Citizen Hughes: The Power, the Money and the Madness of the Man portrayed in the Movie THE AVIATOR

by Michael Drosnin

Portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Martin Scorsese movie The Aviator, Howard Hughes is legendary as a playboy and pilot—but he is notorious for what he the ultimate mystery man. Citizen Hughes is the New York Times bestselling exposé of Hughes’s hidden life, and a stunning revelation of his “megalomaniac empire in the emperor’s own words” (Newsweek).At the height of his wealth, power, and invisibility, the world’s richest and most secretive man kept what amounted to a diary. The billionaire commanded his empire by correspondence, scrawling thousands of handwritten memos to unseen henchmen. It was the only time Howard Hughes risked writing down his orders, plans, thoughts, fears, and desires. Hughes claimed the papers were so sensitive—“the very most confidential, almost sacred information as to my innermost activities”—that not even his most trusted aides or executives were allowed to keep the messages he sent them. But in the early-morning hours of June 5, 1974, unknown burglars staged a daring break-in at Hughes’s supposedly impregnable headquarters and escaped with all the confidential files. Despite a top-secret FBI investigation and a million-dollar CIA buyback bid, none of the stolen secret papers were ever found—until investigative reporter Michael Drosnin cracked the case.In Citizen Hughes, Drosnin reveals the true story of the great Hughes heist—and of the real Howard Hughes. Based on nearly ten thousand never-before-published documents, more than three thousand in Hughes’s own handwriting, Citizen Hughes is far more than a biography, or even an unwilling autobiography. It is a startling record of the secret history of our times.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Business, Politics, Biography Memoir

664 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Jeff Russo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers a narrow time period, the Vegas years (1966-1970) and the immediate aftermath, and is based largely on memos stolen from Hughes's Romaine Street headquarters in 1974. Drosnin also wrote The Bible Code, that's not a good sign, but still, this book is valuable for direct, extensive quoting of Hughes memos from the relevant time frame. Many of the memos are between Hughes and Bob Maheu. Drosnin is pretty hard on the Mormons.

Best/unique things about this book: Most detailed coverage of Watergate issues; entire chapter on Hughes's dislike of blacks; excellent coverage of Hughes's dithering regarding the party to open the Landmark casino in 1969.

See all my Howard Hughes book reviews.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was a really little kid one of my brothers brought home a Mad Magazine. I picked it up and read it. I was intrigued with a page called "What's Inside Howard Hughes' Wallet". There was a picture of a man with a pencil thin moustache with a long black rectangle over his eyes. I thought about this strange man who some people believed was actually dead. I wondered what he did in his self-imposed seclusion.

Over the years I've picked up biographies of Howard Hughes but they only focused on his glamorous Hollywood years. I was happy when I found a book that told about the last years of Howard Hughes' life. What I found out is that Hughes was worried about the water in Las Vegas - believing Lake Mead was filled with poo water that he didn't want to ingest. He also was scared by nuclear blasts under the Nevada desert. He tried to bribe every politician that he could and was instrumental in creating the paranoia that resulted in Watergate.

Howard Hughes was a frail drugged out narcotics addict who in many ways acted exactly like any other of that ilk. He watched movies, slept and didn't take care of his personal hygiene. His instructions were often rambling and were always self serving. Sometimes he would want to be an active participant on the world scene but he could not get dressed and leave his room. Often, this book made it appear that his five Mormon caretakers were actually imprisoning him.

This book raised as many questions as it answered for me, but I am glad that I finally got a peak into Howard Hughes bizarre and sad final years.

[Ted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hughes must be one of the most fascinating people to ever live. This superbly-written book opens a window into his truly bizarre life. But that's just one side of the book. The reader also learns many little-known details about Watergate and the politics of the late 60s/early 70s. The author presents a compelling case that Hughes unwittingly played a very significant part in the Watergate scandal.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Hughes or Watergate. However, I would also recommend that readers skip the lengthy prologue in which the author describes how he came to possess Hughes's personal papers. IMO, that prologue would have been better presented as an author's note at the end.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the cannon of Howard Hughes bios this book is highly regarded because it's. source is derived from the many memos Howard Hughes wrote to his various minions on the yellow legal tabs that he was never without. Basically the book claims to be Hughes story in his own words and for the most part it is. The trouble is that the book is not a complete story of this iconic American it is only the last part of his extraordinary life; and than only a small part of those years.

It book focuses during the years that Hughes was locked in seclusion in his Las Vegas penthouse long after the Spruce Goose or his achievements in aviation and the parade of Hollywood starlets were a part of his world. This is Hughes as a recluse using memos as the main form of communication to run his empire as he declined into paranoid destitution and drug abuse. The bulk of the memos in the first third of the book are correspondence to his henchmen become right hand man Robert Maheu and though there is some reference to his business empire and the shady power plays that Hughes is known for most of the memos deal with his obsessive paranoia on matters that only affected him and that he had no control over - bomb testing in the Nevada desert, legal decisions concerning his business interests, the quality of the water in Vegas - and though these memos help to paint a picture of a man who tried to ingrain himself into American politics at all levels it all adds up to nought. The bomb testing happens, the legal decisions go against him and the Vegas water remained dirty. This is just a sketch of Hughes even during his reclusive years and I got the feeling that more was omitted from these years than were included. The writers choice to focus on his relationship with Maheu - a relationship conducted almost exclusively via the memos - has made the focus to narrow when someone like Hughes is involved, IMO.

That doesn't mean that this is a bad book but I did feel underserved. Though Hughes was removed from the day to day running of his business empire and he no longer was flying planes there still was a lot that happened during these years. He took his fathers business, ToolCo, public he was sued by one airline and bought another and the Clifford Irving book came out and all these events are skimmed over in favor of the poop in Lake Mead and his temper tantrums with Maheu. Even the collapse of Hughes marriage is under-reported and the only reason for this is because Maheu wasn't involved in any of these dramas. He was Hughes Nevada man and that is where the narrative of this book plays out leaving the reader with an incomplete picture. The memos are certainly interesting to read and the interplay between Hughes and Maheu does have it's fascinating moments but it panders to Hughes obsessive nature and not the sharpness and adventurous groundbreaker that defined him as a younger man. This book would have been a fine if it was the third volume of a massive biography like they write in Europe, but it isn't. It's a stand alone book that only focuses on the last 20 years of Hughes extraordinary life and because of that I was left feeling the need to read a more extensive bio on this man.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find Howard Hughes endlessly fascinating, and while I read this book initially learn more about Vegas and his influence there, I learned so much more about how involved Hughes was the government, politicians, CIA, etc. And, the big learning, that, technically, he is the reason that Nixon broke into Watergate.

The author is a bit sensational at times and editorialized a great deal, including calling Hughes a deranged madman and such, when Hughes suffered from debilitating and life-altering OCD. The book was written in 1985, a time when OCD and mental illness was less understood and much more stigmatized. But his characterization of Hughes as being mad, when his actions were clearly a result of his terrible OCD, got to be unnerving after a while.

[Jamie Hodges · Rating 3 out of 5]

This may sound stupid...but a bio of Howard Hughes is kind of a downer....the political info on how he was involved with Johnson and Nixon is great...but overall I can only take so much crazy.

[Laura Muir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers the crazy years. Very interesting how his genius still shines through and he's still ahead of his time.

[Kade Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. I didn’t know what to expect but I couldn’t put it down and found myself waiting to get back to it.

[Arvydas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Citizen Hughes: The Billionaire Who Wasn’t Just Watching the “Government”-He Was Running Its Black Ops for a “Government”

A deep dive into how Howard Hughes blurred the lines between madness, money, and the CIA’s most covert missions.

Michael Drosnin’s Citizen Hughes isn’t just a biography—it’s a blowtorch on the blackout curtains covering Howard Hughes’ later years. Based heavily on 3,000 pages of Hughes’ secret memos, this book peels away the billionaire-playboy mask and shows the dark, paranoid, deeply connected “puppet or a master” behind the curtain.

CIA, DoD & the Deep State Waltz:

The book dives deep into the Hughes-CIA bromance that started way before Project Azorian (a.k.a. Glomar Explorer), the covert op where the CIA used a Hughes-fronted ship to snatch a sunken Soviet submarine in the 1970s. This wasn’t just a one-off; Citizen Hughes points to an ongoing, symbiotic relationship between Hughes and U.S. intelligence.
• Hughes Aircraft Company: The book uncovers how it morphed into a DoD darling, producing radar systems, missile guidance tech, and secret aerospace toys. By the 1950s and ’60s, Hughes was less a businessman and more a deep-state contractor with wings.
• CIA Cover Master: Drosnin suggests Hughes’ empire served as a perfect front for covert ops. Nobody questions a rich, eccentric billionaire with a fleet of planes and a global footprint, right?
• Political Leverage: Hughes used his wealth and CIA clout to influence U.S. presidents and even tried to control Vegas and its casinos to extend his power base, which the book links to both federal agencies and potential mob ties. High-stakes geopolitics wrapped in silk sheets and mental breakdowns.

The Madness Masked the Machinations:

Hughes’ germaphobia, drug addiction, and reclusiveness—far from just tragic quirks—served as perfect cover mechanisms. While the media fed the public tales of a broken, obsessive man, behind the scenes, he was still pulling strings, dodging taxes, manipulating political figures, and fronting black ops. Drosnin implies Hughes’ madness was both real and weaponized.

Why You’ve Been Lied to by Hollywood:

Hollywood’s take, especially in The Aviator, paints Hughes as a visionary battling demons—partly true, but it omits the shadowy stuff: the intelligence ops, the defense contracts, and the sickening power he had over governments. Films like Rules Don’t Apply tiptoe near the edge, but none dare dive in like Drosnin does.

Should You Read It?

Yes, if you’re into:
• Hidden history
• Real-life Bond villains
• CIA front operations dressed in Gucci and grease
• Psychological dissection of a state-captured billionaire

But don’t expect a love letter. Drosnin calls out the contradictions—Hughes wasn’t just exploited by the system; he was part of building it.

Citizen Hughes feels like a sober LSD trip into the American empire’s underbelly. It reminds us how thin the line is between genius, madness, and corruption—especially when the CIA is holding your bank account and your secret files….and that was a case for Howard Hughes.

By the way, this book can draw some interesting parallels to the “modern, incoherently wobbling billionaire (at least on paper) Rocket/Iron Man” - nothing has changed under the Moon? Right? 🤣

[Bud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Information Security Reflections on "Citizen Hughes"

In "Citizen Hughes," the intricate exploration of Howard Hughes' life and the political landscape during the 1960s offers a captivating narrative. As an information security professional, (retired) my perspective on the book deviates from the typical reviews that scrutinize writing style and completeness. Instead, I find myself delving into the realm of information security, questioning the absence of discussions surrounding this critical aspect of Hughes' dealings.

One notable observation is the neglect of information security concepts within the narrative. The book falls short in elucidating the reasons behind this gap, considering that information security has a deep-rooted history spanning thousands of years. The question arises: Were information security practitioners of the 1960s grappling with the rapid changes in the information environment, or was it a deliberate oversight within Hughes' influential circle? Or did they think that what they were doing as far as paper boxes and locked buildings was enough?

In drawing parallels to contemporary challenges, scenes reminiscent of the 1960s persist in today's corporate world. Instances where CEOs resist password memorization or where administrative assistants possess and utilize the CEO's password for authentication and personation echo through time. The book prompts reflection on whether these practices stemmed from an unwillingness to engage the influential figurehead on information security matters.

The allure of substantial financial gains from government defense contracts and clandestine CIA dealings may have overshadowed the importance of information security. The notion that powerful individuals dismissed "nit-picky infosec nerds" from crucial meetings raises questions about the intersection of power, influence, and the neglect of critical security measures. Howard Hughes, like many figures of authority, seemed indifferent to the fate of the information he generated, similar to what ever it was that Nixon exhibited in mis-managing confidential information on audio tapes.

The absence of robust information security practices during this period becomes even more significant when considering historical events such as the Watergate burglary. The book raises the question of whether modern information security practices could have prevented the need for such a breach. Additionally, the Romaine burglars might have encountered formidable barriers if the information they sought had been protected from unauthorized access.

The narrative triggers the imagination, prompting contemplation on the techniques contemporary politicians employ to enrich themselves discreetly in today's surveillance society. As an information security professional, "Citizen Hughes" serves as a thought-provoking exploration into the historical negligence of information security and its repercussions, challenging us to consider the enduring relevance of these issues in the present day.

[GooseReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Drosnin brings to life a time in Hughes' life in which he seemed to have a second nervous breakdown and withdrew to a closed-off room. What seems to make this period different to his previous breakdown is that Hughes continued to exert a huge influence on the United States (arguably his influence greatly increased during this time).

Drosnin presents the story of how Hughes' desire to have the United States match his wishes led him to bribe politicians across the country as well as fund major candidates in both parties of the United States. It shows how Hughes, who never voted, was perfectly willing to transcend party loyalty in order to ensure he was always backing the winning horse.

I think what is interesting is that the requests that Hughes ended up making were not all in relation to his business empire; however, this should not be understated. The influence that Hughes had managed to accrue in the government meant that he received preferential tax treatment. His medical research institute (which provided very little money to actual medical research) was granted an exemption from the 1969 tax reform act. Some of the requests from Hughes seemed to be far more bizarre and confusing. Hughes became one of the most important anti-bomb testing proponents. What is unique is that Hughes was not against bomb testing in general, but he was opposed to testing in Nevada so close to him.

The book provides an excellent overview of Watergate, which I am beginning to think really did revolve around Hughes and his connections with both Nixon and O'Brien. One does wonder if the world of politics is truly immune to this sort of corruption or if, possibly, we are yet to hear similar stories emerge in the future.

The reason that this story is not five stars is that I can't help but wonder if the author could have delved a bit deeper into who arranged the robbery of Romaine Street, the haul of which the author was able to use in order to write the book. I appreciate that, without naming a name, they were able to indicate what really happened during the robbery.

[T.K. Sheffield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating study of a narcissist. As Hughes became more deranged, his paranoia and desire for complete control of his environment increased. Narcissists are like tornadoes, and they trap those who become emotionally with them in a constant whirlwind. Those tasked to cater to him reflect the utter frustration and emotional wreckage of being involved with a narc. This book is a story, a timeline of Hughes' life, but also a psychological study of a narc. It's like seeing The Picture of Dorian Gray or Edgar Alan Poe's Fall of the House of Usher in real life. Crazy and fascinating read.

[Gulliver's Bad Trip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am concerned about Leonardo DiCaprio's acting career and his seemingly young, pretty face being shown only in its right angles as much as the next guy but that Scorsese movie left a lot to be desired regarding Hughes portrayal and it only gets worse after one actually read this book. Hollywood's reduction of cinema as mere adaptation with improvements is really frustating.

Leaving the innocent land were dreams become reality aside, Hughes strikes me as being a variant of excentric figures like Adolf Wölfli if he never went bankrupt or got swindled out from the start. Or Hughes is what William S. Burroughs would have turned into if he didn't dedicated himself to literature, shot his wife dead nor gave up being a junkie. Also, one can only imagine what Hughes could have written in a 'professional' sense if he imediatelly got disillusioned by cinema as publicity, for example. But the facts are just way more boring than that and Hughes was as privileged in prefigurating the excess of billionaries to come as much as he was just another mentally sick and racially bigoted beyond all doubt.

Hughes, in sum, represents the transition period in America and, finally, all over the world, between the failed Fordlândia project, the Banana Wars for United Fruit Company up until Eli M. Black or the first Disneyland construction and the first promisses of Cybernetics for modern society since Norbert Wiener, Buckminster Fuller's Spaceship Earth or the virtuallization of reality endeavoured massively and sistematicaly since then as identified by Virilio and Baudrillard.
Thus, after Trump, Musk and so-called Big Techs openly in the american office, the ghost of Howard Robard Hughes have ultimately taken over the world machine. More simulacra are to come.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Detailed business information is what the book is all about. So there is very little in the way of substance if one is looking for anecdotes and tell-alls. The thickness of the book led me to believe there would be some of both so I was disappointed. It is well-structured, though, and obviously exhaustively researched. I rated it two stars, it was just ok.

[Neddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Fascinating at times but also monotonous. The chapter about Hughes and Maheu planning a party was painfully repetitive and could have been cut in half. The whole book could have been about 20% shorter.

[Joe B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read while working for the company he founded.

[Elijah Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll begin by saying that Drosnin is an exceptional author, he kept me pulled in and loving the story of Howard Hughes. His style and dynamic were impressive. From Howard Hughes we can learn this: People seem to always be looking for power in order to get things done. So they work to obtain that power. This is good, but where do we go after having obtained that power, being in any form, (knowledge, military, intelligence, wisdom, etc.), where do we go from there. Hughes' downfall was that he had power, but he went no where with it. Granted, he obviously had some issues mentally, and physical condition was very low. The body greatly influences the mind, but still, he also didn't manage his own life well enough. He only managed who managed it. Hughes suffered from paranoia, dementia, depression, and several other severely detrimental conditions. This is common for people in power because they rely too much on others, and not enough on their own capabilities, or vice versa. So after you find the end of your path, start a new one, then life will always have meaning.

[Luke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, a disappointment. I had thought that after Barlett and Steele's compendium on Howard Hughes, Drosnin's book would provide a bit of light relief in a kind of SHOCK! HORROR! way.

Unfortunately, given that it focuses solely on the part of Hughes's life where he was writing a lot of notes (or dictating them to his Mormon minions) it comes across as kind of flabby and boring. There's a lot of he-said, no-he-didn't back-and-forth that ends up removing the shocking nature of Hughes's decline. There's a continual tabloid phrasing in the copy and if used sparingly it would work - but in continual breathlessness the impact is lost.

The amount of research - wading through the Hughes paperwork must have been sheer tedium - is self-evident. It's difficult, though, to warm to this book. (A miracle, given that Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness, which I read before this, is like eating a bucket of well-researched sand.)

[Bill Hurlbut · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need a shower. In the past few years I have read some books about politics that made me cringe, but this one made me wonder whether this particular field of human endeavor will ever achieve the noble ends we commoners seem to wish for it. Here we get the tale of how Hughes applied his vast wealth to self-serving political ends. He set out to purchase a President and he succeeded with Richard Nixon, whose grasp of ethics and morals was subservient to his craving for power. The mess this ultimately created, the Watergate scandal, brought this country to new lows that we still struggle to crawl out of. This is a difficult read not only for that reason, but also because the source material is used in ways that bludgeon the reader with the chronic whinging of the reclusive billionaire and his neurotically manipulative relationship with his chief of staff.

[Klaus Metzger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selten ist eine Biographie abenteuerlicher und mysteriöser als die von Howard Hughes. Hughes kontrollierte mit seinem Imperium von Firmen, seinen Kontakten zu den Geheimdiensten, zu Politik und zur Mafia zeitweilig die amerikanische Öffentlichkeit. Mithilfe tausender handgeschriebener Aufzeichnungen regierte er sein Reich.
Ich bin auf Howard Hughes über sein ausgestelltes großes Wasserflugzeug "Sprooze Goose" 1985 (in der Nähe der Queen Mary I) in Long Beach/USA aufmerksam geworden. Seit 1992 steht das Flugboot im Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Das Buch über Howard Hughes ist sehr spannend.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having a lot of money not only does not make you happy, it can stop people from telling you the things they need to tell you to keep you from going absolutely bat-shit insane.

However it can help you control a vast empire from a completely blackened filthy vegas hotel room.

And Howard Hughes loved Mormons. At least he loved having them as servants.

[Charlene Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! I worked for Hughes Aircraft for many years and knew people that had met Hughes. I found this history of his time in Las Vegas fascinating. It was amazing that such a brilliant and charismatic man could go so far over the edge. Seeing so much of the book in Hughes' own handwriting gave it an extra look into the man. Well worth reading if you can find it.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, wow and wow again! Every American should read this book if they desire to fully understand the catalyst behind Watergate, as well as the mysteries of a very wealthy man who held the world at his fingertips, while his mind went steadily by the wayside.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a better place to learn about someone than from their own writing. Howard Hughes own handwritten notes are used the basis to tell the story of this bizaree and reclusive man, who, by virtue of his wealth held great power in his hands.

[Daniel Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew Howard Hughes was this involved in politics and world events. A wonderful way to see how government was run and who had the power in the 50's, 60's and 70's. This is a critical book of hughes, but the content can be connected to many men of the time and today.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was similar to watching a train wreck. You couldn't take your eyes away even if you didn't want to "see" the results. This was an intriguing book about the political workings of the 1970's and of the mental issues with Hughes.

[Think-On-It]

If you'd like to know what I thought of this book, please contact me directly and I'd be happy to discuss it with you.

All the best,

- TB

[Arwen Ungar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luckiest reporter on earth stumbles upon storage unit filled with every last one of Howard Hughes' secret memos. Fantastic!

[Kevin Wellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read from a very different perspective.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book, though it was a bit creepy. Gave new context to the impetus behind the Watergate break-in, as well as nice insight into the psyche of this very disturbed individual.