Empire

Empire is the vivd and fascinating biography of one of the giants of the broadcast William S. Paley, the founder and longtime CEO of CBS.  The story of Bill Paley, however, involves more than the account of one man's single-minded drive to build a media empire that provided both entertainment and news. It is the story too of America in the twentieth century as the country grapples with the Depression, war, the McCarthy era, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, Watergate, and other controversies.  Through the pages march Jack Benny, George Burns, Lucille Ball, Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and other figures of renown.  And beyond all that was a man who treasured achievements, endured disappointments, and reveled in the luxurious lifestyle only few could enjoy.  It is, in short, a story filled the drama, excitement, conflict, and heartache that would make any television show worth watching.