Elizabeth [Mass Market Paperback]

 

 

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If J. Randy Taraborrelli wanted to write a book about Liz and Dick, he should have just cut to the chase and done it. Because that is the only real information of substance in "Elizabeth," a patchy and rehashed biography of the screen legend. In the end, the only people who get any attention are Liz and Dick.

Elizabeth Taylor was born to the quintessential stage mom, who kept her apart from her father and brother, and turned her into a winsome child star. She was America's sultry, sweet young girl, who married a millionaire playboy -- and divorced him after he abused her.

A string of high-profile husbands immediately followed, and Taylor's image changed from widow to lusty black widow, from international glamour star to a gracious politician's wife. But she had more than marriages in her life -- she also had numerous health problems, overdoses, an addiction to painkillers that led to a stint at the Betty Ford, and finally work as an AIDS rights activist.

Taraborrelli obviously has a lot of enthusiasm for Taylor, but there aren't many facts that haven't beem covered by other books. So he settles for focusing on the lives of certain peripheral characters (such as Francis, Taylor's downtrodden father), and trying to understand Taylor's emotions and motivations throughout the worst times of her life.

Unfortunately, there's still nothing here that is new, and Taraborrelli can't quite keep himself from including items that are of sketchy origin -- they read like he was writing a novel. Her movies are pretty much footnotes, and he tends to skim over the scandals, overdoses and the reasons for some of her divorces -- namely, Taylor's own capriciousness.

Even worse, Taylor's first four husbands are faceless footnotes, even her vibrant soulmate Mike Todd. The first (and almost only) is Husband No. 5 and 6, Richard Burton. who gets swooning details about his physical and personal life. In fact, the only area of the book that really has Taraborrelli's full enthusiasm is when Taylor is wed to or performing with Burton. There's more attention on one play with Burton than there is in her whole marriage to John Warner.

The pictures are interesting but incomplete. It could have used some more pictures of Taylor throughout her life, but settles for one or two pics per hubby, and then a few more. But there are some rarities here, like Taylor as a child with her father, or a previously unseen still in the "Cleopatra I" costume. That Sarah Brightman crown and skimpy sixties dress look kind of silly.

"Elizabeth" tells us very little that is new, and ignores too much of the old. Taraborrelli clearly wanted to write a biography of the quintessential celebrity supercouple, but the full Taylor bio simply doesn't work.

This is my first book about Elizabeth Taylor and I couldn't put it down until it was finished. It is another well written and researched book by J. Randy Taraborrelli. Part 1. Childhood. Part 2. Finding her way. Part 3. Her destiny. Part 4. Liz & Dick. Part 5. Confusion reigns. Part 6. Coming to terms Part 7. The glory years. Part 8. All women.

The author writes about her parents & family, her career, her many health issues & addictions, and her many romances. He covers her early childhood up until her last divorce from Larry Fortensky. Just fascinating book from beginning to end.

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