Norton Simon amassed a huge fortune by transforming floundering companies into highly profitable enterprises. In his late forties he turned to art collecting, and built one of the largest private collections since World War II. This book provides a biography of Norton Simon, with an overview of Los Angeles culture of the postwar years. The book examines his art collection, which ranges from old masters and impressionists to rare Indian and Asian artworks. Simon's influence extended beyond the business and art world, as a University of California regent he challenged funding cutbacks and sympathized with student activists. The book also explores his tumultuous personal life, looking at his difficult divorce, the suicide of his 31-year-old son, his whirlwind romance and marriage to actress Jennifer Jones and his run for the US Senate.