Andy Warhol: A Life from Beginning to End

by Hourly History

Discover the remarkable life of Andy Warhol...
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Andy Warhol and his pop art helped define the 1960s and 1970s in America. Born the son of poor Austro-Hungarian immigrants in Pittsburgh, he was fortunate enough to attend the Carnegie Institute and study art. After graduation, he moved to New York, where he became a successful commercial artist sketching women’s accessories for ads before soaring to popularity with his silkscreen paintings of Campbell soup cans and celebrities like Marilyn Monroe.

Obsessed with fame, Warhol coveted the company of the social elite and became one himself. After opening the Factory, an art studio where he surrounded himself with a clique of admirers, Warhol turned to filmmaking and shot hundreds of underground films. This eventually led him to get into contact with Valerie Solanas, a woman who desperately wanted him to produce her play. When Warhol declined, Solanas shot the artist, and although he survived, he was left with a fear of hospitals that would ultimately take his life 19 years later.

Andy Warhol’s unusual art was in demand everywhere, and by the time of his death, the immigrant’s son was worth $100 million.

Discover a plethora of topics such asA Lonely Boy from PittsburghPop The Soup Can ControversyThe FactoryEdie and the Chelsea GirlsThe Assassination AttemptLate Life and DeathAnd much more!
So if you want a concise and informative book on Andy Warhol, simply scroll up and click the "Buy now" button for instant access!

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 22, 2022

About the author

At Hourly History, we focus on publishing history books that are concise, straightforward and take no longer than one hour to read.

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Reviews

[Lily-Mae B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish they would’ve mentioned his best friend, Jean-Michel Basquiat. Overall really interesting book on Andy Warhol. I had no idea he was friends with Liza Minelli!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

When people think of Warhol, the soup cans immediately come to mind. He was definitely an interesting character who lived an interesting life. This book just seemed to give too much detail about things that didn’t matter much, while glossing over who he really was.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Warhol was a name I remember, along with words like "pop art" and "iconic Campbell's soup cans." Until reading this ebook, I really knew virtually nothing about the man. However, I'd heard forever that he died of AIDS, which we learn in this ebook was untrue. In many ways, I view Andy's life as a life wasted -- chasing fame and fortune. He doesn't seem to have been a happy person, just someone chasing validation from others.That seems to be a tragic waste, to me.

The value of this book was to watch Andy support a bastion of "friends" at The Factory. Were any of those folks really friends or just hangers-on? When I finished this ebook, I was torn between pitying Andy Warhol and wondering if he ever figured out that his aims were empty. A really sad story.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because I lived in Pittsburgh for 6 years as a grad student so I was intrigued by this native son.

Here are some of the most interesting things I noted.

(1) Warhol appears to have been a genuine art prodigy. For some reason I assumed he was pretty average at first and only became recognized later but apparently he was seen as a star from early on.

(2) Despite being surrounded by people, Warhol seems to have kept everyone at a distance. Like I don't think he ever had a long term romantic relationship.

(3) He was really into making movies although now we mostly know him for his paintings and prints.

But at the end I was left with an uncomfortable feeling that I didn't really understand him very well.

Perhaps that reflects his character. I have the sense that he was someone who was not quite comfortable in his own skin, who had a hard time getting in touch with his own feelings. Hence his obsession with fame and celebrity and seeming difficulties with intimacy and relationships.

[Bonnie Gleckler Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Paint Soup Cans or Celebrities….

Andy Warhol was one of those unique individuals that throughout the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s we all heard about, but really never knew. Thanks of Hourly Histories, I now feel that I’ve had an opportunity to get a glimpse of his likes, his dislikes, his loves, and those he hated. Was he a man simply misunderstood, or a man who wanted to be misunderstood and mysterious. He made few friends, but supported and entire entourage at “The Factory”, his sanctuary for years.
I really enjoyed getting to know Andy Warhol this way, I doubt I would have otherwise had any ideas as to his life.

[Patricia S Winchel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talented, famous, unique, pathetic

Andy Warhol was an enigma. He was born into poverty and his mother, whom he seemed dependent upon, spoke very little English. He had brothers but little is known about them. He was very shy and preferred the company of women as friends but was enamored with attractive men and lived a gay lifestyle. My impression of his filmography is that it was boring, lengthy and degenerate. He was a pathetic creature who attracted others seeking fame, and drugs, although he didn’t drink and his drug use wasn’t discussed. A very sad story about a man who was famous and rich but was never very happy.

[Neera Kapahi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of us are familiar with some of Andy Warhol’s works - everyday objects such as Campbell’s soup cans and celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe. He became an important figure in the Pop Art movement. He used various mediums such as silkscreening and photography. He also made movies. I was not familiar with his movies and surprised to learn that he had made so many.

This concise but fascinating book covers everything from his upbringing, his struggles to his larger than life fame.

[Paul Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

15 Minutes of Fame

Andy got his fifteen minutes of fame, and then some. Warhol, the name evokes a plethora of feelings and emotions from many, the many who knew him as well as the many who thought they knew him. No doubt a fascinating man well ahead of his time.

[Brian Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strange man. I have driven past the museum about him in Pittsburgh but never visited it. A man who draws campbells soup can just didnt sound interesting to me.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a short one hour biography it is not bad. I learned a few things. I had watched the six hour documentary on Netflix about Andy Warhol prior to reading this and I was surprised that this book covered some things that the documentary did not. There is information about Warhol's early years, before he made a name for himself. I also did not realize that Warhol's mother lived with him for so long in New York. There is a lot in here about negative reactions to Warhol's work. Many art critics hated him, and I was surprised about this because I did not realize the extent of the hate. In the end I thought that this book rounded out the information, not all good and not all bad, but if you really want to know details I recommend the Netflix documentary entitled "The Andy Warhol Diaries."

[D. Thrush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never knew much about Andy Warhol. He was a notorious artist whose biggest claim to fame is a painting of a Campbell’s soup can. He almost singlehandedly invented camp and pop art. He was shy yet surrounded himself with celebrities choosing to observe rather than participate. He was an odd character filled with contradictions. This short 47-page book captures the highlights of his life.