As most of you know, I've been a huge Elizabeth Taylor fan all of my life. I've read a few books chronicling her life including, "Elizabeth" and "My Love Affair With Jewelry". This book was published a few months prior to Elizabeth's death and focuses on her relationship with Richard Burton.
I found it compelling and fascinating. The whole "Liz & Dick" scandal was handled, I thought with great respect and the authors managed to make this more than just another tell all piece of trash. I understand it was written with the cooperation of Elizabeth herself, which is a good sign. She's always been very honest and candid about her personal relationships (particularly with Burton, who I believe was the true love of her life).
The book goes into great detail about what it was like to be the super stars they became. No celebrity or celebrity couple can compare to what these two went through together. Things are so sterilized today. Remember, this all took place at a time when scandal wasn't exactly accepted by the public. These were two people who literally had to live in a bubble for their entire married (and unmarried) life. They fell in love in Rome on the set of "Cleopatra" and as in all great love stories, didn't seem to like each other very much. Obviously, that quickly changed. At the time, they were both also married to other people. Elizabeth to Eddie Fisher whom she "stole" from Debbie Reynolds and Richard to Sybil Burton, who, even through his well known philandering, he refused to divorce.
This is a love story greater than any work of fiction. The sex, the passion, the jewelry... it's all here in one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. Not for a moment does it drag. These two were the first real Hollywood couple born from scandal and then transformed into American royalty. Simply put, it's one of the best biographies I've ever read.
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