Customer Reviews

Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer

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Biographer Epstein does a straightforward, almost journalistic description of the life and times of Armand Hammer, considered by many to be a man of vision, humanity, and charity until details of his life began to seep out following his death. Even the New York Times gave this man a glowing obituary. But, thanks to the tremendous research done by Epstein, we see Hammer for what he was: an evil, self-serving, egomanic. And Epstein's non-sensational telling of the details of Hammer's life is appropriate; it is unnecessary to augment beyond the notoriousness of Hammer's own actions. What Hammer did speaks for itself, and Epstein catalogues his many sins. He was a traitor to his country, his family, his friends. He was such a lowlife that he allowed his father to go to prison for crime he, the son, committed. He was a perpetual adulterer. He laundered millions of dollars and had secret accounts everywhere. He drove what most believed to be a successful company to the brink of bankruptcy. But I could have done without the incessant mini-flashbacks that kept creeping into the narration. And I think it was a really bad choice to begin the book with the prologue describing Hammer's final days. It would work much better at the end, as this failure of a human being tops himself while he is dying with malicious, coniving, and deceitful steps to preserve his false characterization upon his passing. I would strongly recommend that you read the prologue at the end of the book. I would also suggest that as you finish each chapter, you turn to the source notes for that chapter and be amazed by the research Epstein did to compile his facts. He paints Hammer as such a dispicable character, that you will be astounded that this character got away with his ruse for his entire life. In this day of rotten corporate big-business, the book shows the rot has been going on for decades.

I remember Armand Hammer appearing on the Tonight Show and other of guest appearances on the popular shows of the day doing his best to create a positive public image. He largely succeeded.

This book shows the deals he cut with rather awful people and Hammer's, being kind, questionable character. It is an engrossing story and the book is a great read.

The point is that this is an important story because of the relationships Hammer had with people in power in the Soviet Union, in the Middle East, and in Washington. Occidental Petroleum was and is an important company. Of course, Al Gore's father success, and much of Gore's personal wealth, is based upon carrying water for Occidental Petroleum. The company worked hard in post Hammer times to erase that difficult past. You can judge for yourself.

I believe that you will enjoy this book and warmly recommend it to you.

The man the media held out to us as a humanitarian, art lover, and brilliant capitalist is finally exposed in this brilliantly-written and thoroughly-researched book. From performing illegal abortions to twenty years as a hard-core Soviet agent for Lenin and Stalin, to international bribes, to Watergate, to fathering and abandoning bastard children, to the theft of tens if not hundreds of millions, Hammer would do anything. As a Jew he was able to be one of the major agents between the early Soviet government and the American communist movement both of which contained a very large proportion of Jews. Only the communists, our Republican, and Democratic politicians, and media liked this total fraud. In the end even his family loathed him.

There exists an unusually wide breadth of opinions about Armand Hammer -- he almost won the Nobel Peace Prize, and is revered by those who have benefited from his charitable endeavors, yet is excoriated by the political right. The latter group became particularly vocal in the United States around 2000, as Hammer's ties to Al Gore's father became fodder for talk-radio rumor mongering in that year's presidential election.

Dossier is the only biography of Hammer written with reference to both the U.S. government's records on the man, made available under the Freedom of Information Act after he died, and Soviet records, made available after the collapse of the U.S.S.R. It is therefore the only book that comes close to explaining the nature of Hammer's ties to the Soviet Union. (Spoiler: In the early 1920s, he set up some companies that were used as channels by the Soviets for financing secret operations abroad).

Unfortunately, Epstein was not satisfied with these records, and turns to some really marginal sources to sex up the story. The book contains a number of particularly shocking accusations that, if you follow through the footnotes, all come from a woman who claims to have been Hammer's mistress, decades ago. Take for example Epstein's rendition of the well-known 1920 conviction of Hammer's father for manslaughter. Hammer's father had performed an abortion after which the woman had died. Among those who testified at the trial were the woman's maid, who had been present when the operation took place. Every other source on Hammer treats this as the start of Hammer's business career -- with his father incarcerated, Hammer had to take the reins of the family business.

Epstein, on the other hand, writes that it was the 21-year-old *Hammer himself* who had committed the abortion, not his father, and that he had allowed his father to go to jail for the crime. Epstein bases this remarkable claim on the 1990s recollection of a woman who claimed to have been Hammer's mistress in the 1950s, and who said that Hammer confessed to this crime (along with a string of other appalling things) to her. He ignores the fact that much more credible contemporary witnesses testified to the contrary.

Repeatedly in the book, Epstein takes credit for "discovering" things that have been widely known for decades, and which are discussed in detail in previous Hammer biographies. Meanwhile, his discussion of Hammer's 70-year-long business career is cursory.

If you do read the book, be sure to check the footnotes on any novel claim; some of the sources are really weak. See Weinberg's biography of Hammer for a much better treatment of everything except the early Soviet material.

This book details the life of a rotten man. Probably a psychopathic man (to read more about this breed, read WITHOUT CONSCIENCE by Robert Hare). Armand Hammer was so ego-ridden, he was always having some book published about how wonderful he was. So it's great to have a book to counter his propoganda about himself. People--especially Americans--love a success, and often willfully overlook the rotten ends the successful person went to to become successful. As was the case with Hammer. A vain vain, conscience-free man. This book was both nauseating and fascinating to read.

I found this book to be utterly fascinating. There has been so much smoke blown about Armand Hammer over the years (a lot of it from the mouth of the Hammer himself) that it is refreshing to read a less worshipful account. The best part (and the part of Hammer's life which he purposely obscured over the years) is about his life in Russia in the 1920's. Well worth the time!

Epstein's account of Armand Hammer's depraved life is engrossing. It is one of the most interesting, well researched biographies ever. Hammer's almost unbelievable deeds are proof that truth can be stranger than fiction. Once started this book is hard to put down.

If the text were not so well documented, it would be hard to believe that this is a true story and not a Mario Puzo novel. I only wish that Hammer's education in the early Soviet Union and the techniques which he used to build his intelligence network were better explored.

Well written & apparently well researched. Can't help wishing that there was more about Al Gore's inter-relationship with Hammer and the outcome thereof, particularly in the light of the national elections which will be upon us soon.

Epstein has written another intriguing book; he's truly a master at exposing espionage and intrigue, of which Hammer's life contained huge doses. Hammer, whether as a Soviet agent or as a "businessman" and "philanthropist" was motivated primarily by power and greed, Epstein demonstrates with a deft touch. It is difficult for ordinary--that is, mostly moral and honorable--people to accept that such moral monsters exist among us. Fortunately the "evil empire" that Hammer served has crumbled, and that's the best revenge against Hammer and his commrades. In every aspect of his life--whether in bribing Venezuelan politicos to gain oil concessions or contributing illegal campaign funds to people like Richard Nixon, Hammer took the dishonorable course. Thanks to Epstein, now in death Hammer hasn't really gotten away with it, since he cared so deeply about his legacy. Plan on not sleeping for a few nights when you begin to read this book; it's so captivating that you won't be able to put it down