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The Great Getty: The Life and Loves of J. Paul Getty - Richest Man in the World
The story of the legendary 'bon vivant': hard bitten oilman, spectacular lover, absent parent, miserly art collector, philandering and bigamous husband, bohemian expatriate, social snob, physical coward, and the richest man in the world.
283 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 10, 2015
The books starts with J Paul Getty’s smart daring father who traveled to Oklahoma to collect a debt owed to him. He jumped on recent oil discoveries and bought a plot of land. And woo wee oil is found. He winds up wealthy and moves to California. Notoriously cheap but known as a fair and honest business man he produces a resentful son. The son J Paul was an avid reader but not a good student and thought of as sort of a failure by his stern father. That son would become the richest man in the world in the 1970’s.
J Paul competed with what was known as the “seven sisters” of the oil producing world. He took a chance in a dissolute area of Kuwait where eventually oil was struck. He built a refinery in New Jersey and rode the spike of oil use into wealth. He flaunted around Europe where he showed his miserly demeanor. One example is where he negotiated an art collection confiscated by the Nazi’s. This collection was from a prominent Jewish banking giant while the banking giant was imprisoned. He had numerous affairs producing children from different women producing three sons and by the authors account did not treat any very well. Tragedy would repay him for his derelict fathering.
He ended his life in his cold residence with a bunch of women catering to him in hopes of gaining an inheritance. Then a fight by his somewhat estranged family ensued for their share of the great inheritance. The book gets a little confusing at this juncture making it hard to distinguish between the competing sons, grandsons and nieces that fight for his money. It is a rather sad conclusion to the end of an ambitious successful man.
J Paul competed with what was known as the “seven sisters” of the oil producing world. He took a chance in a dissolute area of Kuwait where eventually oil was struck. He built a refinery in New Jersey and rode the spike of oil use into wealth. He flaunted around Europe where he showed his miserly demeanor. One example is where he negotiated an art collection confiscated by the Nazi’s. This collection was from a prominent Jewish banking giant while the banking giant was imprisoned. He had numerous affairs producing children from different women producing three sons and by the authors account did not treat any very well. Tragedy would repay him for his derelict fathering.
He ended his life in his cold residence with a bunch of women catering to him in hopes of gaining an inheritance. Then a fight by his somewhat estranged family ensued for their share of the great inheritance. The book gets a little confusing at this juncture making it hard to distinguish between the competing sons, grandsons and nieces that fight for his money. It is a rather sad conclusion to the end of an ambitious successful man.
September 11, 2022
Read for research. An unfocused and surprisingly bland portrait of the 20th century's most famous oil tycoons. This biography fails because Lenzer simply doesn't have it in him to unpack Getty's motivations. As a biographer, he is more interested in who Getty fucks than how Getty built his empire. So we get incredibly general facts and a lot of "lurid" material that doesn't really amount to an interesting or essential portrait.
September 18, 2018
Fascinating look at the world of J. Paul Getty and his family. The author has done a tremendous job of detailing Getty's life both in business and personal. Getty was quite the extreme frugal person in so many ways and definitely loved the women. I feel the author has done a very objective perspective on things and presents a true to life picture. I enjoyed this book very much.
July 20, 2020
I'd heard that J. Paul Getty hoarded string and crazy things like that. For a billionaire, it seems crazy, anyway. But this book spent a lot of time talking about his financial deals, costs, and how much money he made. I loved the family scenarios and oddities that were in this book; there just were not enough of them to make it less dry.
September 23, 2022
This is a well-researched biography of the man with a glimpse into his character. He was such a cold man (he had very little to do with his kids and didn't even attend their weddings), so it is surprising that a couple of his sons ended up being good family men. It is an effort to recreate that which was missing in their own lives I suppose. Definitely worth the read.
November 21, 2020
Interesting possible parallels to Trump.
May 15, 2012
ISBN 0451146999 - "People hate rich people." On the final page of the text of the book (which is followed by over 50 pages of appendices), Lenzner quotes a Getty spouse with that statement. Perhaps it's true - it certainly seems Lenzner himself has an issue with at least one rich person: J. Paul Getty. Getty may have been every bit as terrible a person as he is painted in this book, but there is something not quite impersonal in the writing, as if Getty had somehow offended Lenzner and it seeped into the writing. In fact, Robert Lenzner was once an investment banker for Goldman, Sachs. Goldman, Sachs becomes part of the Getty story in 1983, when they were approached to find a "white knight" during the power struggle between Gordon Getty and the board of Getty Oil. Perhaps there's a connection there - it wouldn't be surprising, because the book takes a definite turn after Getty's death. For 290 pages, the book is about J. Paul Getty. It draws a portrait of a mean, selfish, self-centered, sex-obsessed, womanizing bigamist who clings to pennies while rolling in dough. Suddenly, the old man is dead and over the next 23 pages, we read how much better are the sons. I come to the conclusion that Lenzner possibly met the younger Gettys, heard tales of the terrible man who gave them life - and millions upon millions of dollars - and wrote a book that told their tale. Without that personal connection, if it doesn't exist, I have a hard time understanding the tone of the book.
J. Paul Getty, born to a loving but not affectionate set of parents, has the luck - good or bad - to have George Getty as his father. And George has the luck to wander into the oilfields when his son is eight years old and when oil is a young business. The stage is set for J. Paul, who will eventually become the richest man in the world. Of course, to get there, he has to get through his father. When his father dies, he's got to get through his mother. The way he deals with his mother is heartlessly business-like but Mother Getty is no fool and fights back as meanly as her son fights her. While he works on that, he seems to work at little else but women.
Getty's marriages overlap, some of his children are questionably legitimate and his empire grows. When he finally has control of the business his father began, he is obsessive about every last detail and dime. His business obsession leaves little room for caring about his children, who are portrayed as unloved and necessary, but not particularly wanted, heirs. Through it all runs the only story that would matter to Getty - business. It seems there's not a trick in the book that Getty wouldn't try to gain control, power and money, and to keep it. When his grandson is kidnapped, Getty's response is to cling to his money and refuse to pay the ransom. He doesn't give in when the kidnappers threaten to dice the boy up and send him home in pieces, either. Until they actually send home a piece of him, Grandpa Getty tries pretty much anything to keep as much money as possible rather than pay up and secure his safety.
In the end, I don't think I know any more about the man than I did before. Ann Getty, wife of Gordon, is pronounced the best Getty ever - and that she was Lenzner's connection to the family is noted in the preface. It hardly gives the author credibility. If there's another book about Getty that you can get your hands on, you might try that one. This one feels too mean-spirited to be accurate. The only nice thing Lenzner's got to say about the man is the title - unless you count the references to his skills as a lover, it's all downhill from there.
- AnnaLovesBooks
J. Paul Getty, born to a loving but not affectionate set of parents, has the luck - good or bad - to have George Getty as his father. And George has the luck to wander into the oilfields when his son is eight years old and when oil is a young business. The stage is set for J. Paul, who will eventually become the richest man in the world. Of course, to get there, he has to get through his father. When his father dies, he's got to get through his mother. The way he deals with his mother is heartlessly business-like but Mother Getty is no fool and fights back as meanly as her son fights her. While he works on that, he seems to work at little else but women.
Getty's marriages overlap, some of his children are questionably legitimate and his empire grows. When he finally has control of the business his father began, he is obsessive about every last detail and dime. His business obsession leaves little room for caring about his children, who are portrayed as unloved and necessary, but not particularly wanted, heirs. Through it all runs the only story that would matter to Getty - business. It seems there's not a trick in the book that Getty wouldn't try to gain control, power and money, and to keep it. When his grandson is kidnapped, Getty's response is to cling to his money and refuse to pay the ransom. He doesn't give in when the kidnappers threaten to dice the boy up and send him home in pieces, either. Until they actually send home a piece of him, Grandpa Getty tries pretty much anything to keep as much money as possible rather than pay up and secure his safety.
In the end, I don't think I know any more about the man than I did before. Ann Getty, wife of Gordon, is pronounced the best Getty ever - and that she was Lenzner's connection to the family is noted in the preface. It hardly gives the author credibility. If there's another book about Getty that you can get your hands on, you might try that one. This one feels too mean-spirited to be accurate. The only nice thing Lenzner's got to say about the man is the title - unless you count the references to his skills as a lover, it's all downhill from there.
- AnnaLovesBooks
December 24, 2022
I will return shortly to write a full review. I really enjoyed the book. I also think its a good reference for learning and understanding layers of business complexities, creating value through leverage and by building a brand.
February 22, 2017
More than a narrative, this book seems like a piece of investigative reporting. It clearly depicts J Paul Getty as a social misfit with deep emotional insecurities and a massive Narcissus Complex. If the book's author hoped to inspire, I am afraid that I will disappoint him. While I admire the wealth Getty amazed, I am horrified of all the human suffering created in his path. Money or no money, it seems that Mr. Getty was a terrible person. Read if you wish to see the dark side of wealth. For the expanded review see http://albertoalopez.blogspot.com/201...
October 4, 2012
J. Paul Getty lead a reaaallly interesting life. He was an awful jerk to his family (especially his wives.) The book spent too much time on stock prices and business details. After skimming through these details, things get pretty good. His story is fascinating. It made me appreciate the Getty Center even more - which I didn't think was possible. However, I was surprised to learn that he only pursued an art collection in order to be accepted by the society he wished to join and with the intention of getting the pieces at rock bottom prices.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2010
Borrowed from Dr Aniza's house in Kota Damansara. Belonged to her late father, who had bought it on 8 Jan 1988. I'll write a review when I'm through with it... in honour and in memory of her father who passed away in 2004.
May 15, 2012
What a eccentric fellow J. Paul Getty was. This biography explores well the many facets of Getty's personality. I remember hearing about him but really didn't know much about the "richest man in the world" in the mid 20th century.
October 3, 2013
Superficial and lazy. Makes Kitty Kelley seem like Boswell.
September 8, 2015
It's been a while since I read this book; but I really like the book. I appreciated much more when I made a trip to the Getty museum in Los Angeles, CA. I highly recommended reading it.
February 6, 2016
Is it possible to be a success without being an unpleasant person?
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews