Too Rich: The Family Secrets of Doris Duke [Hardcover]

Pony Duke (Author), Jason Thomas (Author), Jason Thomas as (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1995

One of the richest women in the world, Doris Duke lived life on her own terms. When she died in 1993, Duke left behind more than $2 billion, most of it under the control of her butler, with instructions to keep her estate intact for her reincarnation. This sensational, illustrated biography offers the definitive account of Doris Duke's life and death. of photos.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Gossipy, lascivious, irreverent and wild -- just like Doris Duke, the woman who inspired this romp of a biography. Born the richest child in America, Duke broke free from the restraints of her privileged upbringing into a life of scandal, sexual conquest, inheritance and headlines, ending with her mysterious murder at the age of 80. A no-holds-barred look into the lives of the rich and famous.

From Publishers Weekly

"Really great sex" is what the very rich and the very poor can share, according to the late Doris Duke, because both have the time and the freedom to focus on it. The middle class is too busy with jobs and mortgages and college tuitions. Duke, the tobacco heiress who during her lifetime (1912-1993) was thought to be the world's richest woman, spent most of that life in search of the largest and most potent male organ, the winner being that of playboy Profirio Rubirosa, with Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku's the runner-up, although General Patton's won kudos too. The authors speculate on whether Duke deliberately killed one of her lovers, and they relate how, late in life, she learned to distinguish between sex and love and found the latter with author Louis Bromfield. The suspicious circumstances of her death are retold with renewed questions about her doctors' behavior and the last-minute codicil to her will, which left the major portion of her estate to her butler, "the Rasputin of the court of Doris Duke." Pony Duke (Doris's godchild), writing here with former nationally syndicated columnist Thomas, "really liked" her, but his portrait, drawn from his own and family members' recollections as well as public information, is not one of an easily likable woman. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins; 1st edition (December 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060172185
• ISBN-13: 978-0060172183
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #378,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm glad I bought it., March 9, 2010

By 

YellowBug (Altoona, PA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Too Rich: The Family Secrets of Doris Duke (Hardcover)

After reading the other two reviews, I waited a few months before buying this book. I was pleasantly surprised since this book is very interesting and it flows nicely. I felt that the author was fair to Doris and he did not "bash" her as the other reviews had said. I enjoyed getting to know Doris Duke, and I am glad I bought the book.

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What a shame, May 6, 2008

By 

K. Milano - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Too Rich: The Family Secrets of Doris Duke (Hardcover)

After a recent visit to the Rough Point Estate in Newport, I was interested to know more about the remarkable woman who once lived there. This book was a disapointment because it is quite obvious the authors had an axe to grind with Miss Duke and chose this method to extract more money from the association to her. It should be pointed out that Doris Duke was very generous to Pony Duke,co-author, until he threw it all away. I will say atleast he had the courtesy to admit it. The book is poorly written as well. Cheap is the word I'de like to use. It is unfortunate that a good biography has yet to be written about this huge icon. Her life was filled with controversy and great sadness, but also triumph and cunning, generosity and good will. It is a shame that even in death she was taken advantage of.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The richest girl in the world, May 22, 2011

By 

Dr. Michael Hogan (Guadalajara, Mexico) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Too Rich: The Family Secrets of Doris Duke (Hardcover)

Doris Duke, the "richest girl in the world" as she was called by a N.Y. Times reporter, inherited a vast fortune at age twelve when her father, James Buchanan Duke, died. Her father was the founder of the tobacco cartel responsible for the sales of 80% of all tobacco products in the U.S. At his death she also came into possession a number of estates,mansions,farms and other properties. One of her favorite homes was in Newport, RI where she lived in the summers and, after her mother's death, began to prefer over all others. She lived a wild life, using cocaine, LSD, drinking a great deal and having many lovers. In 1966 she crashed her car into her decorator, Eduardo Tirella, while he was opening the iron gates of her property. He was crushed to death. The police (whether bought off or just intimidated by her family's power) never investigated. She was never charged although the police chief resigned shortly thereafter under mysterious circumstances.

This incident is fully detailed in another book which I recommend. A Death in Newport.In the months that followed the death of Tirella, Doris changed a great deal. Whereas earier she had neglected her adopted home, now she launched the Newport Restoration Foundation and persuaded Jackie Kennedy to serve as vice-president. She spent millions in restoring historic homes in the area. In addition, the Cliff Walk which she had previously blockaded from her home and had patrolled by dogs, was opened up and re-paved so that tourists and local fishman could have access.This book gives us a balanced portrait of the contradictory and troublesome life of an hieress who had everything except happiness.