Crazy and In Charge
The Autobiography of Abe Hirschfeld
by
Book Details
About the Book
In these skittish times when powerful men warn the
public to “watch what you say,” many people with something different and thought-provoking to say have
done just that.
And then there’s Abe Hirschfeld.
From the moment he landed in America in 1950, Abe Hirschfeld
has been saying what’s on his mind, no matter who or what has stood in the way.
Little wonder that various powers that be have derided him as “meshuga” and
tried to keep him quiet, by any means necessary including putting him in jail
at age 80. And still, Abe Hirschfeld won’t keep quiet.
Now, at last, he tells the story of his incredible
life, imparting the wit, wisdom and unvarnished truths of a self-made
millionaire gadfly who has had a profound impact on the last half-century --
from his invention of the open-air garage to his behind-the-scenes role at the
Camp David peace accords to his brief but pivotal ownership of the New York Post to his $1 million offer to
Paula Jones that ultimately saved Bill Clinton’s presidency.
It’s all here, along with vivid anecdotes of
powerful people he has called friends such as Bobby Kennedy, Yasser Arafat,
Menachem Begin, and Jimmy Carter; others who have betrayed him such as Mario
Cuomo and George Pataki; those who learned at his feet such as Donald Trump; and
the story of a very intriguing liaison with Shirley MacLaine.
So read on, learn how Abe Hirschfeld became rich,
famous and feared. Be prepared to laugh, cry and scream in outrage. And maybe
even change your mind about a few things.
About the Author
A legendary figure for four decades, Abe Hirschfeld
was born in Tarnow, Poland in 1919 and raised in Palestine before coming to
America in 1950, to become one of the world’s best-known real estate
entrepreneurs, inventors, theatrical producers, peace advocates, and
joke-tellers. His open-air garage concept revolutionized the American economy
in the ‘50s and he was recently named by Time
magazine as one of the 20th Century’s top hundred most influential business
geniuses. Perhaps best known for his $1 million offer to Paula Jones to drop
her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton, his stormy tenure
as publisher of the New York Post, and
his many political campaigns, he has attracted headlines and controversy – as
well as powerful enemies – by refusing to “keep his mouth shut,” even after
being sent to prison for two years. Always ready with a quip, a quote and a
good idea, he claims to have written over 10,000 jokes, and can prove it during
any given dinner. Abe Hirschfeld lives in New York City.
Mark Ribowsky is the author of six previous books
including He’s a Rebel: Phil Spector
–Rock and Roll’s Legendary Producer and Don’t
Look Back: Satchel Paige in the Shadows of the Game, and A Complete History of the Negro Leagues.
He lives in New York City.