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Maxwell: The Outsider
You've seen the headlines; now discover the real Robert Maxwell in the book he tried to ban. Available for the first time in the U.S., Bower's unauthorized biography, now updated and revised, with an American perspective, takes you behind the headlines to chart the publishing magnate's amazing life and the blinding ambition and tenacity which brought him to the top. 8-page photo insert.
- GenresBiography
608 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
3 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Tom Bower
57 books179 followersFor the author of works on child development, see T.G.R. Bower
Tom Bower (born 28 September 1946) is a British writer, noted for his investigative journalism and for his unauthorized biographies.
A former Panorama reporter, his books include unauthorised biographies of Tiny Rowland, Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Robinson, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson.
He won the 2003 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award for Broken Dreams, an investigation into corruption in English football. His joint biography of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel Conrad and Lady Black: Dancing on the Edge was published in November 2006, and an unsuccessful libel case over a passing mention of Daily Express proprietor Richard Desmond in the book was heard in July 2009.
An unauthorised biography by Bower of Richard Desmond, provisionally entitled Rough Trader, awaits publication. Bowers's biography of Simon Cowell, written with Cowell's co-operation, was published on 20 April, 2012.
Bower is married to Veronica Wadley, former editor of the London Evening Standard, and has four children.
Tom Bower (born 28 September 1946) is a British writer, noted for his investigative journalism and for his unauthorized biographies.
A former Panorama reporter, his books include unauthorised biographies of Tiny Rowland, Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Robinson, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson.
He won the 2003 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award for Broken Dreams, an investigation into corruption in English football. His joint biography of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel Conrad and Lady Black: Dancing on the Edge was published in November 2006, and an unsuccessful libel case over a passing mention of Daily Express proprietor Richard Desmond in the book was heard in July 2009.
An unauthorised biography by Bower of Richard Desmond, provisionally entitled Rough Trader, awaits publication. Bowers's biography of Simon Cowell, written with Cowell's co-operation, was published on 20 April, 2012.
Bower is married to Veronica Wadley, former editor of the London Evening Standard, and has four children.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 25, 2013
You can't say I'm not topical, as a whole generation will have grown-up without hearing about Maxwell but this is a pretty excellent biography. It ended up more or less with how I remembered Maxwell as an untrustworthy, rampant self-publicist but here you get the journey there in intricate detail. What surprised me is how sympathetic he often is, surviving the holocaust that claimed his family, having a good war record, climbing the social ladder in pre Social Revolution Britain. Plus there is the stuff that we can never be sure of, was he an agent and if so for Britain, for Russia or for Mossad? Given his penchant for playing both ends against the middle, quite possibly all or none. Perhaps this explains his unusual demise; perhaps an overweight, egomaniac did simply have a heart attack and fall into the sea? Perhaps it is getting older but I simply didn't see him as totally reprehensible as I did when I originally bought my Dad this biography nearly 25 years ago.
November 24, 2014
Little spared in this fine read.
October 3, 2012
This book is very well researched but people like myself not versed in the ways of accountants and the like it is heavy reading. There are 2 ways you can look at this book, you can admire Maxwell for the way he came from abject poverty to unbelievable riches through sheer hard work and a clever mind, or you can curse the man for the way he bullied, cajoled and wore down by his sheer size and personality, often cheating many people he dealt with along the way, to get where he was.
It’s ironic that the previous book I read was a Le Carre thriller based on his own con man father, and in a way that what Robert Maxwell eventually turned out to be, but he wasn’t alone. All those professional people, lawyers, accountants, bankers, even MP’s, all knew he was up to something no good but still, after countless investigations casting doubts on Maxwell’s business practices, continued to deal with him, pushing aside ethical concerns in the name of fees.
The richer Maxwell became the more he wanted, but not only money, but acceptance into elite society which is all well and good but for a socialist politician its smacks of hypocrisy. He mixed with the rich and famous, world leaders and was an MP for some time, ironically in a former Conservative constituency. He had a yacht, private plane but there was also communist connection and a hint in the arts of spying agencies, all in all it would make an interesting novel, the only trouble was it was all true and mostly proved in this book, which was why Maxwell tried to get it banned when he heard about it.
Around his 68th birthday it all began to unravel, and then the cover ups, backtracking as those very same professionals tried to distant themselves from the mess that was now being unveiled. Of course there are those who detested his success all the way through that relished what was happening but the biggest losers of all it seems were ordinary workers of the Maxwell companies.
It’s ironic that the previous book I read was a Le Carre thriller based on his own con man father, and in a way that what Robert Maxwell eventually turned out to be, but he wasn’t alone. All those professional people, lawyers, accountants, bankers, even MP’s, all knew he was up to something no good but still, after countless investigations casting doubts on Maxwell’s business practices, continued to deal with him, pushing aside ethical concerns in the name of fees.
The richer Maxwell became the more he wanted, but not only money, but acceptance into elite society which is all well and good but for a socialist politician its smacks of hypocrisy. He mixed with the rich and famous, world leaders and was an MP for some time, ironically in a former Conservative constituency. He had a yacht, private plane but there was also communist connection and a hint in the arts of spying agencies, all in all it would make an interesting novel, the only trouble was it was all true and mostly proved in this book, which was why Maxwell tried to get it banned when he heard about it.
Around his 68th birthday it all began to unravel, and then the cover ups, backtracking as those very same professionals tried to distant themselves from the mess that was now being unveiled. Of course there are those who detested his success all the way through that relished what was happening but the biggest losers of all it seems were ordinary workers of the Maxwell companies.
March 9, 2025
Well researched but also far too detailed if you just want a high level view of his life / actions.
January 8, 2008
The biography of an extraordinarily evil man who also did some good. the subject tried desperately to have this book banned from publication as it simply told the truth - the whole truth? well that's a mute point if the truth will ever be known of the millions of pounds that disappeared and Maxwell, of course, went missing from his luxury yacht in the Atlantic, presumed dead but never explained. Suicide or misadventure?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews