William Randolph Hearst : final edition, 1911-1951 /

The grandest media mogul of the 20th century, William Randolph Hearst well merits hefty biographies such as this two-volume set (vol. 1, CH, Oct'98, 36-1171), the second volume of which opens with Hearst in his prime. Proctor (emer., Texas Christian Univ.) persuasively limns Hearst's substantive contributions to journalism and public policy while not ignoring his flaws--among them, a lack of professional ethics and fiscal responsibility. Hearst was a consistent progressive on domestic issues, save when it came to taxing wealthy individuals or large corporations. He was also a political maverick, veering from election to election in different directions depending on what might advance his personal interests. Never trustworthy, Hearst nonetheless could be a valuable aegis to a good cause (nominating and electing FDR in 1932) or a bad one (opposing military preparedness before WW II). Proctor nicely captures Hearst's mania for acquisition; his relations with both his wife, Millicent, and his mistress, actor Marion Davies; and his commitment to government by the press. While it lacks the narrative power of David Nasaw's The Chief (2000), this biography is a good starting point for any reader wanting to know about the man Citizen Kane was modeled on--and why he mattered. Summing Up: Recommended. All undergraduate libraries. M. J. Birkner Gettysburg College

This is the second and concluding volume in a biography of the controversial media mogul by a history professor who is clearly enamored of his subject, yet the author maintains an objective distance, indicating that Hearst was an immensely gifted, attractive, but not particularly likable man. Procter uses previously unavailable Hearst letters but also relies extensively on his subject's own editorials to gain insight into his politics and his more basic beliefs. Hearst took the idea of the press as the Fourth Estate to extremes, genuinely believing in government by newspaper. His political views were a curious mixture of populism and sometimes-virulent nationalism, and he consistently maintained that he had an almost instinctive understanding of the tastes and needs of ordinary citizens. In Procter's view, he was a man of creativity and energy but also one who could not tolerate opposition. Despite his love of politics and constant mingling with the famous and the infamous, Hearst seems to have been an essentially lonely man whose enormous emotional needs could never be satisfied. This is a superbly written examination. --Jay Freeman Copyright 2007 Booklist

In the second and final installment of Hearst's biography, Procter (Not Without Honor: The Life of John H. Reagan) attempts to humanize the reigning avatar of American media tycoonism. This is no easy task. Hearst's lavish and exotic tastes, his romantic juggling acts, his voracious appetite for anything that cost money and his ruthless pursuit of political office easily congeal into cartoonish self-parody. Procter, a history professor at Texas Christian University, proves that Hearst's intentions were pure--he genuinely wanted to improve the lives of all Americans. The focal point of the mogul's last 40 years is an unshakable political curse. Never internalizing the art of compromise, Hearst failed again and again to parlay his national newspaper puissance into political capital. He had a great knack for making, embellishing and fabricating the news, but no talent for anticipating it, as he continually dug his heels into the historically wrong side of all the big issues--from U.S. involvement in WWI and WWII to Roosevelt's New Deal. Revelatory research into the finer points of Hearst's protean political alliances is rich in detail, as is his infamous meeting with Hitler, but the author delivers the same summaries over and over again. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

William Randolph Hearst ruled a newspaper empire that, among other things, gave him an extensive audience for his passionate editorials. In the second and final volume of his biography, Proctor (history, Texas Christian Univ.) makes extensive use of these editorials to document Hearst's involvement in politics and public policy, but he covers all aspects of Hearst's life, from his political positions and candidacies to his passion for collecting and his 30-year affair with actress Marion Davies. Unfortunately, none of these details can bring Hearst to life on the page. The biography would have difficulty passing the Hearst test that each section of a newspaper be both informative and entertaining. Proctor does an excellent job of collecting the facts but is weak at showing readers what they mean. For instance, he discusses Hearst's meeting with Hitler and claims that it was the beginning of Hearst's downfall, noting that his "inquisitiveness to meet Hitler" gave "voice and meaning to the nursery rhyme `curiosity killed the cat.' " This statement is left hanging as the book goes on to detail Hearst's efforts to undermine Upton Sinclair's candidacy for governor of California in 1934. Scholars will appreciate the extensive use of primary sources, but general readers will be disappointed in the flatness of the writing. Academic libraries should purchase for history and journalism collections.-Judy Solberg, Seattle Univ. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Procter (History/Texas Christian Univ.) completes his two-volume biography of the man whose ego and empire and sense of entitlement ballooned to proportions so vast that it took the Great Depression and time's stiletto to puncture them. Throughout, Procter (William Randolph Hearst: The Early Years, 1863-1901, 1998) is kind to his subject. Hearst was a genius (or nearly so), a wonderful cook, fiercely loyal to both women in his life (his wife and the actress Marion Davies), highly creative and innovative with a "seemingly inexhaustible work ethic." He loved art and amassed one of the greatest collections ever. Procter reminds us of Hearst's innovations not only in journalism but in Hollywood. He created The Perils of Pauline (and wrote scripts for the serial); he insisted on historical accuracy in sets and costumes. Hearst also had ferocious political ambitions. He served two terms in Congress but failed repeatedly to win the White House and seemed to have a genetic incapability of backing a winner in state or national elections. He believed in "America First" and urged the country to stay out of both world wars. He had an audience with Hitler in the early 1930s and came away very impressed, says Procter. The author does show Hearst's great weaknesses, principally his inability to control spending. If he wanted it (a rare work of art, an English castle, a private compound at San Simeon, whatever), he bought it. For years, he invested $50,000 per month in the construction of a San Simeon property. Frequently, he took long and luxurious trips to Europe with dozens of his closest friends. Procter does not ignore Hearst's ruthless dishonesty, his reptilian professional and personal ethics, but the author does sometimes succumb to the subject's celebrity and toxic charm. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.