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John Wayne: American |  | Authors: Randy Roberts, James S. Olson
Publisher: Bison Books
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $18.68
as of 2/10/2010 06:01 EST details
You Save: $11.27 (38%)
New (20) Used (13) from $14.41
Seller: thesuzbookstore
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 480142
Media: Paperback
Pages: 762
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6 x 1.4
ISBN: 0803289707
Dewey Decimal Number: 791.43028092
EAN: 9780803289703
ASIN: 0803289707
Publication Date: September 28, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
During a long movie career, John Wayne defined the role of the cowboy and soldier, the gruff man of decency, the hero who prevailed when the chips were down. But who was he, really? Based on exhaustive research, historian Randy Roberts provides the first substantive, serious view of this contradictory private and public American icon. 64 photos .
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
 LOUSY TITLE, EXCELLENT BIOGRAPHY February 9, 2010
rain cloud (USA)
I'm just going to sign on to what a lot of other folks said. I saw this title at the library and was actually somewhat turned off, thinking it was some kind of right wing, hearts and flowers trip through the city of rose-colored glasses, some kind of super patriotic fluff.
Well, it's nothing like that. They did this book a serious disservice by not giving it a more descriptive title. This is a really excellent biography. I just thought in the beginning I'd cherry pick a few parts I really wanted to read about, just zero in on the movies I really like (Like "Rio Bravo"). Then it began to dawn on me. This guy is in a TON of movies I really, really like. The sheer magnitude of the excellence of his output eventually became kind of overwhelming and I realized i should just read the whole damn thing, cover to cover.
I don't know about anyone else but I think you're on shakey ground reading about someone whose work you immensely enjoy. The danger is finding out you don't particularly like the person behind the image and thereby damaging your ability to enjoy their work anymore. And, presto, you've deprived your life of a significant joy.
That's not an issue with this guy. He's totally likeable. Having met a few famous people I remember being delighted when I met someone back in the eighties who'd met john wayne and talked about how welcoming he was toward the public. then somewhere I read more about that aspect of his character--once he was on a movie shoot at some crappy restaurant at four in the morning preparing to drive out to the movie set and he was approached by a waitress who worked there and was a fan. He actually saw her coming, stood up to greet her, then stood amiably chatting with her for TWENTY MINUTES while his breakfast got cold. He was like that. That's the quality of individual we're talking about here. Movie career and acting bullsh-t aside, this was a really excellent human being.
As a liberal person i always find it somewhat disconcerting to realize conservatives are often better human beings when encountered in the one-on-one. I have no clue as to why.
Anyway, the waitress story I just told was from another source, I just use it to illustrate what this guy was like. But there's a lot more here than just john wayne, it brings to life his best buddy, ward bond, john ford (arguably Hollywood's most gifted director, who "made" wayne what he was and was an assho--e but a genius, and who was my fellow democrat naturally) and howard hawks, almost as gifted as ford but a really good guy (a damn republican naturally).
this is just a very, very entertaining read. If you're like me and are willing to freely admit the freaking obvious, that john wayne was clearly the greatest movie star in American history, give this a chance.
I predict you won't regret that you did. Good luck, pilgrim.
 John Wayne Book September 30, 2009
Tim N. Stewart (Illinois)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was good reading for a true John Wayne fan. I have read maybe 4 books on him, and this was worth the purchase. I found many new things about Duke, wished for more though. Easy to read.
The best book ever written on a legendary Movie Star August 31, 2009
Chris (Biloxi, MS United States)
This is quite simply a great book. Roberts and Olson approach there subject with respect but are not overwhelmed by awe and really just tell a great story in the process. This book really puts John Wayne's life in a context and shows how he became the actor and person that he was. There is no whitewashing of 'The Duke' there is just the plain old fashion truth and the authors do a wonderful job.
Wayne's films are described in a very nice fashion and they are dissected very expertly. How Wayne got in the business is told in detail. The wasteland that was the 1930s for the actor are described and then the great breakthrough of 'Stagecoach' is told in a whole, great chapter. The ups and downs of working with the legendary Director John Ford are also told in excellent detail and really makes for fascinating reading. The authors also do a great job of handling the lack of military service for John Wayne in World War II. This part of Wayne's life is told in a very balanced fashion.
The authors go on through Wayne's successful career into the '50s, '60s, and '70s and describe the many personal problems he dealt with. But what I like so much about this book is that it is not salacious it is just telling the story with great, fair analysis. This book is just a superb account of Wayne's life and films. As Wayne approaches his last days you will be moved. The book concludes with a excellent summary of what Wayne meant to America and the cinema and the concluding paragraphs are very moving and touching.
This book is absolutely A+! Highly recommended to all readers who want to read a great book about the Golden Age of Hollywood!
John Wayne: American is the quintessential biography about the "Duke". June 21, 2009
Mark Erickson
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is without a doubt the best biography on Duke Wayne I've ever read. The authors did extensive research as well as one-on-one interviews with many of the important people in Duke's life. I discovered a lot of information about his life that I never read in other biographies. The authors don't mince words and write the good, the bad and the ugly about his life. John Wayne: American has been printed in paperback this year, I suppose to commemorate the thirty year anniversary of his death. However, the paperback version costs as much as the hardbound version did back in '95. You should be able to find Duke's bio. at your local library, or possibly at Hamiltonbooks.com at a reasonable price. If you only read one biography about John Wayne; this is the one you should read pilgrim!
 Sometimes it better to remember the hero May 4, 2009
T. Smallwood (Oro Valley, AZ United States)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is one of those books that is very good and you wish you never read it. It pointed out all of the Dukes flaws and told you about the real Wayne his family, beliefs and his movies. You can understand why Duke was the way he was but you didn't have to like the way he treated his life,I know most men and including myself have been to much like John Wayne concerniong family and life but I had at least a little understanding of women he was clueless and paid the price. It's a wonder to me he turned out the way he did with such a mother! His macho life is easy for me and I think most men to understand. I'm glad I read the book but it was uncomfortable to read, if you loved the "Duke" read the book and you will understand I did and saw to much of myself growing up with him. I should of given this book 5 stars!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
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