate (1959), featured a dedication to Youngstein. The movie made from it in 1962, made him famous. Prizzi's Honor (1982) was likewise made into a successful movie.
Condon's writing was known for its complex plotting, fascination with trivia, and loathing for those in power; at least two of his books featured thinly disguised versions of Richard Nixon. His characters tend to be driven by obsession, usually sexual or political, and by family loyalty. His plots often have elements of classical tragedy, with protagonists whose pride leads them to a place to destroy what they love. Some of his books, most notably Mile High (1969), are perhaps best described as secret history. And Then We Moved to Rossenara is a humorous autobiographical recounting of various places in the world where he had lived and his family's 1970s move to Rossenarra, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland.
After service in the United States Merchant Marine, Condon achieved moderate success as a Hollywood publicist, ad writer and Hollywood agent. Condon turned to writing in 1957. Employed by United Artists as an ad writer, he complained that he was wasting time in Hollywood and wished to write a novel. Without Condon's knowledge, his boss, Max E. Youngstein deducted amounts from his salary then fired him after a year giving him the amount of money he had deducted in the form of a Mexican bank account and the key to a house overlooking the ocean in Mexico. Youngstein told him to write his book. His second novel, The Manchurian Candidate (1959), featured a dedication to Youngstein. The movie made from it in 1962, made him famous. Prizzi's Honor (1982) was likewise made into a successful movie.
Condon's writing was known for its complex plotting, fascination with trivia, and loathing for those in power; at least two of his books featured thinly disguised versions of Richard Nixon. His characters tend to be driven by obsession, usually sexual or political, and by family loyalty. His plots often have elements of classical tragedy, with protagonists whose pride leads them to a place to destroy what they love. Some of his books, most notably Mile High (1969), are perhaps best described as secret history. And Then We Moved to Rossenara is a humorous autobiographical recounting of various places in the world where he had lived and his family's 1970s move to Rossenarra, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 12, 2013
On the one hand, you have to admire a book that, in 1991, accurately depicts the soulless, manipulative politics of the 2000s, right down to Iranian terrorists and corporation-controlled candidates. But Condon's book is too overwhelmingly silly and cynical to sustain an impact. There are many grains of truth in this story of a naive man who becomes a three-term (!) U.S. president on the basis of incredible deceptions and lies, but it's so over-the-top, even for a novel like this, that is deflates on its own. Maybe I'm just too idealistic, but this crossed too many lines for me to appreciate it as satire.
December 14, 2010
a little over the top at some times, but fun read, politics havent changed much since this was written
March 25, 2024
Very good.
Funny and satirical.
A daft story that won't appeal to everybody but I liked it!
Funny and satirical.
A daft story that won't appeal to everybody but I liked it!
dropped
September 5, 2023didn’t finish reading. Got tired of Owney and his search for his mother as a 26 year old. Also why they gotta put accents into writing??? I am not reading that and trying to understand…
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews