American Titan: Searching for John Wayne

Publisher Marketing: From the veteran "New York Times "bestselling biographer comes a major, in-depth look at one of the most enduring American icons of all time, the Duke, John WayneAs he did in his bestselling biographies of Jimmy Stewart and Clint Eastwood, acclaimed Hollywood biographer Marc Eliot digs deep beneath the myth in this revealing look at the most legendary Western film hero of all time, the man with the distinctive voice, walk, and demeanor who was an inspiration to many and a symbol of American masculinity, power, and patriotism. Eliot pays tribute to the man and the myth, identifying and analyzing the many interesting contradictions that made John Wayne who he was: an Academy Award winning actor associated with cowboys and soldiers who didn t like horses and never served in a war; a Republican icon who voted for Democrats Roosevelt and Truman; a white man often accused of racism who married three Mexican wives. Here are stories of the movies he made famous as well as numerous friends and legendary colleagues such as John Ford, Maureen O Hara, Natalie Wood, and Dean Martin. A top box-office draw for more than three decades starring in 142 films from "Stagecoach "and" True Grit," for which he won the Oscar, to "The Quiet Man "and "The Green Berets" John Wayne s life and career paralleled nearly the entire twentieth century, from the Depression through World War II to the upheavals of the 1960s. Setting his life within the sweeping political and social transformations that defined the nation, Eliot s masterful portrait of the man they called Duke is a remarkable in depth look at a life and the American Century itself." Review Citations: Choice 05/01/2015 pg. 1505 (EAN 9780062269034, Other) Booklist 10/01/2014 pg. 14 (EAN 9780062269003, Hardcover) Publishers Weekly 10/13/2014 (EAN 9780062269003, Hardcover) - *Starred Review Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2014 (EAN 9780062269003, Hardcover) Library Journal 12/01/2014 pg. 104 (EAN 9780062269003, Hardcover) Choice 05/01/2015 pg. 1505 (EAN 9780062269003, Hardcover) Contributor Bio:  Eliot, Marc Marc Eliot has written widely on the media and popular culture and is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including the highly acclaimed biographies Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart.