Howard Hughes (1905-1976) was a true American original: legendary lover, record-setting aviator, idiosyncratic film producer, talented inventor, ultimate eccentric—and, for much of his lifetime, the richest man in the United States. His desire for privacy was so fierce and his isolation so complete that even several decades after his death, inaccurate stories continue to circulate about him. Richard Hack explodes the illusion of Hughes' life and exposes the man behind the myth--a playboy whose sexual exploits with Hollywood stars were legendary, an entrepreneur without ethics, an explorer without maps, and ultimately, an eccentric trapped by his own insanity.

Drawing on secreted letters, declassified FBI files, autopsy reports, more than 110,000 pages of court testimony, and exclusive interviews, Hack reveals a man so devious in his thinking and so perverse in his desires that his impact continues to be felt even today. From entertainment to politics, aviation to espionage, the influence and manipulation of Howard Hughes has left an indelible and unique mark on the American cultural landscape.