Elizabeth
by J. Randy Taraborrelli
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Book Summary Information
Author: J. Randy TaraborrelliEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-08-29
ISBN: 0446532541
Number of pages: 560
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Book Reviews of Elizabeth
Book Review: A Gripping Book From Beginning To End
Summary: 5 Stars
All it takes is a chapter or two to find yourself invested in little Liz Taylor growing up happy and healthy. In Elizabeth, by J. Randy Taraborrelli, however, neither was meant to be.
I had never read a Taraborrelli book before, mainly because I was never that intrigued by his subjects... but with Elizabeth Taylor, I just had to give him a try. He is a wonderfully talented writer, with an ability to both make a reader laugh and cry along the intricate journey of Elizabeth's life.
He spends time on her London childhood, which I'd never seen chronicled in much detail, and creates a relationship between Liz and both her parents that is both very complex, but also easy to understand -- and it was her relationship with her mother, her "creator" in more ways than one, that truly shaped who this icon would become. From the moment Liz gets to Hollywood, it's like a dam bursts. Taraborrelli details the whirlwind life little Liz found herself tossed into. While most of us view her tossing one wedding ring aside and sliding a new one on her finger as kind of an unusual character trait... it's never been explained in detail before... ever. And I have read EVERY Taylor biography available. Taraborrelli makes sense of the bizarre choices Liz made along the way -- without making excuses for her. Her motivations to leave one man and move on to the next aren't presented as simply selfish and cold. She had reasons every time, and I'm frankly relieved to finally know the truth. And that's really what this book felt like to me: the truth. I'm not a fan of unauthorized biographies, because I assume they'll be sensational and catty. This is not Taraborrelli's style. It's almost as if he's writing about a loved one... I think he cares for his subject, and, yes, he had to explain awful things she may have done or said, but he does it with clean intention. For that alone, as a huge Taylor fan, I applaud him.
Now... let me just say... if you've ever been curious about what REALLY happened with Liz and Richard Burton... get this book! There are very specific accounts (and, yes, by first hand witnesses) of Liz and Dick's antics on the set of Cleopatra, and every chapter in their tumultuous lives together. This had never been explained before, with any real factual basis. All it takes is a look at Taraborrelli's source notes to see just how deeply into Elizabeth's life he was able to dig. And Elizabeth herself, says Taraborrelli, didn't advise those closest to her to duck his requests for an interview. It's almost an authorized, unauthorized biography really-- if you follow.
I think with this book, though, what really sets it apart are moments. Moments of Elizabeth's life that make you feel like you're there with her. Taraborrelli transports you back in time, and you feel like you're right there with Liz as she returns to a Swiss chateau after Richard's death in order to honor a simple wish he had had in life. You're there when she comes to the realization that the world viewed her as a pariah after the Reynolds/Fisher affair.
I felt throughout the whole book that both the writer and I were rooting for Liz, but, sadly, she kept making choices that led her down the wrong path.
I simply adored this book, and would seriously raise an eyebrow to anyone who didn't. Taraborrelli is a compassionate, but no-holds-barred writer, who unravels a tale with skill -- giving his subject compassion, yes, but also holding her accountable for the mess she would often make of her life.
Elizabeth Taylor has herself admitted to making mistakes, and this book chronicles those along with the other, wonderful acccomplishments in her life.
I think even Elizabeth Taylor (while she might cringe through much of it) would finish reading the last page and say: "Well, someone finally got it right."
Bravo!
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