Review: Growing Up Getty by James Reginato
Disclaimer: I received this book from Goodreads to review.
I recently finished the book Growing Up Getty: The Story of America’s Most Unconventional Dynasty by Vanity Fair writer James Reginato, published this year by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. At about 270 pages of well-written text, plus a substantial bibliography and a large family tree, this book bridges the gap between gossip column and biography to create a sometimes compelling, sometimes pandering narrative about this ultra wealthy clan.
The book is divided into four sections, explaining the rise of Jean Paul Getty as an oil baron and savvy businessman, and the subsequent lives of his descendents, many of whom are politically and socially today. Reginato has a special focus on the children and grandchildren of J. Paul Getty II, the oldest son of his fourth marriage (Getty I was married five times), and the family of Getty II’s younger brother, Gordon. This section of the family includes famously kidnapped J. Paul Getty III, whose plight was featured in the 2017 movie All the Money in the World; stock photo maven Mark Getty, who founded Getty Images; and political influencer Ann Gilbert Getty, who heavily sponsors Democrats like Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Governor of California Gavin Newsom.
The design of the book, from its cover to the family tree and chapter order, is deliberately structured. The beautiful book jacket has a deep blue background, which sets off the metallic silver of an ornate spoon and gold of the cursive lettering. The early 20th century image of a gushing oil derrick at the center of the spoon supports the history-based intentions of the contents.
My major complaint is that the author is a Getty fan, excusing any hint of hypocrisy at their claims to support environmental causes while flying around in the “Jetty”, their personal Boeing 747, and somehow applauding as the family uses its wealth to influence elections. The closer the book comes to the present day, the more the text reads like an Instagram bio stan piece than rigorous academic research. I would not be surprised if the Getty family conveniently gave a few donations to the favorite charities of the author or took him to one of their many vacation mansions.
While this book started out strong as it recalled the life of the dynasty founder, the later chapters became tedious. An ideal reader of this book is a fan of reality television shows focused on the rich and famous while also appreciating popular non-fiction. This could be a tough sell. If the author had had spent more time either discussing the Getty Museum, castle restorations, and anthropological endeavors or the messy relationships, failed marriages, and drug addictions, this book would have fit more neatly into a preset audience.
