From the veteran New York Times bestselling biographer comes a major, in-depth look at one of the most enduring American icons of all time, “the Duke,” John Wayne. As he did in his bestselling biographies of Jimmy Stewart and Clint Eastwood, acclaimed Hollywood biographer Marc Eliot digs deep beneath the myth in this revealing look at the most legendary Western film hero of all time; the man with the distinctive voice, walk, and demeanor who was an inspiration to many and a symbol of American masculinity, power, and patriotism. Eliot pays tribute to the man and the myth, identifying and analyzing the many interesting contradictions that made John Wayne who he was: an Academy Award-winning actor associated with cowboys and soldiers who didn’t like horses and never served in a war; a Republican icon who voted for Democrats Roosevelt and Truman; a white man often accused of racism who married three Mexican wives. Here are stories of the movies he made famous as well as numerous friends and legendary colleagues such as John Ford, Maureen O’Hara, Natalie Wood, and Dean Martin. A top box-office draw for more than three decades—starring in 142 films from Stagecoach and True Grit , for which he won the Oscar to The Quiet Man and The Green Berets —John Wayne’s life and career paralleled nearly the entire twentieth century, from the Depression through World War II to the upheavals of the 1960s. Setting his life within the sweeping political and social transformations that defined the nation, Eliot’s masterful portrait of the man they called Duke is a remarkable in depth look at a life and the “American Century” itself. “Has a tell-all quality, disclosing titillating tidbits about the star’s personal life, which includes several tabloid-worthy episodes.” - Honolulu Star-Advertiser Praise for the Work of Marc Eliot: “Eliot is on sure ground with the business of Hollywood” - New York Times “[Eliot] shows the dark shadows behind the gleaming façade” - Washington Post “Eliot gives us a glimpse... we’ve never fully witnessed before” - Vogue “[Eliot] turns up some surprising revelations” - New York Times Book Review “A close, unblinking look at a bright star with some internal darkness.” - Kirkus Reviews “Eliot does a nuanced job… [his] insights are hard to contest” - Newsweek “Eliot lets the most beautiful ghosts float through” - New York Observer “Eliot offers… shrewd analysis” - People “The author can spin a yarn” - USA Today “In this incisive biography, Eliot reveals the man behind the on-screen paragon of stoic, all-American manhood . . . Eliot’s narrative is briskly paced, with plenty of entertaining show-biz profiles and anecdotes . . . his critical appreciations (and depreciations) of Wayne’s movies are pithy and evocative . . . Eliot’s canny, well-judged study gives us the complexity of Wayne the man and the archetype.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) “In this incisive biography, Eliot reveals the man behind the on-screen paragon of stoic, all-American manhood . . . briskly paced, with plenty of entertaining show-biz profiles and anecdotes . . . Eliot’s canny, well-judged study gives us the complexity of Wayne the man and the archetype.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) American Titan is the exciting and groundbreaking biographical take on the most legendary Western film hero of all time, John Wayne. An American icon who symbolized masculinity, power, patriotism, and inspired millions, Wayne was unfairly dismissed as a "B" movie actor lacking elegance, creativity, range, and depth. Drawing on his deep, extensive knowledge of Hollywood and film, biographer Marc Eliot challenges conventional wisdom and reevaluates Wayne's life and vital cinematic legacy, ultimately placing the man among a select and brilliant pantheon of "actor auteurs." Eliot's masterly revisionist portrait is a remarkable in-depth look at a life that embodied the spirit of the twentieth century. What emerges is nothing less than a powerful under­standing of and appreciation for a true American titan. Marc Eliot is the New York Times bestselling author of more than two dozen books on popular culture, among them the highly acclaimed Cary Grant, the award-winning Walt Disney: Hollywood’s Dark Prince, and American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood . His work has been published in more than twenty-five languages, and he writes for a number of publications and frequently speaks about film to universities and film groups, and on radio and television.