American Legends: The Life of Howard Hughes

by Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures.*Includes Hughes' quotes. *Includes a bibliography for further reading.*Includes a table of contents. “My father told me, never have partners." – Howard Hughes“I'm not a paranoid deranged millionaire.” – Howard HughesHoward Hughes lived a life that was quintessentially American, and his personal history was so varied, improbable and extraordinary that he practically resembled a living folk hero. Hughes was barely in his 20s during America’s Roaring Twenties, but he already began to command the nation’s headlines as a multi-talented millionaire, and the varied pastimes that his talents and wealth afforded him made him nearly impossible to ignore. In the ‘20s and ‘30s, the most famous people in the country were generally gangsters, jazz musicians, inventors, baseball players, Hollywood stars or flying aces, and by the end of the ‘30s, the 35 year old Hughes was at least three and arguably four of those; perhaps learning to play jazz or hit home runs seemed greedy at that point.After receiving a handsome inheritance in his teens, Howard made himself into one of the world’s first billionaires by the time he was in middle age, so he clearly wasted no time. Already a tycoon at the age of 20, Hughes took no pleasure in rest or success, and his accomplishments were just as unique as the man himself. He made Oscar-nominated films while simultaneously becoming the fastest man on the planet by setting airspeed records in a plane of his own invention, but even as he became a national celebrity, he displayed little interest in other people. A consummate loner, he rarely interacted with the elite social circles to which he had access unless business necessitated it, instead surrounding himself with employees to carry out the practical matters of his empire, make his designs into reality, cobble together his film productions, and organize the disparate parts of his life according to his precise specifications. He was known to millions and managed a diverse empire but was a friend to no one. Perhaps not surprisingly, a heavy majority of Hughes’ social interactions involved romance. Hughes was one of the most notorious womanizers in Hollywood, romancing scores of forgettable starlets and silver screen icons alike, but most of his affairs also remained impersonal, to the extent that he remained an enigma even to his paramours.Despite the sharp intellect, vigor and dynamism that made his astonishing accomplishments possible, Hughes ultimately descended into madness, ravaged by physical and psychological maladies that left him a caricature of what he had been at the zenith of his feats. Fittingly, the catalyst for his final decline was literally a fall, when one of his heralded airplanes tumbled out of the sky and brought him back down to Earth in a nearly fatal crash. The maverick billionaire was a famous figure in America for no less than half a century, but his true influence over the nation’s fate wasn’t known until long after his death. Despite the acrimonious way his unfulfilled airplane contracts were resolved at the end of World War II, while the Cold War raged, Howard continued to make a small fortune off government contracts by secretly supplying the Central Intelligence Agency with untold troves of spy gear. He also played a significant role in the most infamous political scandal of the century (Watergate), but even as the scandal transfixed the country, much like his own post-war Senate hearings a quarter century earlier, Hughes was never mentioned in the extensive investigation. American The Life of Howard Hughes chronicles the incredible life of one of America’s most eccentric geniuses.

Genres: Biography

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 3, 2014

About the author

Charles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.

Reviews

[Bimal Patel · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."

The Life of Howard Hughes by Charles River Editors provides a quick but all inclusive story of Howard Hughes. It is short enough to be able to finish in 5 hours and yet detailed enough to get a good idea who Howard Hughes was. Businessman, golfer, record setter, pilot, visionary, playboy, movie producer and above all hypochondriac is what Howard Hughes was. Someone who was all of the above much certainly be an interesting man. But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy or a nervous wreck as in case of Hughes. Overall, this is a good book that is easy to comprehend and provides a detailed glimpse into Hughes's life and work and eventually his downfall.

[Hal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A biography sketch of Howard Hughes one of the more intriguing personalities that spanned a number of fields. Hughes was truly an interesting fellow. A cross between a genius and a crackpot he certainly made his mark and set the stage for the many characters that followed him that we see more of in the news today.

The biography takes us through the early years when the sky literally was the limit with his fortune, to the strange unraveling of his obvious illness that led to his final demise.

[Deedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible:A fascinating look at who Howard Hughes was from childhood until he died.I learned a lot in a little under 5 hours! Narrated nicely by James Romick.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a review copy of this audiobook.

The story of Howard Hughes’s life is fascinating and full enough to border on unbelievable. I’m amazed there haven’t been more popular adaptations of his biography, given the full and rich opportunities for various perspectives on him.

[bob nyby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. 31 years at Hughes Fullerton

[James Carruthers · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reads well as a quick summary of Hughes' life. I enjoyed it.

[Zachery Polk]

Amazing story. Very inspiring.