A compelling, intimate portrait of multimillionairess Doris Duke offers a revealing study of an intensely private woman, her rivalry with Barbara Hutton, her secret role with the OSS, and her relationships with Imelda Marcos, Errol Flynn, and others. 20,000 first printing.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This revealing unauthorized biography of the famed tobacco heiress supports the adage that money doesn't buy happiness. In 1925, according to the author, 12-year-old Duke lost the one man whose love she trusted when her father, hard-driving magnate Buck Duke, died. as is, 'according to' refers to dad's death, not author's reading of daughter's life Raised by a cold, aloof mother, she looked fruitlessly for emotional sustenance in marriages to men interested only in her wealth: womanizer Jimmy Cromwell and shady Dominican playboy Porfirio Rubirosa. Both unions ended, and she embarked on a series of turbulent affairs with fortune hunters and hangers-on. Drawing on interviews with Duke's former servants, friends and acquaintances, Washington Post reporter Mansfield paints a convincing portrait of a discontented, eccentric, dictatorial, stingy and bad-mannered woman desperately searching for perpetual youth. This depiction is likely to be a hit with followers of the rich and famous. Photos not seen by PW . BOMC alternate.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
"Too bad that wealth does not bring happiness. . . . Enormous wealth brings great handicaps," says a source in this new biography. This seems an appropriate way to sum up the life of Doris Duke, possibly the richest heiress that Western industrialism has ever produced. Born in 1912 to the wealthy tobacco family, Duke has led a life of extreme privilege and flamboyance, though not without tragedy and pathos. Mansfield, a writer for The Washington Post , Vogue , and GQ, presents here a twisted and grotesque, albeit fascinating, soap opera. Gathering material sopping with tabloid juiciness and offering it to readers in generous portions, Mansfield reveals the perverse details of Duke's celebrated relationships with Errol Flynn, Truman Capote, Elvis Presley, the Marcoses (it was Duke who posted the $5 million bail for Imelda), Pee-Wee Herman, and Jackie O., among others, in the lush settings of Fifth Avenue, India, Honolulu, and Newport. Recommended for biography collections. BOMC alternate.
- David Nudo, "Li brary Journal"
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- David Nudo, "Li brary Journal"
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Tedious biography in need of a good editor,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Richest Girl in the World: The Extravagant Life and Fast Times of Doris Duke (Paperback)
Doris Duke enjoyed being a recluse and keeping out of the spotlight. Reading this book by Ms. Mansfield, it appears Duke did a good job at maintaining her privacy. Most of the information appears to be drawn from old newspaper articles, magazines, and other public documents. There is very little first hand information except for the occassional quip by Zsa-Zsa Gabor (!) -- a rival for one of Doris' many paramours. As mentioned in a previous reader's review, this book goes off on many tangents regarding folks other than Duke -- as if the author was required to produce a specified number of pages. I found myself skipping over many pages at a time. Perhaps biographies are supposed to reveal deep, dark secrets, but clinical descriptions of Doris' lovers' genitalia seem a bit excessive. Skip this book and watch the made-for-tv movie with Miss Bacall.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Informative & historical, but not very enjoyable to read.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Richest Girl in the World: The Extravagant Life and Fast Times of Doris Duke (Paperback)
I read the book because I had seen the miniseries on TV and was interested in more information. It included a lot of facts and was interesting from an historical perspective. However, I didn't think it was particularly well written from a literary perspective. It was also hard to follow because it jumped around. It included a lot of information that was interesting, but not directly related to the subject. Sometimes it seemed like it went off on tangents. Overall I would rate it average, it was informative, but not very enjoyable to read.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tells the Story,
By
This review is from: The Richest Girl in the World: The Extravagant Life and Fast Times of Doris Duke (Mass Market Paperback)
This bio does what the title says it will. It tells us about the extravagance and the fast times of Doris Duke. On the plus side, there is a lot of material here and it reads better than a tabloid, but the many quotes from people with axes to grind hamper its credibility. According to this book, DD believed most people, esp. potential husbands were after her fortune, and from this book, one would have to agree with her. DD had to have another side that is not presented at all. She did manage to keep and grow her wealth at a time when her peers were losing theirs. In this book, the lawyers and financial advisors work off stage. For instance, the book would have you believe that DD's lawyers miraculously appeared minutes before her second marriage to secure a pre-nup to save her fortune. DD not only increased her fortune, she won almost every legal battle, even when the facts were stacked against her. To do this she had to have a stable dialog with professionals and devote time, that the author would have you believe she spent partying, to managing the estate. DD, one of Hawaii's most intriguing citizens, needs a more serious and comprehensive treatment.
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