THE HILTONS: A FAMILY DYNASTY

THE HILTONS                                              J. RANDY TARABORRELLI
Posted:  Nov. 26, 2014

THE HILTONS is a fascinating, no-holds-barred account of the American industrial giant who built the world's greatest hotel empire and his always larger-than-life family. 

Demanding and enigmatic, patriarch Conrad Hilton's visionary ideas and unyielding will established the model for the modern luxury hotel industry. But outside the boardroom, Conrad struggled with emotional detachment, failed marriages, and conflicted Catholicism. 

Then there are the Hilton children. Playboy Nicky's tragic alcoholism and passionate but abusive relationship with Elizabeth Taylor was the stuff of tabloid legend. Serious Barron, on the other hand, deftly handled his father's legacy, carrying the Hilton brand triumphantly into the new millennium. Eric, raised apart from his older brothers, accepted his supporting role in the Hilton dynasty with calm and quiet--a stark contrast to the boys' much younger half-sister Francesca, whose battle for recognition led her into courtrooms and conflict.

The cast of supporting players includes the inimitable Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was married to Conrad briefly but remained a thorn in his side for decades; a young Donald Trump; and a host of other Hollywood and business luminaries with whom the Hiltons crossed paths and swords over the years. 

THE HILTONS is a sweeping saga of the success--and excess--of an iconic and only-in-America family dynasty.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

In this book about the Hiltons, it starts with Conrad and a look back into the family roots. From there it goes from his father being a small business man to Conrad coming up with a plan to make money for the family when his father gets ill. His mother from the supports him as he sells the families business and takes in boarders, with money made from that he moves to New Mexico, and opens another place and this one begins to take off. From there the book goes into other deals he makes for hotels and for the ones he sets as goals. The author goes into his failed marriages, his first to a local girl who grows into a beautiful women who he fails to see and spend time with. Putting more time into his business deals. Then Zsa Zsa Gabor who once they marry he does the same thing ignores her and spends more time with buying hotels and building his business. The book goes into court battles over his estate and into the lives of all of his children and his grandchildren. Some good some not so good. I found the first part of this book to be interesting than the last part but like a lot of business men Conrad Hilton was better in making deals for Hotels than making a family or I should say a home. A well written book with a lot of information. I got this book from net galley.