Rating: 
Summary: The dichotomy of a visionary
Review: "The Chief" a wonderful and well balanced portrayal of the rise and fall of one of the past centuries greats. The book does an excellent job of clearly documenting the source of W.R.'s wealth and his manner of spending it. For nearly 5 decades he ruled his publishing empire with an iron hand when necessary and a velvet glove other times. This book documents the dichotomy of preaching family and morals in his newspapers while openly keeping a mistress (the movie star, Marion Davies) for many years. On the one hand it shows his vision as the initial advocate for the 40 hour work week in both private and public service and on the other his total naivete on the actions of Mussolini and Hitler. For example, he thought he'd altered Hitler's views (in both print and during face-to-face meetings) toward the Jews in the 1930s. The author, David Nasaw, was given access to boxes and boxes of correspondence between W.R. and everyone inside and outside his circle. Correspondence which was very blunt by even today's standards. This goes a long ways in providing a clear and documented trail of W.R.'s successes and failures in both his private and public life. For example, he writes to his oldest son George when he was 36, "Somebody had to be in charge of the station. You have not yet demonstrated the ability to run a station... Just remember, George, you have never demonstrated anything in you life yet. You have not even demonstrated a willingness to work." Sadly, his power base was substantially altered by near rabid attacks on the far left during the 1930s, the depression, and the graduated income tax structure in this country. In other words he failed to anticipate nor recognize the culminating points through life's journey and as a result suffered accordingly. In general this book is well worth the read if you can get through the 600 pages.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting bio of complex man
Review: "Complex" is a word often thrown out when writing about famous men who seem "larger than life." On surface, WR Hearst can seem almost a caraciture, but I think this bio. helps flesh him out. He life thru the most some of the most hectic decades of modern civilization is fascinating in itself. The author does give us some insight into this man, who was indeed full of complex contradictions. The section on the famouse "Citizen Kane" controversy was short but informative and even-handed..the author agrees with others that the movie was as much about Welles as about WRH. The biographer does not go very much into trying to explain his subject's psychology...or how he inwardly justified some of his extravagant behavior, which may be just as well...arm-chair psychoanalysis often is too facile when done in biographies, especially when the author never had any chance to interview the subject directly.
Rating:
Summary: Who is Citizen Kane?
Review: A couple of years ago, the American Film Institute called Citizen Kane the best movie ever created. If the revival of Citizen Kane (based on Hearst) never happened, it is unlikely that this book would have been published. Still, Nasaw writes a compelling work. It's intimidating at 800+ pages, but it is interesting enough to get through in a few weeks without prodigious effort. Hearst lived an exciting life of wealth and travel since his birth, and this book doesn't leave out an ounce of his peripatetic existence. Although it is easy to tell Nasaw has an obliging respect for the man (why else would he write the book?) and enough new findings to make this worth a book, you get the sense that Hearst just wasn't very good at business. He seemed to succeed by way of his personal charm and off-the-cuff style. Even if you have little interest in business, there is enough in this book about Hearst's personality and his accumulation of property and objets d'art to satisfy you. Overall: Well-written and interesting, if a little bit too much of one man -- you often feel that this is a month-by-month account of his life.
Rating:
Summary: Who is Citizen Kane?
Review: A couple of years ago, the American Film Institute called Citizen Kane the best movie ever created. If the revival of Citizen Kane (based on Hearst) never happened, it is unlikely that this book would have been published. Still, Nasaw writes a compelling work. It's intimidating at 800+ pages, but it is interesting enough to get through in a few weeks without prodigious effort. Hearst lived an exciting life of wealth and travel since his birth, and this book doesn't leave out an ounce of his peripatetic existence. Although it is easy to tell Nasaw has an obliging respect for the man (why else would he write the book?) and enough new findings to make this worth a book, you get the sense that Hearst just wasn't very good at business. He seemed to succeed by way of his personal charm and off-the-cuff style. Even if you have little interest in business, there is enough in this book about Hearst's personality and his accumulation of property and objets d'art to satisfy you. Overall: Well-written and interesting, if a little bit too much of one man -- you often feel that this is a month-by-month account of his life.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliantly written biogrphy
Review: David Nasaw has crafted in "The Chief" a brilliant portrait of one of the most important figures in twentieth century America. With the help of never before seen documents, and privileged access to the Hearst family archives, Nasaw closely follows Hearst's life and times through his young life, his Harvard years, and the subsequent rise, fall, and recovery of his publishing and movie empire. It is rare to find an academic work of this caliber. Nasaw combines the serious and diligent research of a distinguished historian with the story telling ability of a novelist to make The Chief a worthy read for anyone interested in Hearst, whose life formed the basis for Orson Welles' Citizen Kane.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliantly written biogrphy
Review: David Nasaw has crafted in "The Chief" a brilliant portrait of one of the most important figures in twentieth century America. With the help of never before seen documents, and privileged access to the Hearst family archives, Nasaw closely follows Hearst's life and times through his young life, his Harvard years, and the subsequent rise, fall, and recovery of his publishing and movie empire. It is rare to find an academic work of this caliber. Nasaw combines the serious and diligent research of a distinguished historian with the story telling ability of a novelist to make The Chief a worthy read for anyone interested in Hearst, whose life formed the basis for Orson Welles' Citizen Kane.
Rating:
Summary: Fairly balanced and informative
Review: For most people who know Hearst only through "Citizen Kane," this will be an informative book. Thankfully, Nasaw keeps his discussion of "Kane" restricted to a somewhat brief chapter towards the end of the book. In the larger context of Hearst's life, the "Kane" episode is a minor chapter at best. I suppose enough bad things have been written about Hearst that Nasaw did not feel the need to write about all of the warts. He seems more sympathetic than is necessary towards a man who, among other things, was not a particularly good father, held whatever political views were convenient for him at the time, and who was wastefully excessive to a stunning degree. When writing about Hearst's bankruptcy and subsequent re-organization of assets under a trustee, Nasaw almost seems to feel that Hearst is being treated unfairly at times. The one thing missing from the book that I would have enjoyed is a more thorough discussion of the competition between Hearst and men such as the Pulitzers, McCormick, and Ochs. The source of the man's influence was his newspapers, after all. A more in-depth discussion of the newspaper industry would not have been out of place. All in all, this is an informative book, as Hearst becomes more a part of history.
Rating:
Summary: Fairly balanced and informative
Review: For most people who know Hearst only through "Citizen Kane," this will be an informative book. Thankfully, Nasaw keeps his discussion of "Kane" restricted to a somewhat brief chapter towards the end of the book. In the larger context of Hearst's life, the "Kane" episode is a minor chapter at best. I suppose enough bad things have been written about Hearst that Nasaw did not feel the need to write about all of the warts. He seems more sympathetic than is necessary towards a man who, among other things, was not a particularly good father, held whatever political views were convenient for him at the time, and who was wastefully excessive to a stunning degree. When writing about Hearst's bankruptcy and subsequent re-organization of assets under a trustee, Nasaw almost seems to feel that Hearst is being treated unfairly at times. The one thing missing from the book that I would have enjoyed is a more thorough discussion of the competition between Hearst and men such as the Pulitzers, McCormick, and Ochs. The source of the man's influence was his newspapers, after all. A more in-depth discussion of the newspaper industry would not have been out of place. All in all, this is an informative book, as Hearst becomes more a part of history.
Rating:
Summary: Fairly balanced and informative
Review: For most people who know Hearst only through "Citizen Kane," this will be an informative book. Thankfully, Nasaw keeps his discussion of "Kane" restricted to a somewhat brief chapter towards the end of the book. In the larger context of Hearst's life, the "Kane" episode is a minor chapter at best. I suppose enough bad things have been written about Hearst that Nasaw did not feel the need to write about all of the warts. He seems more sympathetic than is necessary towards a man who, among other things, was not a particularly good father, held whatever political views were convenient for him at the time, and who was wastefully excessive to a stunning degree. When writing about Hearst's bankruptcy and subsequent re-organization of assets under a trustee, Nasaw almost seems to feel that Hearst is being treated unfairly at times. The one thing missing from the book that I would have enjoyed is a more thorough discussion of the competition between Hearst and men such as the Pulitzers, McCormick, and Ochs. The source of the man's influence was his newspapers, after all. A more in-depth discussion of the newspaper industry would not have been out of place. All in all, this is an informative book, as Hearst becomes more a part of history.
Rating:
Summary: That's one sick (and fascinating) puppy!
Review: Hearst, as any Northern Californian knows is a larger-than life character. Luckily, Nasaw's biography of The Chief brings him down to size. The author's extensive research brings us a fascinating story of a fascinating man: a man filled with so many contradictions, that it is no surprise that he became a legend in his own time.
The book takes us from Hearst's father's humble beginnings as a 49er, and takes us through his runs on the governorship of NY, his inability to manage his own finances, his stewardship of yellow tabloid journalism, through is bizarre personal life.
I've read other Nasaw books (Children of the City, etc), but this is by far the best.
Highly recommended.
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