The Hearsts Father and Son
William Randolph Hearst Jr. and co-author Jack Casserly tell the extraordinary story of one of America's most influential families in this intimate memoir. The book examines both the legendary media magnate William Randolph Hearst Sr., who built a vast publishing empire and forever changed American journalism, and his son's own remarkable career as a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and editor-in-chief of the Hearst newspapers. Written from the unique perspective of a family insider, this memoir offers a detailed look at the Hearst dynasty spanning from California's gold rush era to the modern media landscape.
The authors profile the colorful world of Hearst journalism, featuring legendary reporters and columnists like Damon Runyon, Walter Winchell, Dorothy Kilgallen, and Bob Considine. Hearst Jr. shares personal stories about famous family friends including Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, and David Niven. The book also explores the family's response to controversies, including the portrayal of Hearst Sr. in Orson Welles' Citizen Kane and the building of the famous San Simeon castle.
This memoir provides an insider's view of American history through the eyes of a family that helped shape the twentieth century. From covering major news events to navigating complex family dynamics, the book offers readers a front-row seat to the American Century. With over 100 photographs and illustrations, it brings to life the remarkable journey of the Hearst family across generations.
Interesting Facts
Co-authored with Jack Casserly: This isn't a solo memoir but a collaborative effort between William Randolph Hearst Jr. and co-author Jack Casserly, bringing together insider knowledge and professional writing craft to tell the story of one of America's most influential media dynasties.
Written at Age 83: William Randolph Hearst Jr. penned this memoir when he was 83 years old, looking back on a privileged, eventful life that spanned most of the 20th century, from the Roaring Twenties through the Cold War era.
Pulitzer Prize Winner Tells All: The author himself won a Pulitzer Prize in 1956 for international reporting, sharing the honor with colleagues for exclusive interviews with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev and other Soviet officials during the height of the Cold War.
A 31-Room Manhattan Childhood: Young Bill Hearst grew up shuttling between a spectacular 31-room apartment in Manhattan and his father's California pleasure dome of San Simeon, experiencing a bicoastal childhood of extraordinary wealth and privilege.
Profiles Legendary Journalists: The book features a cavalcade of journalistic stars from the Hearst newspapers, including Damon Runyon, Westbrook Pegler, Walter Winchell, Dorothy Kilgallen, and Bob Considine, offering insider glimpses into the golden age of American journalism.
Hollywood Friendships Revealed: Readers get adventures with Hearst family friends including David Niven, Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, and a reportedly very paranoid Howard Hughes, showing the intersection of media power and Hollywood glamour.
Tackles the Citizen Kane Question: The memoir directly addresses whether the author's father was the tyrant presented in Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane," offering the family's perspective on the controversial film that neither father nor son ever watched.
WWII War Correspondent Stories: The book includes gripping journalistic tales from when Hearst Jr. served as a war correspondent in Europe during World War II, including coverage of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and other major historical events.
Defends His Father's Legacy: Written forty years after the death of the controversial media magnate, the memoir's tone differs markedly from critical biographies, as Hearst Jr. contends his father should be treated more sympathetically by historians.
Over 100 Photographs Included: The book features more than 100 photographs and other illustrations, including cartoons, providing visual documentation of the extraordinary Hearst family story across generations.
Published in 1991: This memoir arrived in bookstores in 1991, offering a unique window into the "American Century" through the eyes of a family who did so much to define it, from yellow journalism to modern media empires.
Candid Family Details: Despite being written from a sympathetic perspective, the author offers candid details of his family and personal life, including his three marriages and complex relationship with his domineering, flamboyant father.
Quotes
"Father never really believed in money, except as a means to an end."
"He lived not for himself, but in the hope — sometimes futile — that he could make the world a better place as he saw it."
"My father’s ambitions knew no bounds. He saw power as the natural companion to influence."
"Nothing ever satisfied him unless it exceeded what others thought possible."
"In business as in life, his philosophy was simple: Always go forward and never look back."
"He had deep faith in America’s promise, boundless in his belief that anything could be achieved here."
"To him, newspapers were not just enterprises, but engines for progress and change."
"He was often misunderstood, painted with the broad brush of caricature, but those who knew him best saw the complexity behind the legend."
"There was no challenge he considered too great, no mountain too high to climb."
"His generosity was legendary, often silent, but always heartfelt."
"He believed that the greatest privilege in life was to serve the public."
"Criticism never deterred him; he thrived on adversity and came alive in times of crisis."
"His loyalty to friends was as fierce as his opposition to enemies."
"‘Impossibility’ was a word he never allowed in his vocabulary."
"I learned from him that passion, not fear, is what must drive a man’s journey."
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