Howard Hughes: His Life And Madness

Rating:
Summary: Definitive HRH resource
Review: By far the best biography I have ever read. Barlett does a brilliant job stringing together the disparate decades of the enigmatic billionaire's life. The books is a quick, captivating - albeit, depressing - read.

Rating:
Summary: The real Howard Hughes
Review: Great book, with many great details.
This book will tell you all you really need to know about this great man.
The latest movie about Howard Hughes is nothing compared to this book.
His life and his legacy are well preserved in this wonderful written essay.
If one really wants to know who Howard Hughes really was all questions will be answered here.
Very long but really good read.

Rating:
Summary: Meticulously researched
Review: I've read this book and Peter Brown's book. There is a definite difference. Barlett obviously did his research and it shows for example in the amount of pages devoted to many of Hughes' business transactions (e.g., TWA, Spruce Goose, Vegas properties) - at a certain point, however, I got tired and would skim through these dense passages. I was more interested in Hughes on a personal level and most of the book centered on Hughes in his later years, the misdeeds of his aides/associates, and his intricate business dealings. However, I don't think this detracts much from the overall book which does provide a clear, tragic portrait of this fascinating figure.

If you want a book that emphasazies Hughes' personal life (including more on his earlier years), I would suggest the Peter Brown book. Brown's book was published more recently and contains new information (including a new revelation on Hughes' mental condition) not included in Barlett's.