Last Stand

摘要

One Saturday in November several hundred friends gathered at a Los Angeles restaurant to celebrate Alfred Mann's 85th birthday. To fit the Renaissance fair theme, Mann dressed as a king; his wife, Claude, a queen. Medieval jugglers and acrobats entertained guests. After the party the king and the queen flew off in his Gulfstream to a surprise destination for Mann-Bora-Bora-for a vacation."King of what?" is the question that surrounds the billionaire bio-medical entrepreneur. Mann, who made a fortune with various medical devices, remains confident-some say stubborn-about his latest and most quixotic venture. Mannkind, his Valencia, Calif.