Peek inside the life and career of John Wayne, or "The Duke," in this amazingly detailed book, featuring a review of the top 10 Wayne movies for each decade. Learn how he became a star, how he got along with his co-stars, his political influence and ambitions, his foray onto the small screen, and ultimately his diagnosis of incurable cancer.

"When you're a boy named Marion growing up in the state of Iowa, you grow up fast. Yet few boys go from riding a horse to school to sitting astride a galloping steed on the set of a big-budget blockbuster movie that will be beamed across the globe. Marion Robert Morrison did, and he achieved global stardom with nothing more than grit, determination, and no small amount of hard work and bravery. In time he would come to be known as John Wayne, one of the most iconic names in the history of cinema. This is the story of how he rose from a quiet rural upbringing to become a Hollywood hero and the most famous cowboy the big screen has ever seen. From his early days lugging props around movie sets to his first big break, early flops, and biggest hits, to the women who won his heart, to his pioneering methods and his legacy today. This is the tale of the man who made the Western his own, spoke his mind, and, above all, embodied what it was to be an American patriot and global icon"--Back cover