The Kardashians: An American Drama

by Jerry Oppenheimer

Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Rich comes a blockbuster unauthorized biography of one of the most famous and ubiquitous family dynasties in contemporary culture: The Kardashians.

Secrets and scandals of the Kardashians, so closely held that not even hard core fans have heard about them, are finally exposed in New York Times bestselling author Jerry Oppenheimer's forensic dissection of the infamous reality TV clan. From the curious life of patriarch Robert Kardashian, whose family meatpacking business was tainted by scandal, to “momager” Kris Jenner’s top-secret plan for the future, The Kardashians reveals the untold, definitive story based on two years of investigative reporting and scores of candid, on-the-record interviews, ranging from childhood friends to powerful business associates, who break their silence for the first time.

In the decade since the Kardashians first appeared on the scene, millions of speculative words have been written about their drama-filled lives. But most has been tabloid hype and gossip column fantasy. Until now.

Oppenheimer has written revelatory books on such international icons as the Clintons, the Kennedys, the Hiltons and more, and now comes The Kardashians, the true story that will make headlines and shock even the most loyal fans.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250087164
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/19/2017
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

JERRY OPPENHEIMER is the New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Rich: Power, Scandal, and Tragedy Inside the Johnson&Johnson Dynasty, as well as unauthorized biographies of Hillary and Bill Clinton, Anna Wintour, Rock Hudson, Martha Stewart, Barbara Walters, Ethel Kennedy, Jerry Seinfeld, and the Hilton family. He has also worked in several different capacities as a journalist, including as an investigative reporter and a producer of television news programs and documentaries.

Table of Contents

Some of the Cast of Characters xii

Prologue xv

Part I The "Momager"

1 Stay Classy, San Diego 3

2 School Days 12

3 Meeting the "Mob" 25

4 Hole in One 32

5 Enter Kardashian 43

6 An Affair to Remember 54

7 Coffee, Tea, or Me? 63

8 Kardashian and Presley 70

Part II The "Mouthpiece"

9 A Corrupt Family Business 81

10 A Kardashian Childhood 92

11 Jesus and the Kardashians 101

12 A Stepford Wife 114

13 Wedding Bells 124

14 A Three-Thousand-Dollar Belt 133

15 Who's Your Daddy? 150

16 Another Affair 157

17 Emotional Wreck 168

18 Enter Jenner 181

19 Kissin' Cousins 188

20 Fatal Friendship 197

21 Dire Warnings 209

22 Tragic Times 218

23 Lonely Farewell 226

Part III The "Miscreants"

24 "Kim Kardashian, Superstar" 243

25 It's Reality 253

26 A "Complex" Lie 260

27 The "Misfit" 271

Epilogue 280

Acknowledgments 289

Sources 293

Selected Bibliography 299

Index 303

Editorial Reviews

08/14/2017
Oppenheimer, who has written unauthorized biographies of the Clintons, the Kennedys, and Martha Stewart, directs his lacerating attention on the Kardashians, the reality-television family that has grown into a business empire. The chief object of Oppenheimer’s withering fascination is matriarch and “momager” Kris Jenner (née Houghton), who has guided her six offspring into reality-television careers and millions in earnings. Before she married Olympic medalist Bruce Jenner, Kris, a high school graduate, was married for 13 years to Robert Kardashian, defense attorney in O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial. Oppenheimer paints the young Kris as a cheating teenage gold digger who traded up her older golf-pro boyfriend for a wealthy lawyer, writing, “For Kris it seemed to be all about fantasy, image and lifestyle.” Few in the family’s orbit are spared a takedown, whether it’s “narcissistic spoiled” daughter Kim Kardashian or “closeted sociopath” Simpson, although Robert, who died in 2003, is portrayed with some sympathy as a well-liked born-again Christian who was manipulated by Kris. The tabloid-style writing is repetitive—and is filled with interviews from unnamed sources—but those looking for a trashy late-summer read will find many juicy tidbits to feed their appetites. (Sept.) A previous version of this review listed outdated information for the author's literary agency.

Publishers Weekly

We are in the able, busy hands of a veteran journeyman . . . The author of biographies of the Clintons, Rock Hudson, Anna Wintour, Martha Stewart, Barbara Walters, and other two-legged notables, Oppenheimer doesn’t doodle around . . .”
—James Wolcott, New York Times Book Review

“You probably think you know everything there is to know about Kim Kardashian and her siblings. But there is a little-known prequel—the twisted story of her parents Robert and Kris’ tempestuous marriage, which was marked by rampant philandering and scandal.” —New York Post

"Oppenheimer, who has written unauthorized biographies of the Clintons, the Kennedys, and Martha Stewart, directs his lacerating attention on the Kardashians . . . Few in the family’s orbit are spared a takedown . . . those looking for a trashy late-summer read will find many juicy tidbits to feed their appetites." —Publishers Weekly

“The author delivers with the origin story of the infamous crew. Anyone who has wondered how this ‘dysfunctional family with little to no discernible talent besides self-promotion’ became a cultural phenomenon will enjoy Oppenheimer’s take. . . . The book concludes with an overview of the current clan’s net worth and doings as well as a chilling prediction of what’s next for the ever ambitious Kris Kardashian Jenner: a run for the White House and the ultimate ratings grab.” —Kirkus

"Oppenheimer, known for unauthorized biographies and exposés about pop-culture’s biggest stars, dishes the dirt on the Kardashian family . . . well-researched and well-documented . . . anyone who watches the Kardashians’ TV show, subscribes to their tweets, and devours the tabloids will find just what they’re seeking and love every minute of it." —Booklist

From the Publisher

2017-07-04
A tale of Kardashian Inc.If John Oliver devoted a show to the famous family, it might share a bit of the snark and incredulity of this report from Oppenheimer (RFK, Jr.: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Dark Side of the Dream, 2015, etc.), a prolific author of unauthorized biographies. Readers looking for gossip about the Kardashians' present lives may be left wanting, but for lovers of 1980s prime-time drama, the author delivers with the origin story of the infamous crew. Anyone who has wondered how this "dysfunctional family with little to no discernable talent besides self-promotion" became a cultural phenomenon will enjoy Oppenheimer's take. The author is clearly one of the unconverted, and the book feels like a companion volume to Kris Jenner's 2011 memoir, an effort to annotate and correct the matriarch's own embellished account. He fills in the gaps and calls out Kris' version as we learn about the doomed first husband, Robert Kardashian, second husband, (formerly) Bruce Jenner, as well as Kris' climb to the top of Beverly Hills society. Robert, famous for his involvement in the O.J. Simpson trial, gets the kindest treatment here, with a close second going to third-born Khloe Kardashian. She appears as a child whose paternity might be suspect but whose innocence and guilelessness set her apart—at least to Oppenheimer—from the rest of the family. By far the most entertaining aspect, however, is the author's blatant incredulousness at the history Kris wrote herself. He's not buying it, quoting her memoir with eyes clearly rolled, featuring such caveats as "she actually avowed" and "suggesting…that she possessed a religious leaning." The book concludes with an overview of the current clan's net worth and doings as well as a chilling prediction of what's next for the ever ambitious Kris Kardashian Jenner: a run for the White House and the ultimate ratings grab. A fluffy diversion for celebrity-obsessed readers.

Kirkus Reviews