Harold Robbins: The Man Who Invented Sex

At a time when sex was still reserved for the bedroom, Harold Robbins, the godfather of the airport novel, broke down the door and brought it right into the American living room - years before Jackie Collins, or even Jacqueline Susann. His heroines were always beautiful, wealthy, and wanton; his men, handsome, virile, and debauched. During his fifty-year career Robbins sold approximately 750 million copies of his books worldwide. His seventh novel, The Carpetbaggers, a steamy tale of sex, greed, and corruption loosely based on the life of Howard Hughes, was the fourth most read book in history.His life was just as decadent and profligate as his Fiction. Robbins spent money as quickly as he earned it, reportedly wasting away $50 million on everything from booze and drugs to yachts and prostitutes. He was married three times and had countless affairs with some of the most beautiful, and famous, women in the world. And yet, for all his faults - and his unabashed commercialism - Robbins remained one of the most popular writers of his generation, counting Pablo Picasso, Mario Puzo, James Baldwin, Sidney Sheldon, and Camille Paglia among his legion of fans.Here, Robbins's story is told in full for the first time. Based on previously unpublished archival material and extensive interviews with lovers, friends, and rivals, including Larry Flynt, Carroll Baker, George Hamilton, Adnan Khashoggi, and Quincy Jones, Harold Robbins examines the remarkable life of the man who gave birth to the cult of the modern bestseller and introduced sex to the American marketplace.